PlayStation Official Magazine (UK)
Encyclopedia
The Official UK PlayStation Magazine is a now-defunct magazine, launched in November 1995 to coincide with the launch of the PlayStation
console. It ran for 108 issues, with the last hitting news stands in March 2004. The first issue sold 37,000 copies. Roughly midway through its run the abbreviations in the magazine changed from PSM to OPM (this was mainly because another magazine by the name of PSM2 was launched in the 4th quarter of 2000, and so as not to cause confusion, the abbreviations of the official mag were changed to OPM). It had 3 design changes in its lifetime: 1 to 51, 52 to 72, and finally 73 to 108.
The first game to be reviewed was Wipeout
, which received 8/10. The last game to be reviewed was Ford Truck Mania, which garnered 7/10.
figure - beating the UK's biggest lads magazines FHM, Maxim and Loaded.
The first game to be reviewed was Tekken Tag Tournament
, which received 8/10.
The last game to be reviewed was SBK-08: Superbike World Championship
, which earned 7/10.
Although some of the demos are also available on the PlayStation Network, there will be some exclusive content on certain discs. It has also been stated that the magazine will receive exclusive content in the future to be published on the disc.
The magazine also presents its "highest accolade", the Gold Award, to any game that its staff believe "demonstrates significant innovation, near-flawless gameplay, great graphics and long-lasting appeal." Games do not necessarily have to have a perfect 10 out of 10 score to receive it; those that have received this award include FIFA 09
, FIFA 11
, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
, Mirror's Edge
, Grand Theft Auto IV
, Warhawk, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
, Siren: Blood Curse
, Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, Soulcalibur IV
, LittleBigPlanet
, Resistance 2
, Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction, Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time, Infamous, BioShock
, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
, Killzone 2, Assassin's Creed II
, Heavy Rain
, and Red Dead Redemption for the PlayStation 3
; Tomb Raider: Anniversary for the PlayStation 2; and God of War: Chains of Olympus
and Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions
for the PlayStation Portable
.
Including members of the FirstPlay team:
* Denotes staff members who used to be part of Official PlayStation 2 Magazine UK.
(All staff are current as of Issue 60.)
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...
console. It ran for 108 issues, with the last hitting news stands in March 2004. The first issue sold 37,000 copies. Roughly midway through its run the abbreviations in the magazine changed from PSM to OPM (this was mainly because another magazine by the name of PSM2 was launched in the 4th quarter of 2000, and so as not to cause confusion, the abbreviations of the official mag were changed to OPM). It had 3 design changes in its lifetime: 1 to 51, 52 to 72, and finally 73 to 108.
The first game to be reviewed was Wipeout
Wipeout (video game)
Wipeout is the first in a series of futuristic racing video games developed and published by Psygnosis. It was originally released in 1995 for Sony PlayStation and PCs running MS-DOS, and in 1996 for Sega Saturn...
, which received 8/10. The last game to be reviewed was Ford Truck Mania, which garnered 7/10.
Sales and success
The magazine would go on to become not only the best selling PlayStation magazine in the United Kingdom, but the best selling videogames magazine in the world. By mid 1997, PSM was selling over 150,000 issues a month. In the month of February 1999, issue 42 (Cover game: Metal Gear Solid), managed a record 453,571 ABCABC (Audit Bureau of Circulations UK)
In the United Kingdom and Ireland, ABC has two roles:* To manage and uphold standards which reflect media industry needs...
figure - beating the UK's biggest lads magazines FHM, Maxim and Loaded.
Editorial Policy
Under the guidance of Rob Pegley, the magazine had a no nonsense attitude to pre-agreed scores in exchange for cover exclusives or compromising of editorial judgment for the sake of a first look. They made a habit of 'nailing' other publications for such acts. Written in every issue was the following promise:Fact: The Official PlayStation Magazine is the world's best selling video games magazine. The only magazine with an official demo CD every month. PSM is also the best written and most clearly designed magazine on the shelves. This market leading position means that we can review games honestly and protect our readers interests, giving real opinions rather than compromise our views in a pursuit on an exclusive review or cover.
