Edge (magazine)

Infobox Magazine
title = Edge


image_size = 129px
image_caption = The cover of "Edge" Issue 179 (October 2007)
editor = Tony Mott
previous_editor =
editor_title =
staff_writer =
frequency = Monthly
circulation = 31,304 [cite web|url=http://abcpdfcerts.abc.org.uk/pdf/certificates/14739527.pdf|title=Standard Certificate of Circulation - Edge|publisher=ABC|accessdate=2008-06-12]
category =
company = Future Publishing
based =
publisher = Matthew Pierce
firstdate = October 1993
country = Flag|United Kingdom
language = English
website = [http://www.edge-online.com/ Edge online]
issn = 1350-1593

"Edge" is a multi-format computer and video game magazine published by Future Publishing in the United Kingdom. It is known for its industry contacts, editorial stance, distinctive anonymous third-person writing style, yearly awards, and longevity.

History

The magazine was launched by Steve Jarratt, a long-time video games journalist who has launched several other magazines for Future. One of Edge's forerunners was "ACE", [cite web | url=http://www.retrogames.co.uk/stock/html/multi_format_magazines.html | title=Multi Format Magazines | publisher=Retrogames | accessdate=2006-05-23] a current competitor is "GamesTM".

Artwork for the hundredth issue's cover was specially provided by Shigeru Miyamoto.

In October 2003 the then-editor of "Edge", Joao Diniz-Sanches, left the magazine along with deputy editor David McCarthy and other staff writers.cite web |url=http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/senior-edge-staff-quit |title=Senior EDGE staff quit|accessdate=2006-12-13 |last=Bramwell |first=Tom |date=2003-10-30 |format= |work= |publisher=Gamesindustry.biz|language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ] After the walkout the editorship of "Edge" passed back to Tony Mott, who had been editor prior to Diniz-Sanches. The only team member to remain was Margaret Robertson, who in 2006 replaced Mott as editor.cite news | url=http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=16242 | title=Margaret Robertson appointed Editor of Edge | publisher=gamesindustry.biz | date=2006-04-20] In May 2007 Robertson stepped down as editor and was replaced by Tony Mott, taking over as editor for the third time.cite news | url=http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=25174 | title=Edge editor quits Future | publisher=gamesindustry.biz | date=2007-05-21]

Between 1995 and 2002, some of the content from the UK edition of "Edge" was published in the United States as "Next Generation". In 2007 Future US began re-publishing selected recent "Edge" features on the "Next Generation" website; [cite web|url = http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogsection&id=11&Itemid=51|title = Edge Section : Next Generation|accessdate = 2007-09-24|year = 2007|publisher = Future US] the "Edge" website and blog subsequently became incorporated into the Next-Gen site. [ [http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7412&Itemid=51 Welcome to the new Edge blog : Next Generation - Interactive Entertainment Today, Video Game and Industry News - Home of Edge Online ] ]

Features

Each issue includes a "Making-of" article on a particular game, usually including an interview with one of the original developers. [Examples of "The Making Of..." articles available online: [http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7381&Itemid=51 "System Shock 2"] ] Issue 143 introduced the "Time Extend", series of retrospective articles. Like the "making-of" series, each focuses on a single game and, with the benefit of hindsight, gives an in-depth examination of its most interesting or innovative attributes. [Examples of "Time Extend" articles available online: [http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5911&Itemid=51 "NiGHTS Into Dreams"] , [http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5436&Itemid=51 "Second Sight"] , [http://www.edge-online.co.uk/archives/2005/02/prince_of_persi.php "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time"] .]

"Codeshop" examines more technical subjects such as 3D modelling programs or physics middleware, while "Studio Profile" and "University Profile" are single-page summaries ("like Top Trumps, but for game dev") of particular developers or publishers, and game-related courses at higher education institutions.

The magazine usually does not credit individual writers to specific reviews and articles, only referring to itself in the third-person as a single collective called "Edge". The magazine's regular columnists are the main exceptions to this practice. The two current columnists are N'Gai Croal and Randy Smith. In addition, several Japanese writers contribute to the "Something about Japan" feature.

