Gaming Magazines

Magazine Analysis
Titles
Games, Play Station Magazine, XBOX 360, XBOX ONE,
Nintendo, PC GAMER, PlayGamer, GAMES MASTER, PLAY,
PC PowerPlay, GAMEINFORMER, Gamer for Windows,
GAMEPRO, Gamer, OFFICIAL XBOX MAGAZINE.


Genre
Gaming/Consoles


Target Audience
6-8+ - Ninendo

12+ Games, Play Station, XBOX 360, XBOX ONE, GAMES
MASTER, Games for Windows

15+ PC GAMER, PLAYGAMER, PLAY, PC PowerPlay,
GamePro, OFFICAL XBOX MAGAZINE

18+ GAMEINFORMER, Gamer


Common Features

Large title at top of page, Somebody or something to do
with the gaming genre (Character from game, developer,
symbol, console, etc.), main/primary feature, secondary
features (reviews, tips, details, news, etc.), barcode, eye
catching details.



The pure white masthead uses a
colour scheme of different shades of
cold colours as the Joker (the central
visual interest) is a dark character.
This also gives contrast to the
central visual interest and
background.
The banner uses a popular subject or
something interesting and big news
above the masthead to draw in
readers, much like a subheading.
The central visual
interest is a recognisable
character, in this case:
half is the Joker and half
batman from Batman
Arkham Origins showing
their similarities, their
differences and showing
they are made to combat
each other. The central
visual interest states the
feature of the magazine.
The central visual
interest is large and
detailed to give a sense
of importance on this
magazine. The colour
scheme keeps the black,
white and blue shading
to contrast with the
separate headings and
subheadings on the
page.
The large black subheading with
white background against the
blue shades behind it gives this
subheading more importance
over the other subheadings as it is
more visible for its contrast. This
subheading will pull in readers as
the XBOX ONE is popular and
interesting to a large audience.
These three
subheadings show
they are less
important than
the banner, XBOX
ONE subheading
and the feature as
their colour
scheme blends in
with the
background but
with a darker
shade, so its still
visible but states
its importance.
The Sims 4 doesnt
have a large
audience like
more popular
games but still has
popularity so
people will read
the article. OUYA
is a console trying
to be kick-started
online to become
a console to rival
the popular
consoles, so
people who like
electronics will
enjoy that article.
The making of the
PS4 can draw in
two audiences,
the electronics
audience and the
Play station
audience.
The GODUS subheading
has the same shading and
colours as the three
subheadings on the right
of the page giving the
same similarities as the
background, stating
importance of this
subheading. GODUS is an
independent game that
was on kick-starter and
gained a moderately large
audience. GODUS had a
subheading on the cover
for its popularity and
gameplay. So the article
would pull in two
audiences, Independent
game players and players
who like to control the The very large main-heading on the magazine is the feature article in this
magazine: Batman Arkham Origins, the same as the central visual
interest. This heading has the largest text on the page, as well as the
magazine title. Doing this the large text is easy to see in size and contrast
to the central visual image, this can pull in readers and fans of the
Batman Arkham series. The small subtitle below it: How Batman: Arkham
Origins brings next gen design to todays consoles explains in a few
simple words about what some of the article is going to cover, so this
could draw in audiences of technology, fans and general readers.
The final small subheading is an explanation of what
the magazine will highlight in this issue. They have a
variety of games to pull in a large amount of readers
and fans of these games. The popular ones like The
Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Battlefield 4, Dota 2 and
Killzone: Shadow Fall all have very large audiences
and fans, so by having a small highlight with multiple
games can pull in an audience without having to put
any information on the cover of the magazine.
Overall the colour scheme of this magazine are different shades of blue, white and
black, giving off a dark, gloomy and a bit of a horrific look, representing the Joker.



