Bookazines / Specials

[kiwimike]

I was surprised to discover that Classic Gaming bookazine has received a 3rd volume. I expected Future to cancel the series now they own Retro Gamer, but it seems they're taking a different approach. The 3rd edition contains articles previously published in GamesTM's Retro section. I'm sure I recognise most from the Retro Vol 8 bookazine.

I'm not sure what, if anything, this means for GTM's own Retro bookazine. Hopefully, it won't affect it in the slightest and Future will continue to publish an annual edition during the latter half of the year.

Hmm. Yeah, I bought vol 1, which is a nice coffee table style thing but not really anything in depth or you haven't read before. Nice layout though. Looked at vol 2 but bought a practical painter bookazine instead, not sure if I really need a vol 2 or 3 tbh

[knight_beat]

Yeah, I have to agree with you. It's an impressive effort, entirely written by a single author in just a few weeks by all accounts, but doesn't really develop a style of its own. I like the magazine coverage in volume 2, though.

[Mauricio]

I looked around but didn't see an obvious answer, so... what is the status of RG bookazines with the move to Future? I noticed they are no longer available at the Imagine site, and only the N64 and SNES books are available at the Future site. Will these continue to be produced by Future? Will any previous bookazines be made available on the Future site, or are they all effectively gone now? Thanks!

[Darran@Retro Gamer]

I looked around but didn't see an obvious answer, so... what is the status of RG bookazines with the move to Future? I noticed they are no longer available at the Imagine site, and only the N64 and SNES books are available at the Future site. Will these continue to be produced by Future? Will any previous bookazines be made available on the Future site, or are they all effectively gone now? Thanks!

Everything is in the process of transferring over to the Future website. All future bookazines will be publisher by Future, I'll also be overseeing any of the new books that get released.

[Ryan GH]

Neo Geo and PC Engine Bookazine.
I never had either but I love to read about them.

[Mauricio]

Everything is in the process of transferring over to the Future website. All future bookazines will be publisher by Future, I'll also be overseeing any of the new books that get released.

Darran, thanks for the confirmation! I hope things are going well under the new management (however that works in practice), and I am looking forward to more / updated bookazines.

[kiwimike]

I have enjoyed both future and imagine bookazines over the years, both have their own strengths and weaknesses. I do hope they keep their respective identities despite all being under the one brand now. I still prefer the Imagine RG style of game history bookazine. And have a few of the future art ones, as well as Edge gaming ones etc. The Art of Star Wars deluxe hardcover bookazine is a bloody ripper just quietly for anyone that loves Star Wars art and the artists that interpret it

[Ryan GH]

I too really hope that Retro Gamer, Games tm, & EDGE are allowed to continue the way they have always been evolving.
Please please please keep RETRO in Games tm.

[kiwimike]

I too really hope that Retro Gamer, Games tm, & EDGE are allowed to continue the way they have always been evolving.
Please please please keep RETRO in Games tm.

I saw your post with your Aussie issues Ryan, seems a shame as I used to enjoy getting a new issue off the rack in Australia when on holiday. In New Zealand I'm not really sure what happens, as we pay far more in terms of counter price for an issue, and the issue isn't the air freighted edition, but the 2-3 previous one via surface snail mail. Same happens with future mags though, Imagine FX has the same- Premium cost but not latest edition. We get so screwed in NZ by whoever the distributor is. The retail has also gone up despite to change on the face value.

[Ryan GH]

I know where you're coming from, just isn't worth subscribing anymore. I don't mind the high cost from the newsagency if it means I get it a few days later when the issue hits the uk shops. Its about 19 dollars in Perth. I don't like the added expense but its worth it to get it much faster. I can always sell my subs on ebay too until they end.

[Antiriad2097]

Why is speed of delivery of RETRO content important?

[kiwimike]

Why is speed of delivery of RETRO content important?

Fair point! It's more the principle of paying a premium cost in delivery and not getting a premium service of delivery, rather than whether you get an issue that's 2-3 months older than the latest. Which as you say isn't as important as with new release games, movies or music.

The point is when buying a bookazine or mag from Imagine, the international delivery time was around 7 days all going well. And it arrived in a weatherproof bubble bag. Not sure about subs as I bought in a case by case basis.
Under Future though, usually international delivery is about 21-28 days, and in cardboard that I'm sure could tell a story when it does arrive judging the condition

[Antiriad2097]

That's fair enough, but Ryan above is considering cancelling a subscription and paying more for the mag, just to read about 20 year old games a bit earlier.

Just don't look in the newsagent. I've no idea what's in mine, and care not a jot what anyone else is reading or when. I get a mag through my door every month, what more is needed?

[Ryan GH]

Mate, I literally can't wait to read it!!! I agree with you about the retro part but I didn't realize my local newsagency gets the magazines much quicker than I receive them in the post or else I would never had subscribed. Things were good with Imagine as I would receive the magazines a few days after the newagency got theirs so I could wait for it. But now that Future has taken over, let me tell you something. I am yet to receive the last issue 167!! It has taken over 4 weeks and I still have not got it. This is why I bought the magazines from the newsagency as they are literally taking forever to reach me and that is just not good enough. Retro Gamer to me is like smack, I gotta have it regularly or else I go insane. I'm happy to continue with the subscriptions until it is over but only because I can make my money back on ebay. Then I will buy it from the newsagent regularly as I feel 19 dollars is a fair price to pay as they almost get the issue in under 5 days of it hitting the UK. I also get games tm too and that is a little bit cheaper.

[kiwimike]

Actually, in Christchurch NZ buying it over the counter isn't even an option as no one has stocked it since our earthquakes a few years back. I get it now and again in other towns, most of our decent magazine stockists in this specific city never returned