Jump to content

Gemaga

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by M0d3M (talk | contribs) at 22:56, 27 November 2021 (illustration). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Gemaga
May 1012, the final issue of Gemaga magazine
CategoriesComputer and video game console magazine
PublisherSB Creative
Founded1984
Final issueMay 2012
CountryJapan

Gemaga,[a] was a computer and console gaming print magazine, founded in 1984 and published by SB Creative. During its history, it was known variously as Beep, Beep! Mega Drive,[b], Sega Saturn Magazine, Dreamcast Magazine, Dorimaga,[c] and finally Gemaga.

History

The magazine was started by Softbank Publishing in 1984 as monthly publication under the name Beep to cover Video games for home computers, arcade machines and gaming consoles.[1][2] Its original layout was inspired by the men's magazine Popeye.[3]

The original Beep magazine was discontinued on the 8th of March 1989. The editor-in-chief, Yoji Kawaguchi pitched a new format to SoftBank: two separate magazines, one which covers games for Sega Mega Drive, and one which is dedicated to the upcoming Super Nintendo Entertainment System. The publisher was more interested in Nintendo, since it was more popular in Japan than Sega, but agreed to start with the Mega Drive-themed publication because the new Nintendo console was delayed from its original launch date in 1989. The new publication was named Beep! Mega Drive. Kawaguchi decided to keep the original name Beep to emphasize the continuity between the publications. The magazine went from a monthly to a twice-monthly publication.[2]

In 1995 coverage of Mega Drive was withdrawn in favour of the Sega Saturn. The magazine was renamed Sega Saturn Magazine. Kawaguchi decided to drop "Beep" from its name because according to him, it had served its purpose. The magazine became a weekly publication.[2] In 1998 it was rebranded as Dreamcast Magazine and changed its focus from Saturn to Sega Dreamcast.[4]

Sega discontinued the Dreamcast on March 31, 2001, but the magazine survived by rebranding itself again. The title was changed to its previously informal name Dorimaga (short for "Dreamcast Magazine") and became a multiplatform publication.[5] In 2011 the magazine changed its name again, to Gemaga, which is short for "Games Magazine".[6]

In January 2012, it was announced by the publisher that Gemaga was to close. The May 2012 issue was the last of the magazine. At the time of its closure it was the the longest-running magazine devoted to videogames in Japan[7][8][9].

Notes

  1. ^ Japanese: ゲーマガ, Hepburn: Gēmaga
  2. ^ Japanese: BEEP!メガドライブ, Hepburn: BEEP! Mega Doraibu
  3. ^ Japanese: ドリマガ, Hepburn: Dorimaga

References

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference mbook was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference history was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference 川口洋司 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference dreamcast was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference dorimaga was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference Gemaga was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference Hillier was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference ウメ was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference Caoili was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gemaga&oldid=1057485120"