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Official Dreamcast Magazine (US magazine)

This article is about the United States Official Dreamcast Magazine. For the United Kingdom Official Dreamcast Magazine, see Official Dreamcast Magazine (UK).

Official Dreamcast Magazine
February 2001 issue
Editor-in-chiefChris Charla[1]
EditorSimon Cox[2]
CategoriesComputer and video games
FrequencyMonthly/bimonthly
First issueSeptember/October 1999
Final issue
Number		March/April 2001
13
CompanyImagine Media Inc.
CountryUSA
ISSN1525-1764

The Official Dreamcast Magazine (commonly abbreviated as ODCM and formerly known as Official Sega Dreamcast Magazine) was a video game magazine for the Dreamcast video game console published in the United States. It was published by Imagine Media.[3]

History

The magazine's initial issue "0" was released in June 1999, a full 3 months before the launch of the system. This issue featured Sonic the Hedgehog on a black cover, along with the launch date and some of the system's unique features.[4] Upon the magazines release on August 24, 1999, they printed 330,000 copies of the debut issue.[5] The magazine ran for twelve issues from the September 1999 Dreamcast launch to March/April 2001, shortly after Dreamcast was discontinued.[6]

Starting with issue 2, each issue came with a GD-ROM with demos of Dreamcast games.[7] The final issue did not come with a disc. This was explained as Sega looking for a new way to distribute demos. The cancellation was apparently unexpected as the magazine promised more information about demo distribution in future issues and had a preview for the next issue where Phantasy Star Online was to be reviewed. Many of the staff went on to work for Official Xbox Magazine.

The magazine was published bimonthly, but during the 2000 holiday season, issues were sold monthly due to additional relevant content being available for the shopping season.

Key Components, Structure, and Common Features

Games such as Dino Crisis, Resident Evil, Half Life, Record of Lodoss War, and Unreal Tournament seen within the Official Dreamcast Magazines received a rating of M for Mature 17+ on the ESRB scale. [8][9]

On the other hand, games such as Coaster Works, Max Steel, Sonic Adventure, Ms.Pac-Man Maze Madness, and Iron Aces received a rating of E for everyone on the ESRB scale.[10][11]

Most games displayed within the magazines were rated M for mature. This is related to Sega’s goal of targeting the older crowd, rather than a narrow market for younger children only.[12][8][9]

Reviews

The magazine used multiple reviewing techniques, including the 24-hour review, where a reviewer would play the game for 24 hours, even if the game was bad. They also compared games to similar ones.[13]

Perception

At the beginning of the magazines start, they were selling more than 250,000 copies, which is similar to Electronic Gaming Monthly's circulation.[14] The magazine's short two year run was initially started to boost the new console the Dreamcast.[15] The Dreamcast console sales reflected the magazine sales. By 2000, Sega was losing money on each console and was relying on games to cover it, they were loosing about 400 million dollars a year.[14] The next year, 2001, the final issue of the Dreamcast Magazine was released.[6]

See also

References

  1. ^ Floyd, Mike (May 10, 2000). "Battlel of the Video Games". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. p. 4E.
  2. ^ Simmers, Tim (September 8, 1999). "Sega Sees Sale Record". Oakland Tribune. Oakland, California. p. Business-5.
  3. ^ "Gaming Popularity Continues To Rise: About Imagine Media, Inc". The Times and Democrat. Orangeburg, South Carolina. December 18, 1999. p. CL6.
  4. ^ "Official Sega Dreamcast Magazine US". Sega Dreamcast Magazine. No. 0. Imagine Media. June 1999.
  5. ^ Takahashi, Dean (August 24, 1999). "Sega Taps Creator Of 'Antz' to Launch Dreamcast Console". Wall Street Journal. p. B7. ProQuest 398712490. Sega is printing 330,000 copies of the debut issue of its enthusiast magazine, Dreamcast Magazine, which hits the streets today.
  6. ^ a b Gaudiosi, John (February 12, 2001). "Game over for two gaming news sites". Video Business. Vol. 21, no. 7. p. 52. ProQuest 223920838. Meanwhile, Imagine Media, in light of Sega's departure from the console business, has closed production of its Official Dreamcast Magazine.
  7. ^ "Script Kiddiez Suck: Toward An Economy For Vulnerability Disclosure". Computer Security Journal. 17 (1): 27–35. Winter 2001. ProQuest 216362403. Dreamcast Magazine. Every month I get a new issue and every month it has a CD
  8. ^ a b imagine (2001-01). Official Sega Dreamcast Magazine 2001-01. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  9. ^ a b Official Sega Dreamcast 11 Feb 2001. 2001-02. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  10. ^ https://archive.org/details/OfficialSegaDreamcast11Feb2001/mode/2up
  11. ^ https://archive.org/details/Official_Dreamcast_Magazine_The_Issue_00_1999-06_Imagine_Publishing_US/page/n3/mode/2up
  12. ^ https://www.wired.com/1993/06/sega/#:~:text=Now%20that%20it's%20a%20$3.6,beat%20it%20in%20the%20US
  13. ^ Cravens, Glenn (March 3, 2000). "Read, ask, play before you buy". The Gamer's Corner. The Salinas Californian. Salinas, California. p. 6D.
  14. ^ a b Horti, Samuel (July 31, 2023). "How Dreamcast Killed Sega's Hardware Reign". IGN. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  15. ^ Ashford, Sage (June 24, 2023). "10 Best Video Game Magazines That No Longer Exist". CBR. Retrieved December 3, 2024.

Further reading

Quelle: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Official_Dreamcast_Magazine_(US_magazine)