Just Another Game

Since the season has been all about remembering our loved ones, I feel that it’s about time I offered a personal account of what really happened with GamesMaster Magazine. While there were some curious personalities who offered their opinions here, here, and here, a lot of questions were still left unanswered.

First, let me get into the specifics of why bringing in a foreign gaming magazine became a reality in the Philippines. While Summit Media had K-Zone for young boys, and FHM for the 18 year-old and above, there was a yet untapped market for teen boys.

Sometime in 2002, Mega Magazines launched Forward magazine, with TJ Manotoc at the helm. While it was obviously targeted at male teens, the editorial content and quality left a lot to be desired. After a few issues, it eventually folded. It was then converted into Manual. Why did Forward fail? How many teenage guys do you know who read magazines for fashion advice? To put it more simply, how many high school males do you know who buy magazines on a regular basis?

While the answers to those questions were unfavorable, one thing we did know for sure — the gaming industry was becoming bigger than ever.

Despite rampant piracy in the Philippines, the potential for a gaming magazine was definitely there. Level-up-games was just starting to get up on its feet, and the entries of Mobius Games and Netgames was already looming on the horizon. Along with blockbuster videogame sales worldwide, announcements for the Xbox 360 and PS3 had already been made. At the same time, we also asked ourselves a very basic question — What do high school students talk about with their peers? Videogames was the clear answer.

And so, in September of 2003, GamesMaster Magazine was launched. It provided the videogame hungry with a magazine that was 1/4 the price of a foreign title.

Next: Part 2