Important takeaways
- Play Magazine, a British PlayStation publication, is going out of print after almost 30 years.
- The magazine underwent rebranding and changes over the years, and its last issue was number 46.
- Subscribers and fans expressed sadness at the magazine's closure, highlighting its role in the gaming community.
Play Magazine has announced that the printed PlayStation publication will close after occupying the shelves of British newsagents for almost 30 years. PlayStation fans have followed Future Publishing's magazine since the '90s, even through a rebrand that lasted three years. Play Magazine was one of the UK's last printed gaming publications, along with Edge and PC Gamer, also run by Future.
The official UK PlayStation Magazine was released in November 1995 alongside the launch of the first PlayStation console, and ran for 108 issues before undergoing several redesigns with an abbreviation change from PSM to OPM. In May 2021, OPM switched to Play, and Future retained the same editorial staff to work on the new publication. Considered the spiritual successor to OPM, Play's 46th issue will be its last.
Shared on Twitter by Play Magazine, a short message was published confirming that publication will end with the December 2024 issue. The statement began: “It is with a heavy heart that we must inform you that the next issue of Play will be the magazine's last.” The post also included a thank you to the editors and contributors who have worked with PSM, OPM and Play over the years. The magazine's final issue will include a farewell feature, giving the team a chance to summarize the publication's journey and say goodbye to readers. Play Magazine's closure joins the sudden and unexpected closure of Game Informer's magazine after nearly 33 years in production.
Play Magazine announces termination after 29 years
Subscribers on Twitter considered Play Magazine and its PSM original to be one of the best video game magazines out there, joining the likes of Retro Gamer and Nintendo Power. Followers were particularly “brave” to hear the news of Play's cancellation and continued to share photos of their old issues with the community. In addition, fans wrote about their memories of the magazine, including one reader who said that the first two issues of PSM convinced them to buy a PlayStation, and that they have subscribed ever since. Additionally, the gaming community in the UK expressed their sadness at the declining number of print gaming magazines available, as many prefer to read news in this format rather than digest it online.
Play Magazine covered releases for Sony's current hardware, including PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PSVR and the latest updates for PS Plus subscribers. Play's current issue 45 for November featured one Assassin's Creed Shadows preview and a list of the best samurai games, along with a hands-on preview of Monster Hunter Wilds and a first look at Dying Light: The Beast. Sony's retro games and consoles were also included in the publication, proving that the magazine was an all-encompassing hub for PlayStation fans that will be sorely missed.