Magazine ad insanity

[Gamereviewgod]

Ok, this is really pissing me off. >:( First we have this months Gamepro. The entire cover is uh, well, "covered" by an ad for Splinter Cell, the inside of the ad is for Splinter Cell and the f*ckin back cover is for Splinter Cell. Then, we have EGM which has half of the cover taken over by Splinter Cell. Is it just me or are these cover ads really annoying?? Nothing against Splinter Cell (great game), but this is just a bit asinine.

[zmeston]

Ok, this is really pissing me off. >:( First we have this months Gamepro. The entire cover is uh, well, "covered" by an ad for Splinter Cell, the inside of the ad is for Splinter Cell and the f*ckin back cover is for Splinter Cell. Then, we have EGM which has half of the cover taken over by Splinter Cell. Is it just me or are these cover ads really annoying?? Nothing against Splinter Cell (great game), but this is just a bit asinine.

While magazine front-covers are sometimes closer to ads than most publishers would care to admit, Ubi didn't actually purchase the front cover of GamePro or EGM; Splinter Cell just happens to be a featured game in each magazine, and Ubi happens to be throwing around a lot of ad dollars for back covers (which are prime real estate).

Triple-A games always end up on every magazine cover -- Splinter Cell, Vice City, The Wind Waker, etc. -- because newsstand sales are measurably higher when more popular games are featured. It's that simple. I admired the now-extinct Gamer's Republic for placing hardcore/obscure/ultra-Japanese games on the cover, simply because those were the games I was (and still am) most interested in.

-- Z.

[Six Switch]

PSM also has that half cover Splinter Cell thinger. :roll:

[Kid Fenris]

Triple-A games always end up on every magazine cover -- Splinter Cell, Vice City, The Wind Waker, etc. -- because newsstand sales are measurably higher when more popular games are featured. It's that simple. I admired the now-extinct Gamer's Republic for placing hardcore/obscure/ultra-Japanese games on the cover, simply because those were the games I was (and still am) most interested in.

-- Z.

On that note, GMR is taking a similar path by dedicating covers to Xenosaga, Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner, and Auto Modellista. It's nice to see some slightly lesser-known stuff get the spotlight, even if it doesn't approach the novelty of spotting an import like Sin and Punishment on the front of Gamer's Republic

[zmeston]

Triple-A games always end up on every magazine cover -- Splinter Cell, Vice City, The Wind Waker, etc. -- because newsstand sales are measurably higher when more popular games are featured. It's that simple. I admired the now-extinct Gamer's Republic for placing hardcore/obscure/ultra-Japanese games on the cover, simply because those were the games I was (and still am) most interested in.

-- Z.

On that note, GMR is taking a similar path by dedicating covers to Xenosaga, Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner, and Auto Modellista. It's nice to see some slightly lesser-known stuff get the spotlight, even if it doesn't approach the novelty of spotting an import like Sin and Punishment on the front of Gamer's Republic

Hmmm... I'd classify all those games as double-A and arguably (especially with Modellista) triple-A. Definitely not daring covers, and about the highest-profile games available at this time of year. GMR is a ZD mag, and ZD is as corporate as it gets. Now, Sin and Punishment -- that's a daring cover.

-- Z.

[Kid Fenris]

Hmmm... I'd classify all those games as double-A and arguably (especially with Modellista) triple-A. Definitely not daring covers, and about the highest-profile games available at this time of year. GMR is a ZD mag, and ZD is as corporate as it gets. Now, Sin and Punishment -- that's a daring cover.

-- Z.

Yeah, Xenosaga and Z.O.E. 2 aren't really low profile, but they're more "geek" than Wind Waker, the Sims, Splinter Cell, or the other titles that you'll see hogging the covers of GamePro or EGM.

And I don't know if I'd consider GMR to be a real straight-edge. After all, they've dedicated news pages to R-Type Final, a preview of Metal Slug 3 for the Japanese PS2, and that nutjob King of Fighters cosplay site where the guy sets his hands on fire.