Previous columnists have included Paul Rose ("Mr Biffo", the founder of "Digitiser"), "Trigger Happy" author Steven Poole, [ [http://stevenpoole.net/trigger-happy/ Archive of "Trigger Happy" columns] at Steven Poole's website] Toshihiro Nagoshi of Sega's Amusement Vision, author Tim Guest (whose column on MMOs preceded the publication of his book "Second Lives"), and game developer Jeff Minter. In addition, numerous columns were published anonymously under the pseudonym "RedEye".

James Hutchinson's comic strip "Crashlander" has been featured in "Edge" since issue 143.

coring

It was almost three years before "Edge" gave a game a rating of ten out of ten. This score was previously defined as "revolutionary", with the other ratings having similar labels. However, with issue 143 the scoring system was changed to a simple list of "10 = ten, 9 = nine..." and so on, a tongue-in-cheek reference to people who read too much into review scores. [" [http://www.gamesradar.com/us/xbox360/game/news/article.jsp?releaseId=20060321132945404017&articleId=2007100919021828033&sectionId=1006&pageId=20071009194425937068 Does a perfect score mean a perfect game?] " Games Radar]

The magazine has only awarded this score to nine games: [cite web | url=http://www.edge-online.co.uk/edgedb/ | title=Edge Online : Reviews Database | publisher=Future | work=Edge Magazine | accessdate=2006-05-23, dead link.]

*"Super Mario 64" (Nintendo 64) - E35
*"Gran Turismo" (Sony PlayStation) - E55
*"" (Nintendo 64) - E66
*"" (Xbox) - E105
*"Half-Life 2" (Windows PC) - E143
*"Halo 3" (Xbox 360) - E181
*"The Orange Box" (Windows PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360) - E182
*"Super Mario Galaxy" (Wii) - E183
*"Grand Theft Auto IV" (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360) - E189

In contrast, only one title has received a one-out-of-ten rating, "Kabuki Warriors".

Posthumous awards

In a December 2002 retro gaming special, "Edge" awarded "posthumous" ten-out-of-ten ratings to two titles:

*"Elite" (originally released in 1984)
*"Exile" (originally released in 1988)

Edge also awarded a 10/10 score in one of the regular retrospective reviews in the magazine's normal run:

*"Super Mario Bros." (originally released in 1985)

In "Edge"'s 10th anniversary issue in 2003, "GoldenEye 007" (1997) was included as one of the magazine's top ten shooters, along with a note that it was "the only other game" that should have received a ten out of ten rating. The game had originally been awarded a nine out of ten, with the magazine later stating that "a ten was considered, but eventually rejected".

"Resident Evil 4", which came second in "Edge Presents The 100 Best Videogames", originally obtained a nine, but according to the "100 Best Videogames" issue, it came "as near as dammit to the sixth (at the time) "Edge" ten".

pecial issues

A number of "Edge" special editions were published in the UK. These included:

;"The 100 most significant reviews from the first 100 issues" (2001):A collection of reprints of notable reviews from the magazine's history, along with retrospective commentary on each game. In addition to reviews of popular titles (including the three "ten out of ten" scores that had been awarded during that period), it also included "Edge"'s comments on notable hyped disappointments such as "Rise of the Robots" and "Daikatana". The issue also included an index of the content of those 100 issues of the magazine.

;"Retro: The Guide to Classic Videogame Playing and Collection" (2002):This retrogaming-themed special issue applied the format of the standard edition of "Edge" to classic video games. This was the most fully-formed of the "Edge" specials, being an edition that only featured new material.

;"Retro: The Making Of... Special" (2002): The second edition in the Retro series was a collection of "Making of" features, most of which had run previously in the main magazine. These features usually contained interviews with the makers of classic video games talking about the process invoved in their title's creation.

