{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}} {{About|the German computer game magazine|the American publication|GamePro#PC Games|the general term|PC game|a list of games released for personal computers|List of PC games (A)}} {{Distinguish|PCGamesN|PC Gamer}} {{short description|German PC game magazine}} {{Infobox magazine | image_file = PC Games logo.png | editor = | editor_title = | previous_editor = | staff_writer = | photographer = | category = | frequency = | circulation = | publisher = Computec Media GmbH | founder = Oliver Menne and Thomas Borovskis | founded = | firstdate = {{Start date|1992|10|1|df=y}} | company = | country = Germany | based = Fürth | language = | website = {{URL|pcgames.de}} | issn = 0946-6304 | oclc = }} '''''PC Games''''' is a monthly-released PC gaming magazine published by the Computec Media GmbH in Germany.
== History ==
''PC Games'' was founded in 1992 and included a 3½-in floppy disk, which was changed to a CD-ROM in 1995. By 1999 it became the leading computer gaming magazine in Germany at this time.<ref name="spiegel">{{cite web|url=http://www.spiegel.de/netzwelt/games/debatte-ueber-game-tests-nicht-die-kritiken-sind-platt-aber-viele-spiele-a-784689.html |title=Die unheimliche Macht des Durchschnitts |language=de |access-date=5 October 2016 |author=Petra Fröhlich |publisher=Spiegel Online |website=spiegel.de |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160816100427/http://www.spiegel.de/netzwelt/games/debatte-ueber-game-tests-nicht-die-kritiken-sind-platt-aber-viele-spiele-a-784689.html |archive-date=16 August 2016 }}</ref><ref name="golem">{{cite web|url=http://www.golem.de/0804/59034.html |title=Auflagenschwund Spielemagazine – Petra Fröhlich im Interview |language=de |access-date=5 October 2016 |author=Petra Fröhlich |publisher={{Interlanguage link multi|Golem.de|de}} |website=golem.de |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161006060938/http://www.golem.de/0804/59034.html |archive-date=6 October 2016 }}</ref>
From October 1992 to March 1998, the founders Oliver Menne and Thomas Borovskis were editors-in-chief. They were replaced by Thomas Borovskis from April 1998 to February 2000. From March 2000 to June 2001, the magazine was led by Florian Stangl and Petra Fröhlich. From March 2004 on, Petra Fröhlich was the sole editor-in-chief. Fröhlich left this post in December 2014 and was replaced by Wolfgang Fischer.<ref name="team">{{cite web|url=http://www.pcgames.de/Team/|title=PC Games Team|publisher=PCGames.de|access-date=11 June 2016}}</ref>
== Content ==
The magazine has about 116 pages (extended edition), and also usually includes a DVD (earlier a CD) with drivers, demos, mods and maps. The DVD also often includes a full retail version of a chosen game.<ref name="archive">{{cite web|url=http://www.pcgames.de/Heft-Archiv/|title=PC Games archive|publisher=PCGames.de|access-date=11 June 2016}}</ref>
The magazine contains the following content:<ref name="archive" /> * News about the PC gaming community * Previews of computer games, (games which are still in development) * ''Sneak Peeks'' by invited readers on upcoming games * Tests (reviews) of lately released or to be released computer games * A section about freeware and open-source games, mods and e-sports * Articles about recent PC hardware components with regard to computer gaming (e.g. joysticks or computer mouses) * Articles about important events, that influence the gaming community at large (i.e. e-sports, censorship) * Hints, cheats, modifications and walkthroughs for released games * A magazine part with letters to the editors and other topics concerning the magazine and its editors itself
== Versions ==
''PC Games'' was released in several different versions:<ref name="archive" />
* A "magazine" version (which does not include any DVDs and is thus cheaper) * ''PC Games Extended'' with two DVDs and 16 additional pages * ''PC Games MMORE'' which features content related to MMOGs and mostly World of Warcraft.
Discontinued editions: * A "normal" edition, with one DVD in a rated 16 or rated 18 edition * ''PC Games Premium'' with more content centering around a specific game brand with extra merchandise
The publishing company also publishes a magazine called ''PC Games Hardware'', which solely concentrates on the testing of gaming-related hardware devices.<ref name=computec /><ref name="golem" />
== Sales and popularity ==
The magazine is one of the best-selling computer gaming magazines in Germany, after ''Computerbild Spiele'' and ''Gamestar''. In the fourth quarter of 1999, ''PC Games'' sold 363,608 issues per month, making it the best-selling PC gaming magazine in Germany at the time. However, from 2002 on, the print market started to decline and ''PC Games''{{'}}s sale figures decreased. By the fourth quarter of 2011, only 102,032 copies per month were sold.<ref>IVW quarterly statistics – IVW.eu</ref><ref name="computec">{{cite web|url=http://www.computec.de/portfolio/pc/pc-games.html |title=Computec Media GmbH portfolio |publisher=computec.de |access-date=11 June 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160610161358/http://www.computec.de/portfolio/pc/pc-games.html |archive-date=10 June 2016 }}</ref><ref name="spiegel" />
''PC Games'' also hosts a gaming portal in the internet on ''PCGames.de'', where they provide coverage and publish news, reviews and tests for computer games and computer gaming related topics. As of February 2016, ''PCGames.de'' has about 1.41 million unique visitors per month, making it one of the largest PC gaming web portals in the German-language internet.<ref name="stats">{{cite web|url=https://www.agof.de/download/Downloads_digital_facts/Downloads_Digital_Facts_2016/Downloads_Digital_Facts_2016-02/02-2016_df_Ranking_Gesamtangebote_Internet.pdf?e6c0a9|title=AGOF digital facts: website statistics February 2016 |publisher={{Interlanguage link multi|Arbeitsgemeinschaft Online Forschung|de}}|website=agof.de|access-date=10 June 2016}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * [http://www.pcgames.de/ pcgames.de] – official website
Category:1992 establishments in Germany Category:German-language magazines Category:Magazines established in 1992 Category:Mass media in Nuremberg Category:Monthly magazines published in Germany Category:Video game magazines published in Germany