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Official UK PlayStation 2 Magazine

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PlayStation 2 Official Magazine - UK
EditorMike Goldsmith
Sam Richards
Richard Keith
Stephen Pierce
Tim Clark
George Walter (acting ed)
Nick Ellis
CategoriesGaming
Frequency13 issues a year
PublisherFuture Publishing UK
First issueNovember 2000
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish


PlayStation 2 Official Magazine – UK was launched in November 2000, priced £4.99, to coincide with the launch of the PlayStation 2 console. Each month the magazine came with a cover mounted playable demo DVD. It ran for 100 issues, with the last going on sale in the month of June, 2008. The magazine was commonly abbreviated ‘OPS2’. It had 4 design changes in its lifetime: 1 to 25, 26 to 41, 42 to 89 & finally 90 to 100.

The first game to be reviewed was Tekken Tag Tournament, which received 8/10.

The last game to be reviewed was SBK08 Superbike World Championship, which earned 7/10.

Sales & Success

The magazine would go on to become the UK's Best Selling PlayStation 2 magazine, peaking with 188,322 readers in 2003.

Target Demographic

In the beginning OPS2 was designed for the early adopter - encompassing hardcore gamers & previous readers crossing over from the original Official UK PlayStation Magazine. This ran from issue 1 (November 2000) to 25 (November 2002). Starting from issue 26, the magazine was set the task of attracting a more mass market, mainstream audience. This included a full redesign.[1] From issue 34, OPS2 changed again - however this time retaining its recent redesign. In a drastic attempt to attract a more young male demographic - similar to that of the independent PlayStation magazines of the 90's - the publication decided to review readers girlfriends & their mothers; increase the babe count, even to the point of including bare breasts; & hardcore pornography. It received a mixed response from readers, & failed to considerably increase the readership. In turn, the magazine featured another redesign from issue 42. OPS2 would retain this middle ground for the next 3 years, neither employing an overly male nor hardcore adult gamer stance. In the final year, as the PlayStation 2 entered a more family friendly stage, OPS2 changed once more; this time for its final time. Starting from issue 90 the magazine would focus on new PS2 owners & the younger gamer.

Regulars

  • Spy - News & the latest announcements
  • Monitor - Previews, as voted for by the readers
  • Features
  • Reviews
  • Next Month
  • Letters
  • Replay - looking at previously reviewed titles, review A to Z, cheats
  • Comedown - DVD & Music reviews
  • On the Disc

Awards

In 2004 the publication won the prestigious Industry Dinner Magazine of the Year Award.

In 2004 the publication won MCV's Magazine Team of the Year Award.

10/10

OPS2 gave a total of 18 games full marks. They were (not in order)...

Controversies

  • OPS2 #34: Enter the Matrix, which features on its cover, is awarded 8/10. The game is reviewed using unfinished code.
  • OPS2 #35: Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness, which features on its cover, is awarded 8/10. AOD is largely regarded as the worst in the series by the press, receiving a Metacritic average of 52. The reviewer spends most of the review criticising the game before struggling to justify the score. The score is later dropped to a 6.
  • OPS2 # 39: Rate Your Mate. In an attempt to appeal to the popularity of lad culture with the then recent launches of popular lads magazines Zoo & Nuts, OPS2 asked readers to send in photos of their girlfriends for review. The first women to be rated receives 7/10. It lasts one issue.
  • OPS2 #34 to OPS2 #39: Rhythm Nation. In another failed attempt to appeal to the youth demographic, the publication begins to review Porn DVDs. None of them are any good.
  • OPS2 #67: 50 Cent Bulletproof is awarded 8/10. The game is regarded as useless elsewhere, with a Metacritic average of 47.[2]

References

  1. ^ http://www.futureplc.com/future/news/tradenews_story.jsp?type=news&ref=1554&year=2002&month=10</
  2. ^ http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/ps2/50centbulletproof?q=50%20cent%20bulletproof</
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