Goodbye PC Zone magazine: UK’s first-ever gaming mag bites the dust

Seventeen years after launching, Britain’s first ever magazine dedicated to PC gaming is to close its doors for good.

The end is nigh for PC Zone magazine – which once counted journalist Charie Brooker as one of its writers – with owners Future Publishing saying that   its final edition will be published on the 2nd September 2010.

The magazine used to be a hugely popular monthly buy back in the day, with its witty and irreverent reviewing style and game demo cover disks proving irresistible to a generation of gamers.

It was the web wot done it

With a host of specialist gaming websites now available on the web and faster download speeds letting people download game demos in minutes, some may express surprise that the magazine had managed to last as long as it did.

The last issue will be number 225, with the plug finally being pulled after a long decline in sales – at the last audit the publication was only shifting 11,000 copies a month.

Here’s their last blog entry:

PC Zone’s last issue
The end is nigh

Yes, it’s true. Following a strategic review of Future’s PC games portfolio, the company is now consulting the PC Zone team about the proposed closure of the magazine, with effect from issue 225 (on-sale 2nd September).

That’s all we can say for now. But rest assured: if 225 does turn out to be PC Zone’s final issue, we’re going to break ourselves to make it a bloody brilliant finale to 17 years and 5 months of the best PC gaming magazine the world’s ever seen.

The PC Zone Team

Sad to see them go

We’re always sad to see an old print magazine bite the dust – we didn’t like it much when Internet Magazine folded and we’ve never really got over Amiga Format disappearing off the shelves -but for now we’ll celebrate PC Zone’s achievement in managing such a long innings.

Perhaps the mag’s spirit is best summed up by these user comments from their website:

No No No No….. I can’t believe it. The one mag I look forward to reading on the toilet is PC Zone. Gutted and totally saddened.
Aughard

Can’t believe it

Thanks for all the great times PCZone.

You meant everything to me and I will love no other.
king_clueless

The only PC magazine i actually trusted to not kiss up to the industry in return for exclusives of new games.
Nather

[BBC feature]