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Gemaga
Final issue cover (May 2012)
CategoriesVideo games
PublisherSB Creative
Founded1984
Final issueMay 2012
CountryJapan
LanguageJapanese

Gemaga[a] was a Japanese video game magazine founded in 1984 as Beep and published by SB Creative. During its history, it was known variously as Beep, Beep! MegaDrive,[b] Sega Saturn Magazine, Dreamcast Magazine, Dorimaga,[c] and finally Gemaga.[1][2] When it ended publication in May 2012, it was the longest-running Japanese game magazine.

History

The magazine was started by Softbank Publishing in 1984 as a monthly publication under the name Beep to cover video games for home computers, arcade machines and gaming consoles.[3][4] Its original layout was inspired by the men's magazine Popeye.[5]

The original Beep magazine was discontinued on 8 March 1989. The editor-in-chief, Yoji Kawaguchi pitched a new format to SoftBank: two separate magazines, one which covers games for Sega Mega Drive, and one which is dedicated to the upcoming Super Nintendo Entertainment System. The publisher was more interested in Nintendo, since it was more popular in Japan than Sega, but agreed to start with the Mega Drive-themed publication because the new Nintendo console was delayed from its original launch date in 1989. The new publication was named Beep! Mega Drive. Kawaguchi decided to keep the original name Beep to emphasize the continuity between the publications. The magazine went from a monthly to a twice-monthly publication.[4]

In 1995 coverage of Mega Drive was withdrawn in favour of the Sega Saturn. The magazine was renamed Sega Saturn Magazine. Kawaguchi decided to drop "Beep" from its name because according to him, it had served its purpose. The magazine became a weekly publication.[4] In 1998 it was rebranded as Dreamcast Magazine and changed its focus from Saturn to Sega Dreamcast.[6][7]

Sega discontinued the Dreamcast on March 31, 2001, but the magazine survived by rebranding itself again. The title was changed to its previously informal name Dorimaga (short for "Dreamcast Magazine") and became a multiplatform publication.[8] In 2006 the magazine changed its name again, to Gemaga, which is short for "Games Magazine".[9][2]

In January 2012, it was announced by the publisher that Gemaga was to close. The May 2012 issue was the last of the magazine. At the time of its closure it was the longest-running magazine devoted to videogames in Japan.[10][11][1]

Notes

  1. ^ Japanese: ゲーマガ, Hepburn: Gēmaga
  2. ^ Japanese: BEEP!メガドライブ, Hepburn: BEEP! Mega Doraibu
  3. ^ Japanese: ドリマガ, Hepburn: Dorimaga

References

  1. ^ a b Eric Caoili (2012-01-23). "Final Fantasy Brigade, Metal Gear Rising and more in this week's Japanese news roundup". Game Developer. Archived from the original on 2021-08-27. Retrieved 2021-11-27.
  2. ^ a b Kevin Gifford (2008-05-30). "Analysis: The State Of Game Magazines In Japan". Gamasutra. Archived from the original on 2021-08-30. Retrieved 2021-11-28.
  3. ^ 懐かしファミコンパーフェクトガイド (in Japanese). マガジンボックス. 2016. p. 107. ISBN 978-4906735891.
  4. ^ a b c "「セガハードヒストリア」のヒストリア～または製作日記【第1回】". GAME Watch (in Japanese). Impress. 2021-08-03. Archived from the original on 2021-06-07. Retrieved 2021-11-25.
  5. ^ 川口洋司 (2017-10-31). "Beep元編集長 川口洋司氏が語るライバル誌ログインと、今だから言える『MYST』制作時のミス". AKIBA PC Hotline! (in Japanese). Impress. Archived from the original on 2021-05-06. Retrieved 2021-11-25.
  6. ^ "週刊ドリームキャストマガジン創刊" (in Japanese). Softbank. 1998-11-05. Archived from the original on 2020-11-01. Retrieved 2021-11-25.
  7. ^ "Softbank Renames Saturn Magazine". GameSpot. October 9, 1998. Archived from the original on April 22, 1999. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
  8. ^ "新装刊！「ドリマガ」絶賛発売中！". IT media (in Japanese). 2001-11-05. Archived from the original on 2021-11-26. Retrieved 2021-11-25.
  9. ^ "総合ゲーム月刊誌ドリマガ、5月30日発売号から「ゲーマガ」に誌名変更". Garbage News (in Japanese). 2006-05-03. Archived from the original on 2016-04-10. Retrieved 2021-11-25.
  10. ^ Brenna Hillier (2012-01-18). "Japan's oldest games magazine to end in March". VG247. Archived from the original on 2021-11-26. Retrieved 2021-11-25.
  11. ^ ウメ (2012-03-31). "退職のお知らせ". Gemaga (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2012-04-04. Retrieved 2021-11-27.
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