The masthead uses a colour scheme
of white and red, to be visible
against the sky and ship in the
background of the magazine. The
colours also correspond with Edward
Kenways outfit (the central visual
interest)
The White banner at the top of the magazine uses a font similar
to the font used in the Assassins Creed logo. The banner uses the
Playstation 4s upcoming games to draw in the Play Station
audience and general readers.
The subheading
Secrets revealed:
WATCHDOGS
continues the colour
scheme used on the
cover of this
magazine of red,
white and black. This
subheading is
creating hype and
pulling in readers for
the new upcoming
game WATCHDOGS.
Using the game in the
subheading will pull in
the readers
interested in
WATCHDOGS and
also having secrets
revealed adds more
hype and makes the
reader more
interested in reading
the article and buying
the game.
The central visual intrest on the cover of the magazine shows
Edward Kenway from Assassins Creed 4: Black flag. His outfit
matches the same colour style as the text on the page of white,
black and crimson red. The ship in the background establishes
that Edward is a sailor but the pirate flag then also states he is a
pirate, which shows the game has a pirate genre. Finally, the
blood on his sword and the dead man on the ground also shows
the game will have combat and blood, pulling the reader in.
The large heading of the
magazine World
Exclusive: Assassins
Creed 4: Black flag
backs up the central
visual interest of Edward
Kenway. World
Exclusive shows the
game is important and
big and this is attracting
the reader to buy and
read the article pulling in
a large audience of
Assassins Creed fans
and the general reader.
Below the heading three
subheadings are below,
detailing whats inside:
New combat system
detailed attracts the
fans of AC, the technical
readers and the general
audience. historical
setting exposed shows
the setting of the game
will be exotic and
important in history
showing the game is
interesting, pulling in AC
fans, maybe history
game fans and the
general audience. Naval
warfare evolution
shows the game has
naval combat and that it
is new and evolved from
previous naval battles,
attracting the AC fans,
perhaps people who like
combat games and the
general audience. Finally
the size and importance
of the heading shows it
is the feature of the
magazine
Revealed THIEF
emerging form the
shadows is a
subheading
surrounded by a red
circle whilst the text
is white like the
colour scheme.
Revealed THIEF
states the article will
have details about
the game THIEF
which would be
interesting to the
fans of the old Thief
games or audiences
who like stealth
games. Emerging
from the shadows
refers to the genre of
the game and the
mechanics of the
game of stealth, so it
could help with
showing the genre
and gameplay of the
game to pull in
readers.
First look: The Witcher 3:
Wild Hunt the first RPG of
the next generation keeps
the colour scheme of the
magazine. The Witcher has
a large audience to attract
so having an article on the
Witcher 3 and mentioned
in a subheading on the
cover can pull in that
In the Highlights it covers the
articles inside of a variety of
genres like: Saints Row IV
(Action), Pikmin 3 (family, Kids),
Simcity (Construction), Gears of
war: Judgement (Third person
shooter). By simply outlining the
contents inside, the magazine
can pull in a large amount of
readers that are interested in at
Overall the
colour
scheme uses
colours that
match to
the central
visual
interest of
red, black
and white


Heart of darkness refers to the
central visual interest and the
feature of the article. Heart of
darkness is implying that Garret (the
central visual interest) is the centre
of darkness, that he is pure darkness
and that he works with it. It uses a
colour scheme with the rest of the
double page spread of cold colours
and their different shades of blue,
white and black.
The small subheading to introduce
the article reads: Eidos Montreal has
a proven track record when it comes
to reinvigorating old IP, and now the
developer has set its sights on one of
gamings classic cult properties.
Referring back to the old thief games
and how they are re-imagining it.
On this double-page spread, Garret
is used as the central visual interest,
the colour scheme of white, black
and the various shades of blue
match with Garrets outfit, using cold
and dark colours to reflect the
personality of Garret.






The important part of this small corner is
the start of the word WATCH DOGS and
the title Games but to improve, the
magazine could have the border visible
around the corner to fill in the empty
space. The banner is at the top of the
page because that is where the reader
will begin to read.
In this larger rectangle, the large G of
Games and WATCH DOGS is
contained in most of the rectangle.
They could have improved by changing
the colour of the G in Games and
WATCH DOGS so they have contrast
against each other.
Inside the largest rectangle, the entire
title of WATCH DOGS, the G and A of
Games and the small circular
subheading that reads: PS4 INFAMOUS
vs TITANFALL XBOXONE. The
subheading is placed at this rectangle
because it is close to the top left corner,
where readers often begin to read
showing this subheading is important.
This is the rectangle that has the central
visual interest inside: a character from
Elderscrolls online which is the feature
article of this magazine. They could have
improved by making the central visual
interest smaller so the face fits directly in
the centre.
In this top third of the page, there is a
banner about WATCH DOGS, the title
Games and the subheading about
Infamous and Titanfall.
In the centre third, there is the central
visual interest and two subheadings on
The Order: 1886 and League Of
Legends. It could be improved by
making the central visual interest
smaller.
Magazine Design Ideas
Title
Sanctum, Game Reviewer, Game Analyser, Game player,
Game City, Game Domain, Players Guide
Fonts
Prisoner SF, Platinum Beat BTN, Diamond
Heavy, Cinema Gothic BTN Inline, Bolts
SF, Gothic821 CN BT, Folio XBd BT, Galaxy BT,
Diamond SF, Horizon BT, Invers SF, OCR A
Extended
Colour Scheme






Target Audience
6-8 +, 12+, 15+, 18+
Features
Large title, large heading, banner, multiple
subheadings, central visual image, maybe small
highlights paragraph, feature heading, background,
interesting colour scheme, barcode, price
Genre
Multi-platform games