As expected, Nintendo announced a new publisher for Nintendo Power today, Future US, the same company that operates Next-Gen.biz, Official Xbox Magazine, PC Gamer, PSM: Independent PlayStation Magazine, and Official Nintendo Magazine UK. No word if all the editors are getting canned, but the first new issue under Future’s direction goes on sale next month.
The result largely ends up as a second-party magazine; Future handles the nuts and bolts but answers to Nintendo and publishes under their direction. Hopefully NintendoPower.com actually becomes something useful now…
(Press Release) – Nintendo and Future US, Inc., the leading publisher of cutting-edge special interest magazines and Web sites, announced today that they are teaming up to publish Nintendo Power magazine, which has offered millions of Nintendo fans a comprehensive mix of tips, tricks, reviews, maps and strategies each month for nearly 20 years.
Future US will produce the title, which was formerly produced in-house by Nintendo of America Inc. Future US will also produce the magazine’s Web site, http://www.nintendopower.com.
“By teaming with Future US, Nintendo is ensuring the continued growth of the magazine’s circulation and bringing even greater value to Nintendo enthusiasts,” says George Harrison, Nintendo of America’s senior vice president of marketing and corporate communications. “The team at Future will carry on the quality and traditions of Nintendo Power, and the magazine will now be available at more newsstand locations than ever before.”
The first full Future US-published issue of Nintendo Power will be the December 2007 edition (volume 222), on sale in October. Initial circulation will be 300,000 copies, with the magazine continuing to ship to subscribers monthly, with an additional holiday bonus issue each year.
Nintendo Power is a pioneering title within the video gaming category and was first published in 1988. Nintendo Power covers all Nintendo gaming systems (Wii, Nintendo DS and Game Boy Advance) and their associated first-, second- and third-party software. Featuring in-depth previews, reviews of all the latest games, tons of codes, and plenty of late-breaking news, Nintendo Power is perfect for both the novice gamer and the veteran player. Future US’s parent, international special-interest media company Future plc, also publishes the official Nintendo magazine in the United Kingdom.
“We are honored to be selected as the new publisher for an industry touchstone like Nintendo Power,” says Future US’s President, Jonathan Simpson-Bint. “This is an opportunity for Future to use its core competencies — great editorial, deep knowledge of young men’s lifestyles and technical expertise — in service of one of the world’s great entertainment brands. We couldn’t be more excited to get started.”
So is the end of an era for Nintendo Power?
I’m nervous about it, I love Nintendo Power as it is, but if it’s still under the supervision of Nintendo the only difference we should see is a cheaper presentation. Mostly I hope to see Nintendo Power catch up with the internet age and offer a site up to IGN or 1up quality (Infendo is wonderful, but it’s a fan news blog, not a magazine… don’t be offended) (c:
No, it is not an end… it’s more like a new beginning!
I don’t know if it will be cheaper, or if NP.com will be useful… nor do i care. What i would like to know, is that if this change will in any way affect the speed of the news and articles of games.
Hopefully no big changes are made aside from the pages, and the same staff remains!
R.I.P. Nintendo Power.
Well I wouldn’t go so far as to say that but I am sort of nervous about what changes they will make. I love my Nintendo Power and if it turned into an abomination a part of my soul would die….probably.
Well as long as I can still get free goodies when I renew every year. I’ve gotten T-shirts, a couple Zelda soundtracks, etc etc. And every once in a blue moon, they send out free goodies just cuz. Like when they included the CD of Smashing… Live, the official Melee orchestral concert from Japan. I also won the monthly contest almost two years back. I had been trying all year for the third prize T-shirt, a really bitchin Zelda T. It was green and had the Triforce on the front, with the Kanji names of the three sections each over their respective, um, section. section. Instead, I won the second prize; also a Zelda T. But this was the TP shirts they were handing out at E3 ’05. Not nearly as cool, but cool nonetheless.
I think it’s be nice if they took the time to reinvent the magazine – give it a new name (the power slogan has been outdated for ages). I suppose that might not sit well with existing subscribers, but it might bring back people who decided that Nintendo Power wasn’t for them anymore.
And besides, they’ve changed their business direction so much in the past 3-4 years, that a new direction for the magazine should probably happen anyways, to match.
People who decided Nintendo power “wasn’t for them anymore” probably aren’t even Nintendo fans anymore.
Wow, way to lay a blanket statement.
I stopped subscribing to the magazine because I didn’t get anything out of it I couldn’t get from the internet. Also because it was aimed at a younger audience.
I don’t need a magazine to tell me that Nintendo is the greatest thing since the electric toaster, because I have infendo.com
But I have such nostalgia with the magazine, that I would pick up a few issues if they tried something new.
I just hope the information in NP is still legitimate, as opposed to the occasional lies/rumors that the Official Nintendo Magazine publishes in the UK.
[...] RawmeatCowboy wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptAs expected, Nintendo announced a new publisher for Nintendo Power today, Future US, the same company that operates Next-Gen.biz, Official Xbox Magazine, PC Gamer, PSM: Independent PlayStation Magazine, and Official Nintendo Magazine UK … [...]
[...] unknown wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptAs expected, Nintendo announced a new publisher for Nintendo Power today, Future US, the same company that operates Next-Gen.biz, Official Xbox Magazine, PC Gamer, PSM: Independent PlayStation Magazine, and Official Nintendo Magazine UK … [...]