Subscriber Covers

[videogameobsession]

Hi folks, first visit back to the forums in a loooong time. hope you're all well.

Just wanted to register my opinion on the new sub cover idea, I'm really not a fan. While its a nice idea to provide something unique for those of us who have a subscription, the covers aren't brilliant TBH. All except maybe the MD cover have been less attractive than the retail copies (The most recent Tetris one in particular) and the absence of the various iconography and blurb on the front detracts rather than enhances the aesthetic appeal. Rather than looking like something 'extra' they look a lot more like something unfinished. If I'm honest I am thinking about cancelling the sub and just going back to buying the retail version if this is planned as a permanent feature.

Still enjoying the mag, still lurking the forums on vary rare occasions, and very glad its all still going well.

All the best, FT.

Do you happen to have a pic of the Tetris subscriber cover? I haven't received it yet (located in the USA). Thanks.

[bounty bob]

Still not liking the subscriber covers. To me, they just look plane and boring. At least put a little bit of blurb on. I would be happy with a different cover and all the blurb so at least it still looks like a magazine. When Retro Gamer used to drop through my letter box, I used to feel that excitement I felt as a kid whenever The latest edition of Page Six or Atari User was in the newsagents. I would look at the front cover in all its glory, warm feeling of being apart of something. See what's inside before thumbing through before buying. It was the same with retro gamer, I would rip it open, scrutinise the blurb to get a feel of what I'm going to enjoy and what I'll go to first, what I'll be excited about and if I'm going to read it straight away or put down till later. Now I don't get any of that, I have to go to the contents page, read a bit and then the mag always gets put down until later. It just feels a bit clinical and lazy. I think After this subscription period, may cancel and get from WH Smiths, 1 to get that feeling back, 2 I get all the blurb, 3 you hardly save anything on the subscription price any more and 4 it doesn't even come early any more.

[Weblaus]

I'm also not a fan of the subscription covers. Usually, the chosen image isn't exactly attractive and I find it really annoying that the issue number has been dropped from the front. While it has always been unneccessarily small next to the barcode, now all that's left is the indication on the spine which is even smaller and hard to read even when it's not the especially hard to see combination of tiny white font on yellow we're currently getting.

Ideally Future would offer the choice to subscribers if they want the regular or the subscription cover - sure that's not as comfortable for them to handle, but especially foreign subs are expensive enough that it should be doable.

[Falk]

I quite like the subscriber covers. My issue with them is that when I ordered a replacement for an issue that arrived broken, I was sent an issue without the subscriber cover.
Even if I do like them, perhaps they are more problem than they are worth.

[psj3809]

Since the move to Future I find it frustrating now. Issues rarely come early anymore. Subscriber covers I’m not a fan of at all and the lack of bookazines both paper and electronic are annoying

[The Laird]

Since the move to Future I find it frustrating now. Issues rarely come early anymore. Subscriber covers I’m not a fan of at all and the lack of bookazines both paper and electronic are annoying

There are 3 new bookazines out now - The Ultimate 80s Collection, The Ultimate 90s Collection and 100 Games to Play Before You Die.

[Solegor]

For me Mega Drive and Tetris ones look great. Anyway the cover is not something that will make it or break it for me

[NorthWay]

For me Mega Drive and Tetris ones look great. Anyway the cover is not something that will make it or break it for me

I thought the Tetris one was better in retail as it had stronger borders around the bricks. The sub one got a touch bland. The Mega Drive one I approve of.

[Arnie]

The new Daytona one is horrible.

[bounty bob]

Don't want the subscriber covers, Daytona one is cheap and nasty. Can we not have a choice?

[FatTrucker]

Yep, the covers are just going from bad to worse. Who on earth thought this was a good idea? Its like they’re being designed by the work experience lad.

Has anyone got a direct link, email address or phone number I can use to cancel my sub please?

Back to Smiths from next month.

[Antiriad2097]

I quite like the Daytona subs cover. It looks like Ridge Racer Type 4

[Falk]

It's starting to bother me how empty the subscriber covers are.
That's fine if it where something that I would display, but I won't, since it's a magazine.
I quite like being able to look at the front of a magazine and see lots of information about what articles are in there.

[Arnie]

It just seems to me that little effort is being put in for something that should be special for subscribers. As I have already mentioned I like the idea of the clutter free look but just wish the covers were better thought out. Some nice art like the old day of Oliver Fray would be nice.

[RetroBob]

It's starting to bother me how empty the subscriber covers are.
That's fine if it where something that I would display, but I won't, since it's a magazine.
I quite like being able to look at the front of a magazine and see lots of information about what articles are in there.

Yeah I'm not a fan either.