Edge Magazine

...to add something different, only Edge has remained in the market with a loyal following of gamers.

Edge has been around for just over 10 years and has gained respect all over the world from both the people who read it and games developers themselves. It goes deeper into the world of gaming rather than just reporting on current games. It offers insight into new technology, game developers and the gaming industry as a whole around the ...
...variety of games. While Edge gives all the latest detail it also strives to take on critical analysis and will point out any shortcomings rather than ‘bigging’ a game up prior to its release.

Reviews in the magazine is based on a 10 point score system with 5 being the average and not 7 like most magazines seem to perceive the average to be. The score system is usually adhered to well with only a few games in a year raising some questions ... more

Class types are all over the world for us to see. From the clothes people wear to the newspapers they read it seems everything we buy or own gives people hints at what we are like. Gaming also has its hierarchy, we have the people who only dip into games rarely, ‘casual’ gamers who seem to just live on a diet of PS2 and EA games and ‘hardcore’ gamers who will own the big three consoles and seek out those little known Japanese games to show off to their mates. It’s not just the games people like to play that might lump them into a category but magazines they read which vary in perceived quality. The Official PlayStation 2 magazine may be a million seller but it isn’t really known for its fair reviews (9/10 for Driver 3, anyone?) and Games-Master may be multiformat but it isn’t exactly full of the stuff you want. ‘Adult’ (not dirty, think ‘mature’) multiformat magazines have come and gone, Arcade tried and failed as well as Total Control both trying to add something different, only Edge has remained in the market with a loyal following of gamers.

Edge has been around for just over 10 years and has gained respect all over the world from both the people who read it and games developers themselves. It goes deeper into the world of gaming rather than just reporting on current games. It offers insight into new technology, game developers and the gaming industry as a whole around the world. Recently it made its own news story following a mass walkout of nearly all its staff, including its editor, due to their refusal to make the magazine ‘more mainstream’ at the request of their publisher but the magazine is still striving on and is still unique to the market.

The content of the magazine is made of the usual news stories, previews and reviews found in every gaming magazine. News stories mainly focus on the industry as opposed to focusing on any games and a lead story will start off the section, which can range from coverage of game shows to new console development. The news section, while not extensive, is still worthy of a read and adheres to the expectation that many of its readers will seek news out on the Internet seeing as printed news in magazines these days will be a month old by the time it reaches the hands of the consumers. Previews are your regular affair, ranging from double, single and half page spreads that cover a nice variety of games. While Edge gives all the latest detail it also strives to take on critical analysis and will point out any shortcomings rather than ‘bigging’ a game up prior to its release.

Reviews in the magazine is based on a 10 point score system with 5 being the average and not 7 like most magazines seem to perceive the average to be. The score system is usually adhered to well with only a few games in a year raising some questions about how high or low the score is. The score of 10, stated as ‘revolutionary’ by Edge is somewhat of a Holy Grail in the gaming industry. Since its 10 years on the market only four games (Mario 64, Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Gran Turismo and Halo) have received the coveted rating. Reviews are, for the most part, well written, balanced and fair. Normally a review will only take up half a page of text, which means Edge reviews focus on the fundamentals of the game. Edge doesn’t always get it right though. Sometimes its choice of its smaller reviews (where they take up a quarter page of text) is questionable with a blockbuster title like Mario Kart: Double Dash only getting a half a page devoted to it. Those looking for a comprehensive review list will also be disappointed. Edge will mainly review the major games on the market but it will also seek out the less well know and unique Japanese games that other magazines will not include, giving a nice balance.

As well as those three staples Edge runs a few features in each magazine. The magazine has four regular columnists, Red Eye (who likes to rant about all matter of things which seem off topic but bizarrely linked to gaming), Steven Poole (looking at technology and other aspects of gaming), Toshihiro Nagoshi (the general manager of Sega’s Creative Center Division giving nice insights into the production side of gaming and his liking of alcohol) and the words of Mr Biffo who wrote for the now dead Digitiser on Channel 4s teletext service. Obviously whatever is on the front cover will have a good chunk of the magazine devoted to it. This game be upcoming games (recent examples are Metroid Prime 2 and Halo 2), or reports such as the mod scene or a look into mainstream gaming. Topics are varied and, to its credit, Edge tries to avoid just showcasing one game as the main focus of the magazine and tends to lean towards factual reports. As well as the front cover story there are other reports and features dotted around the magazine. From a look inside developers studios to looking at new consoles and technology in more detail than the news section will allow. This is coupled with a glance back at Edge magazines of the past, an occasional retro review and letters page.

The design of the magazine is well thought out and distinctive throughout. The cover is uncluttered there is no ‘WORLD EXCLUSIVE REVIEW!!!!!’ banners adoring it or lines and lines of text and box outs. There is a main image and small amounts of writing. Covers of Edge are bold, bright and different ensuring that the magazine stands out on the shelves. The simplistic design continues into the magazine. Pages are well laid out, text doesn’t fight for space so it is easy to read (though be warned the font is quite small) and screenshots are kept in small enough numbers as to not take up the entire page. The clear and bold design is helped by the fact that Edge doesn’t go overboard in fancy stylings or massive headlines. Fonts are kept pretty simple and only a few different styles are used giving a good structure to the news, previews and reviews. Features in the magazine is where the magazine can branch out somewhat and show off its excellent art design yet still look sophisticated and practical.

At a price point of £4 per issue and a page total of 130 it can be argued that Edge is on the expensive side. Some issues do have supplements in them and an E3 DVD is bundled in with the magazine but most of the time you will pay for just the magazine. However the quality of the magazine, from the design, content and even the paper it is produced on is worthy of the price tag. Advertisements are also fairly minimal although quite a few pages at the back add as a job paper to industry jobs it manages to sustain Edge’s production costs as the circulation of little over 20,000 does little to buoy the expenses. Content is also usually of a high standard with enough to interest everyone, however, like most game magazines it can suffer the ‘gaming drought’ that happens every summer when E3 has passed until October when the market gears towards Christmas but even then Edge tries to pick out interesting features to write about to make up for lack of reviews or new previews.

There is next to no competition for the magazine. Only GamesTM is in the same bracket as Edge. Also released monthly and also £4, GamesTM has managed to have a fairly secure foothold on the market with it now being around for nearly two years. The question of which one is best pops up from time to time by people reading the magazines. While Edge wins on style and general quality of content it can still be seen as elitist and sometimes lacking passion when it comes to gaming. GamesTM, the new kid on the block, while having a somewhat clumsy design has notable enthusiasm and a dedicated retro section. I buy both magazines every month yet I do not lean towards one or the other as they are both worthy reads but for sometimes-different reasons.

Edge states that it ‘isn’t for everyone’ and that is certainly true. If you are just someone who dips into games now and again then this wont be for you. Yet for people with a passion of games and wants a more ‘mature’ slant on things then Edge certainly provides that need. Some may find it elitist and snobbish and these points are well argued but the fact is Edge has carved itself a good niche in the videogame magazine market and its got that way because of its style, content and high quality writing. In a medium that is looking to please the masses with countless licensed games and rushed sequels we need magazines like Edge to show us that gaming can still be an art form and to be celebrated.

EDGE IS

Stylish
Mature
Varied in content

EDGE IS NOT

For everyone
Without its faults
Your typical gaming magazine
 

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