;"Equip: PlayStation 2";"Equip: GameCube";"Equip: PC";"Equip: Xbox":Each Equip issue discussed the state of a particular games platform, looking back on significant releases with the benefit of hindsight and outlining future developments. For example, the GameCube issue featured lengthy retrospectives on "The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker" and "Animal Crossing", plus a feature on upcoming titles which would use the Nintendo GameCube Game Boy Advance Cable.;Specials issue ten: "Retro: The Collector's Series": This final edition in the Retro series reprinted all of the "Collector's Series" of articles from the main magazine. Each feature focused on a specific video game console of yesteryear and examined its history and the collectors market surrounding its rare or collectable games. Unusually for "Edge", the majority of these articles were written by one video games journalist, Simon Parkin — a long-time freelance contributor to the magazine. [cite web | url=http://www.chewingpixels.com/?page_id=8 | title=Chewing Pixels biog | accessdate=2006-09-19 | author=Simon Parkin]

;"FILE Volume 1" (2006);"FILE Volume 2" (2007);"FILE Volume 3" (2007):Three "File" editions reprinted selected content originally published between 1993 and 1996 in "Edge" issues 1–36. Each volume of "File" covered 12 issues. [cite web | url=http://www.edge-online.co.uk/archives/2006/11/edge_presents_f.php | title=The history of interactive entertainment | publisher=Future | accessdate=2006-12-10]

;"Edge Presents The Art Of Videogames" (2007):This went on sale April 26 2007 showcasing the visual aspect of gaming. [cite web | url=http://www.edge-online.co.uk/archives/2007/04/edge_presents_t.php| title=Edge Presents The Art Of Videogames | publisher=Future | work=Edge Online | accessdate=2007-05-07]

;"Edge Presents The 100 Best Videogames" (2007):On sale from July 3 2007. The list was compiled through a combination of suggestions from "Edge" readers, "Edge" staff and additional "industry experts". Each game in the list had a retrospective article, a full-page illustration, and a sidebar listing readers' comments. In addition, the volume contained reprints of the magazine's previous "Top 100" lists from 2000 (issue 80) and 2003 (issue 128). [cite web| title =The 100 Best Videogames| publisher =Future Publishing| date =2007-07-02| url =http://www.edge-online.com/magazine/edges-top-100-games-of-all-time| accessdate = 2008-07-31]

Foreign editions

Australian

An Australian edition was briefly published in early 2004, for less than six months. The Australian edition consisted mostly of content from the UK edition, along with news on the local games industry.

German

In November 2005, a German translation was launched by the publishing house Computec Media AG. The German edition was thinner then the English original, the covers were slightly changed and the ratings raised. In January 2007 it was changed to a bi-monthly schedule and in July 2007 it was finally shut down.

"'

French

A translated selection of articles are published with the French magazine "Joypad" .

Italian

In October 2004, an Italian localized edition was launched under the name "Videogiochi" and published by Future Italy. In December 2006, Future Italy was sold to Sprea Editori which renamed it "GAME PRO" in May 2007.

panish

A localised edition of "Edge" was launched in Spain on April 15, 2006 by publisher Globus, which shares some staff from the "On/Off" editorial, [cite web | url=http://www.globuscom.es/staffs/staffonoff.htm | title=On/Off staff | accessdate=2006-05-30] a Globus magazine about DVD video and consumer technology, not in any way related to video games. [cite web | url=http://www.globuscom.es/sum/onoff1.htm | title=On/Off Magazine | accessdate=2006-05-30] It lacks some articles contained in the UK edition, such as the "Virtua Fighter 5" story which was omitted from the corresponding Spanish edition. [cite web | url=http://www.globuscom.es/sum/edge1.htm | title=Spanish Edge issue 2 (May 2006) | accessdate=2006-05-30]

References

External links

* [http://www.edge-online.com Official "Edge" site]
* [http://stevenpoole.net/trigger-happy/ Steven Poole's web site] Includes archive of the "Trigger Happy" columns he wrote for "Edge"
* [http://www.crashlander.com/edge/index.html Crashlander] The comic strip printed monthly in "Edge"