[zmeston]

Hmmm... I'd classify all those games as double-A and arguably (especially with Modellista) triple-A. Definitely not daring covers, and about the highest-profile games available at this time of year. GMR is a ZD mag, and ZD is as corporate as it gets. Now, Sin and Punishment -- that's a daring cover.

-- Z.

Yeah, Xenosaga and Z.O.E. 2 aren't really low profile, but they're more "geek" than Wind Waker, the Sims, Splinter Cell, or the other titles that you'll see hogging the covers of GamePro or EGM.

True dat, as the kids like to say, but they've got pedigrees (Xenosaga is the pseudo-sequel to the classic Xenogears and an "epic" RPG; Z.O.E. 2 is a creation of Hideo "Metal Gear Solid" Kojima). Again, they ain't trilple-A, but they're not gambles and they're among the most high-profile PS2 games of early '03.


And I don't know if I'd consider GMR to be a real straight-edge. After all, they've dedicated news pages to R-Type Final, a preview of Metal Slug 3 for the Japanese PS2, and that nutjob King of Fighters cosplay site where the guy sets his hands on fire.

Hmmm... R-Type and Metal Slug are near-legendary hardcore franchises, so they're easily worthy of coverage; the KoF cosplay site was mentioned as much for laughs as anything else. GMR's ed-in-chief, James Mielke, has a soft spot for hardcore/obscure/Japanese -- he once wrote a rave about SkyGunner -- so there IS slightly more coverage of those categories in GMR than elsewhere, if never as much as I would like. GMR also has the enormous advantage/freedom of retailer affiliation, and yes, I'm jealous.

-- Z.

[Tom61]

While magazine front-covers are sometimes closer to ads than most publishers would care to admit, Ubi didn't actually purchase the front cover of GamePro or EGM; Splinter Cell just happens to be a featured game in each magazine, and Ubi happens to be throwing around a lot of ad dollars for back covers (which are prime real estate).

No, you don't quite understand. This month's (May) mail-version of GamePro, there are two covers, the Splinter Cell Ad cover, when you open it you get the normal Game Pro cover. Both are made of the thicker paper. It's basically a wrap around ad. If you're not a subscriber, you've probably only seen the 'inside' cover.

Now GamePro's April issue has a stanard cover with a 'feature' of Spliter Cell, which is what you're talking about. Completely different scale. GamePro magazine featuring Splinter Cell versus Splinter Cell magazine featuring GamePro.

It is quite obviously a paid ad.

I would take a pic, but I don't feel arsed to go to the computer with the drivers installed for the camera.

[zmeston]

While magazine front-covers are sometimes closer to ads than most publishers would care to admit, Ubi didn't actually purchase the front cover of GamePro or EGM; Splinter Cell just happens to be a featured game in each magazine, and Ubi happens to be throwing around a lot of ad dollars for back covers (which are prime real estate).

No, you don't quite understand. This month's (May) mail-version of GamePro, there are two covers, the Splinter Cell Ad cover, when you open it you get the normal Game Pro cover. Both are made of the thicker paper. It's basically a wrap around ad. If you're not a subscriber, you've probably only seen the 'inside' cover.

Now GamePro's April issue has a stanard cover with a 'feature' of Spliter Cell, which is what you're talking about. Completely different scale. GamePro magazine featuring Splinter Cell versus Splinter Cell magazine featuring GamePro.

It is quite obviously a paid ad.

I would take a pic, but I don't feel arsed to go to the computer with the drivers installed for the camera.

Ahhh... okay. Sorry for the confusion.

Splinter Cell is a very fine game, for what it's worth, even if you resent it being shoved down your throat. Heh.

-- Z.

[Tom61]

Splinter Cell is a very fine game, for what it's worth, even if you resent it being shoved down your throat. Heh.

Actually it was quite interesting. I'm not gonna buy it anyway, I don't like the demo.

[wberdan]

its like any magazine that accepts advertising... the more money you spend on advertising, the better reviews and treatment (in the form of cover shots, etc) your product gets. in some rare cases that does not apply, but i think in most cases you will see that it does.

willie