PSM is the only magazine which really matters within in the PlayStation industry for one reason - what we print is the truth. Whether it's about games, the industry and all things PlayStation, our writing is opinionated, honest and always informed. Links with Sony provide exclusive information and game demos, but do not compromise our editorial independence - guaranteed.
PSM is written in an adult manner. Free from technical jargon, but with necessary expertise that PlayStation owners demand.
PSM drops the usual in jokes and infantile humour for quality. We tell you the latest news, talk to the most important people in the industry, discuss the most relevant issues and review the most exciting games on the planet.
Official UK PlayStation 2 Magazine
Official UK PlayStation 2 Magazine (often abbreviated to OPS2) was launched in November 2000 as the sequel publication to the Official UK PlayStation Magazine, originally priced £4.99, to coincide with the launch of the PlayStation 2 console. Each month the magazine came with a cover mounted playable demo DVD. It ran for 100 issues, with the last going on sale in the month of June, 2008. The magazine was commonly abbreviated ‘OPS2’. It had 4 design changes in its lifetime: 1 to 25, 26 to 41, 42 to 89, and finally 90 to 100.The first game to be reviewed was Tekken Tag Tournament
Tekken Tag Tournament
is the fourth installment in the popular Tekken fighting game series. It, however, is not canonical to the Tekken storyline. The game was originally available as an update kit for Tekken 3. Tekken Tag Tournament was originally released as an arcade game before it was ported to the PlayStation 2...
, which received 8/10.
The last game to be reviewed was SBK-08: Superbike World Championship
SBK-08: Superbike World Championship
SBK-08: Superbike World Championship is the official video game for the 2008 Superbike World Championship season...
, which earned 7/10.
Sales and Success
The magazine would go on to become the UK's Best Selling PlayStation 2 magazine, peaking with 197,348 readers in 2002.Target Demographic
In the beginning OPS2 was designed for the early adopter - encompassing hardcore gamers and previous readers crossing over from the original Official UK PlayStation Magazine. This ran from issue 1 (November 2000) to 25 (November 2002). Starting from issue 26, the magazine was set the task of attracting a more mass market, mainstream audience. This included a full redesign. From issue 34, OPS2 changed again - however this time retaining its recent redesign. In a drastic attempt to attract a more young male demographic - similar to that of the independent PlayStation magazines of the 90's - the publication decided to review readers girlfriends and their mothers; increase the babe count, even to the point of including bare breasts. It received a mixed response from readers, and failed to considerably increase the readership. In turn, the magazine featured another redesign from issue 42. OPS2 would retain this middle ground for the next 3 years, neither employing an overly male nor hardcore adult gamer stance. In the final year, as the PlayStation 2 entered a more family friendly stage, OPS2 changed once more; this time for its final time. Starting from issue 90 the magazine would focus on new PS2 owners and the younger gamer.Awards
- In 2004 OPSM2 won the prestigious Industry Dinner Magazine of the Year Award.
- In 2004 OPSM2 publication won MCV's Magazine Team of the Year Award.
- In 1998 and 1999, OPSM won the prestigious Industry Dinner Magazine of the Year Award.
Regular features
The magazine's design follows the same approximate structure each issue. Recurring segments include:- The Big 10, in which the ten most momentous PlayStation-related pieces of news are discussed
- Agenda, which contains the game sales charts for all three major PlayStation platforms as well as a Personal column and regulars like Culture, where PlayStation super fans show off their art, models and tributes. It also shows off the latest Sony gadgets (mainly phones and cameras) as well as "Lust have kit".
- Previews and reviews sections
- Blu-ray movies section in which the latest Blu-ray releases are reviewed.
- Contact, in which letters and emails from readers are shown and replied to, this section also includes a corner dedicated to "what's on my hard drive" where people talk about what games, videos, music, photos and friends are on their PS3 and several wall posts from the Official PlayStation Magazine UK Facebook page.
