Paragon Publishing
Encyclopedia
Paragon Publishing Ltd was a magazine
publisher in the UK, which published computer games and other entertainment titles from 1991 to 2003.
by ex-Future Publishing
staff Richard Monteiro and Dianne Taverner. With a small team of staff they began work on their first publication Sega Pro
.
With the success of Sega Pro the company began expanding and launched several other titles, hiring more staff to produce these new titles. It was not long before the company moved into new premises in Bournemouth
.
The company continued to publish magazines for the video games market as well as other areas for the next decade.
In July 2003 Paragon Publishing and its 30-odd magazine titles were sold to Highbury House Communications for £32m. Imagine Publishing
, which was formed by ex-Paragon staff Damian Butt, Steve Boyd and Mark Kendrick, would buy back most of these titles when Highbury themselves went into liquidation in early 2006.
's Mega Drive as well as the Master System and Game Gear. Well-known names on early issues included Dominic Handy, Les Ellis, Dave Perry, James Scullion and Damian Butt. Ran for many years up until Sega
themselves disappeared.
, a new title focusing on the Mega Drive and in particular the Mega CD was launched in 1993. The magazine was the first console publication to include a covermounted CD.
was a video games based tv show broadcast on satellite in the early 90s. The show's producers, Hewland International, gave the rights to produce Games World: The Magazine to Paragon. The multi-format magazine content was generally centred around Sega
and Nintendo
's consoles.
, Nintendo Pro focused on the Nintendo
range of consoles. It was originally known as N64 Pro and was one of the titles Paragon Publishing acquired with the acquisition of the Macclesfield-based titles of IDG Media.
as editor. One of the first PlayStation
magazines released covering Sony
's PlayStation products, later including the PlayStation 2
, PlayStation Portable and the PlayStation 3. It is the UK's longest-running PlayStation magazine, and is currently in its 11th year on sale, published under Imagine Publishing
.
magazine and now a PlayStation
and Xbox 360
tips magazine launched at the same time as sister title Play by Dave Perry
. As with Console XS content included games cheats, tips and guides. Along with its sister title, PowerStation was bought by Imagine Publishing
in 2006.
's N64
console.
's Dreamcast, Dreamcast Magazine was launched in 1999.
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
publisher in the UK, which published computer games and other entertainment titles from 1991 to 2003.
Brief history
Paragon Publishing Ltd was formed in a small office in Trowbridge, WiltshireTrowbridge
Trowbridge is the county town of Wiltshire, England, situated on the River Biss in the west of the county, approximately 12 miles southeast of Bath, Somerset....
by ex-Future Publishing
Future Publishing
Future plc is a media company; in 2006, it was the sixth-largest in the United Kingdom. It publishes more than 150 magazines in fields such as video games, technology, automotive, cycling, films and photography. Future is the official magazine company of all three major games console manufacturers...
staff Richard Monteiro and Dianne Taverner. With a small team of staff they began work on their first publication Sega Pro
Sega Pro
Sega Pro was the first publication from Paragon Publishing and catered for the Sega consoles: the Master System, Game Gear and the Mega Drive...
.
With the success of Sega Pro the company began expanding and launched several other titles, hiring more staff to produce these new titles. It was not long before the company moved into new premises in Bournemouth
Bournemouth
Bournemouth is a large coastal resort town in the ceremonial county of Dorset, England. According to the 2001 Census the town has a population of 163,444, making it the largest settlement in Dorset. It is also the largest settlement between Southampton and Plymouth...
.
The company continued to publish magazines for the video games market as well as other areas for the next decade.
In July 2003 Paragon Publishing and its 30-odd magazine titles were sold to Highbury House Communications for £32m. Imagine Publishing
Imagine Publishing
Imagine Publishing is a UK-based magazine publisher, which publishes a number of video games, computing, creative and lifestyle magazines. It was founded on 14 May 2005, and launched with a core set of six gaming and creative computing titles. In November 2005 it acquired the only retro games...
