Getting Play in GamePro Magazine

Game Marketers who want to get their titles noticed by GamePro editors should try pitching early in the calendar year and they should be dependable about delivering betas as well as gigabytes of screenshots, according to one of the most popular and long-lived gaming pubs around. IDG's venerable gaming book has more than a half million in paid circulation and just announced 40% ad page growth for 2002.

GamePro is not only among the oldest and most popular gaming magazines in the U.S., but it is also one of the only consumer books to cover all platforms, from consoles to PC. Consoles dominate the editorial mix, of course, says Paul Curthoys, senior editor, but three to six pages go to the higher profile PC titles each month.

Generally, the magazine takes a multi-platform approach and claims to be interested in good games, not just which platform is hot. GamePro readers represent the sweet spot of game demographics, the 18 year-old-male, who has the disposable income and time to play, although the mag's audience can run as young as 8 and 10.

Readers also tend to own at least two console brands, so editorially the magazine emphasizes good game play rather than the dominant platform when deciding on previews for the platform-specific genre-specific sections (for sports, online, RPGs). "Readers and gamers really go where the quality is," says Curthoys.

The PS2 got the lion's share of coverage in 2002 because that is where the games were. But with high profile titles on the way, "there's a chance this year for the Xbox to come on strong," he says.

Exclusivity and Timing

While the magazine's front matter (news items) and previews section welcome publisher pitches, the features section represents "the most prime real estate possibilities," says Cuthoys, because any topic worth covering works here.

The best bet is to offer the magazine exclusive access of some kind to a title: first hands-on game play, first playable software, or special access to a celerity attached to a game license or title. "We're interested in the entertainment side, but we won't do an 'Entertainment Weekly' [type of] story," Curthoys says.

Curthoys joins us in decrying the industry's suicidal obsession with issuing the bulk when good titles struggle to get shelf space, mind share and editors' attention. "Publishers who are willing to release a high-profile game in July will reap the rewards," he says.

While teen gamers do often rely on holiday money and gifts to get many of their games, other demographic segments buy titles year-round. More to the point, it is much easier to get editorial coverage early in the year when editors are looking actively to fill pages.

Publishers also can pitch the same editors for online coverage, because the same staff handles both print and online and the GamePro.com site offers a wealth of additional space for titles that don't get print exposure.

Lead Times and Timely Assets

The magazine's lead time is about three months, with deadlines for media assets usually falling around the 15th of each month. GamePro is a highly visual magazine, so previews often are oriented around the number of good in-game screen shots a publisher provides, with 15 to 20 being optimal.

Too often publishers fail to deliver on promised assets, Curthoys warns, and it is among his pet peeves. "They should be really sure what they are committing to before they commit," he says. For GamePro's part, "the publisher can trust us to do the story right, and on the flipside we can deliver a really large audience."

Forget Rugby

With his finger on the pulse of reader feedback, Curthoys recommends that some current marketing energy is being wasted in trying to bring European sports titles to the U.S. where our gamers seem to disregard them despite the hype.

On the other hand, the bargain category is gaining a lot of traction, because readers are becoming more reticent about paying $50 for a media experience, even an interactive one. "The number-one concern in buying hardware and games is price," he says.

Gaming Magazine Circulation (2002)
Publication                7/02-12/02  1/02-6/02
Game Informer              981,542     669,965
Electronic Gaming Monthly  528,285     488,399
GamePro                    517,993     N/A
PSM                        423,542     307,917
PC Gamer                   321,703     361,856
Official U.S. Playstation  295,928     N/A
Computer Gaming World      N/A         301,459
Source: Audit Bureau of Circulation (analyzed paid circulation averages for
period ending 12/31/02)

Who Ya Gonna Call?

First Contact: GamePro editors get assigned beats, so publishers, developers, hardware manufacturers and other news sources get assigned to specific contact people. Newcomers who need to be assigned an editor should use Paul Curthoys as a first point of contact at 510/ 768-2782 or pcurthoys@gamepro.com

Ad Sales Contact: Greg Fox, 510/768-2724, gfox@gamepro.com

Web Editorial Contact: Wataru Maruyama, 510/768-2729, wmaruyama@gamepro.com

Mailing Address: GamePro

555 12th St., Suite 1100

Oakland, CA 94607

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