- Directory, which houses a "Buyer's Guide" for games for the main platforms as well as for HDTVs
OPSM
From issues #1 to #51, the magazine followed a set format every month.- StartUp - featuring a quick run through of the games featured on the cover disc and editor's letter.
- Update - News, interviews and first looks. With each page, a 'Loading Bar' percentage increased.
- PrePlay - Previews
- Letters (this was later moved to the back of the magazine in a section called 'Down Loading')
- Features
- PlayTest - Reviews
- Cheats (later called 'Top Secret', a special section which was printed on recycled paper)
- Down Loading
- On the CD - Demo game controls
- Next Month
OPSM2
- Spy - News and the latest announcements
- Monitor - Previews, as voted for by the readers
- Features
- Next Month
- Letters
- Replay - looking at previously reviewed titles, review A to Z, cheats
- Comedown - DVD and Music reviews
- On the Disc
Demo disc
Each month the publication comes with a cover mounted playable demo disc - a first for a console magazine. The disc contains game demos and other PlayStation-related content which have to be downloaded installed onto the PS3's hard drive.Although some of the demos are also available on the PlayStation Network, there will be some exclusive content on certain discs. It has also been stated that the magazine will receive exclusive content in the future to be published on the disc.
Reviews
Usually, one member of the team is assigned to review a certain new game, although on occasion other staff members will provide "2up" or a second opinion. Sometimes there are also pie charts to describe the contents, or what you do in the game. Also used are score poles to compare reviews, as well as describing the influences. And as with the "2up" segment, there is a "dev talk" article giving a short statement from the games developer. Reviews are scored out of ten.The magazine also presents its "highest accolade", the Gold Award, to any game that its staff believe "demonstrates significant innovation, near-flawless gameplay, great graphics and long-lasting appeal." Games do not necessarily have to have a perfect 10 out of 10 score to receive it; those that have received this award include FIFA 09
FIFA 09
FIFA 09 is the 2008 installment of Electronic Arts' FIFA series of football video games. Developed by EA Canada, it is published by Electronic Arts worldwide under the EA Sports label. It was released in October 2008 for Windows, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, Wii,...
, FIFA 11
FIFA 11
FIFA 11 is the 18th title in Electronic Arts' FIFA series of football video games. Developed by EA Canada, it was published by Electronic Arts worldwide under the EA Sports label...
, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
is a video game developed by Kojima Productions for the PlayStation 3 console. The game was directed by Hideo Kojima and made its worldwide release on June 12, 2008, ten years after the release of Metal Gear Solid and twenty years after the North American release of Metal Gear.Guns of the Patriots...
, Mirror's Edge
Mirror's Edge
Mirror's Edge is a single-player first person action-adventure video game developed by EA Digital Illusions CE and published by Electronic Arts. The game was announced on July 10, 2007, and was released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in November 2008. A Microsoft Windows version was released...
, Grand Theft Auto IV
Grand Theft Auto IV
Grand Theft Auto IV is a 2008 open world action video game published by Rockstar Games, and developed by British games developer Rockstar North. It has been released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 video game consoles, and for the Windows operating system...
, Warhawk, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is a single-player action role-playing video game developed by Bethesda Game Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks and the Take-Two Interactive subsidiary 2K Games...
, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is a 2007 first-person shooter video game, developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision for Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii. A handheld game was made for the Nintendo DS. The game was released in North America, Australia, and...
, Siren: Blood Curse
Siren: Blood Curse
Siren: Blood Curse, known in Japan as Siren: New Translation, is a stealth-based survival horror video game and the third installment in the Siren video game series...
, Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, Soulcalibur IV
Soulcalibur IV
is the fourth installment in Namco's Soul series of fighting games. The game was released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on July 29, 2008, in North America, on July 31, 2008, in Japan, Europe, and Australia, and on August 1, 2008, in the United Kingdom and New Zealand.The game is notable for...