, which was formed by ex-Paragon staff Damian Butt, Steve Boyd and Mark Kendrick, would buy back most of these titles when Highbury themselves went into liquidation in early 2006.
Key Titles
Paragon published many titles during its decade run, mainly computer or video games based, but later moved into other areas of entertainment.Sega Pro
The company's first magazine publication and a big success. Covering the early 90s explosion in popularity of SegaSega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
's Mega Drive as well as the Master System and Game Gear. Well-known names on early issues included Dominic Handy, Les Ellis, Dave Perry, James Scullion and Damian Butt. Ran for many years up until Sega
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
themselves disappeared.
Mega Power
Following the success of Sega ProSega Pro
Sega Pro was the first publication from Paragon Publishing and catered for the Sega consoles: the Master System, Game Gear and the Mega Drive...
, a new title focusing on the Mega Drive and in particular the Mega CD was launched in 1993. The magazine was the first console publication to include a covermounted CD.
Console XS
A bi-monthly games console tips magazine launched in 1993. Featuring game cheats, tips, and guides for the consoles of the early 90s. After four issues, the title was split into two: Sega XS, which focused solely on Sega platforms, and Super XS, covering Nintendo games.Games World: The Magazine
Games WorldGames World
Games World was a British computer games-based television programme, made by Hewland International and broadcast on Sky One each weekday from 1993-98...
was a video games based tv show broadcast on satellite in the early 90s. The show's producers, Hewland International, gave the rights to produce Games World: The Magazine to Paragon. The multi-format magazine content was generally centred around Sega
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
and Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
's consoles.
Nintendo Pro
As with Sega ProSega Pro
Sega Pro was the first publication from Paragon Publishing and catered for the Sega consoles: the Master System, Game Gear and the Mega Drive...
, Nintendo Pro focused on the Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
range of consoles. It was originally known as N64 Pro and was one of the titles Paragon Publishing acquired with the acquisition of the Macclesfield-based titles of IDG Media.
Play
Launched in 1995 by Paragon with Dave PerryDave Perry
Dave Perry was co-commentator on the UK computer and video games television shows GamesMaster and Games World.He was responsible for launching many games magazines, including Games World, Play, PowerStation, X-Gen, STATION and Mega Power...
as editor. One of the first PlayStation
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
magazines released covering Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
's PlayStation products, later including the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
, PlayStation Portable and the PlayStation 3. It is the UK's longest-running PlayStation magazine, and is currently in its 11th year on sale, published under Imagine Publishing
Imagine Publishing
Imagine Publishing is a UK-based magazine publisher, which publishes a number of video games, computing, creative and lifestyle magazines. It was founded on 14 May 2005, and launched with a core set of six gaming and creative computing titles. In November 2005 it acquired the only retro games...
.
PowerStation
Originally a PlayStationPlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
magazine and now a PlayStation
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
and Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
tips magazine launched at the same time as sister title Play by Dave Perry
Dave Perry
Dave Perry was co-commentator on the UK computer and video games television shows GamesMaster and Games World.He was responsible for launching many games magazines, including Games World, Play, PowerStation, X-Gen, STATION and Mega Power...
. As with Console XS content included games cheats, tips and guides. Along with its sister title, PowerStation was bought by Imagine Publishing
Imagine Publishing
Imagine Publishing is a UK-based magazine publisher, which publishes a number of video games, computing, creative and lifestyle magazines. It was founded on 14 May 2005, and launched with a core set of six gaming and creative computing titles. In November 2005 it acquired the only retro games...
in 2006.
X Gen
A short-lived multi format magazine in the style of ACE and EDGE.64 Magazine
Launched in 1997, 64 Magazine covered NintendoNintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
's N64
Nintendo 64
The , often referred to as N64, was Nintendo′s third home video game console for the international market. Named for its 64-bit CPU, it was released in June 1996 in Japan, September 1996 in North America, March 1997 in Europe and Australia, September 1997 in France and December 1997 in Brazil...
console.
Dreamcast Magazine
Covering SegaSega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
's Dreamcast, Dreamcast Magazine was launched in 1999.