, LittleBigPlanet
LittleBigPlanet
LittleBigPlanet, commonly abbreviated LBP, is a puzzle platformer video game, based on user-generated content, for the PlayStation 3 first announced on 7 March 2007, by Phil Harrison at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, California...
, Resistance 2
Resistance 2
Resistance 2 is a science fiction first person shooter video game developed by Insomniac Games and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 3. The game was released in North America on November 4, 2008, Japan on November 13, 2008, and in Europe on November 28, 2008...
, Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction, Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time, Infamous, BioShock
Bioshock
BioShock is a first-person shooter video game developed by 2K Boston and designed by Ken Levine. It was released for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360 on August 21, 2007 in North America, and three days later in Europe and Australia. It became available on Steam on August 21, 2007...
, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is an action-adventure platform third-person shooter video game developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 3. It is the sequel to the 2007 game Uncharted: Drake's Fortune. It was first shown and announced on December 1, 2008...
, Killzone 2, Assassin's Creed II
Assassin's Creed II
Assassin's Creed II is a historical third-person action-adventure video game developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X. It is the second video game installment of the Assassin's Creed series, and is a sequel to the 2007 video...
, Heavy Rain
Heavy Rain
Heavy Rain is an interactive drama psychological thriller video game created by Quantic Dream exclusively for the PlayStation 3. The game is written and directed by Quantic Dream's founder and CEO David Cage....
, and Red Dead Redemption for the PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
; Tomb Raider: Anniversary for the PlayStation 2; and God of War: Chains of Olympus
God of War: Chains of Olympus
God of War: Chains of Olympus is an action-adventure game developed by Ready at Dawn and released by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation Portable in March 2008....
and Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions
Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions
is a tactical role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix for the Sony PlayStation Portable and iOS. The game is an updated version of Final Fantasy Tactics for the PlayStation video game console....
for the PlayStation Portable
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
.
Editorial staff
The team listed on the magazine's first double page consists of:- Ben Wilson - Editor*
- Helen Woodey - Contributing ops Editor
- Steve Gallagher - Art editor
- Sarah Ditum - Production editor
- Leon Hurley - Deputy editor*
- Joel Gregory - Staff writer
Including members of the FirstPlay team:
- Nathan Ditum - Associate editor*
- David Boddington - Content producer
- James Jarvis - Assistant producer
(All staff are current as of Issue 60.)
Top Ten Readers Poll
In issue 50, the magazine published the results of the readers poll on the greatest PlayStation title ever released.| Number | Game |
|---|---|
| 1 | Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is an action-adventure platform third-person shooter video game developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 3. It is the sequel to the 2007 game Uncharted: Drake's Fortune. It was first shown and announced on December 1, 2008... |
| 2 | Metal Gear Solid Metal Gear Solid is a videogame by Hideo Kojima. The game was developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Japan and first published by Konami in 1998 for the PlayStation video game console. It is the sequel to Kojimas early MSX2 computer games Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake... |
| 3 | Final Fantasy VII Final Fantasy VII is a role-playing video game developed by Square and published by Sony Computer Entertainment as the seventh installment in the Final Fantasy series. It was originally released in 1997 for the Sony PlayStation and was re-released in 1998 for Microsoft Windows-based personal computers and in 2009... |
| 4 | Grand Theft Auto Vice City |
| 5 | Metal Gear Solid 4 |
| 6 | Metal Gear Solid 3 |
| 7 | Call Of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is a 2007 first-person shooter video game, developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision for Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii. A handheld game was made for the Nintendo DS. The game was released in North America, Australia, and... |
| 8 | Shadow Of The Colossus Shadow of the Colossus Shadow of the Colossus, released in Japan as , is an action-adventure game published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 2. The game was released in North America and Japan in October 2005 and PAL territories in February 2006... |
| 9 | Red Dead Redemption |
| 10 | Resident Evil IV |