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Official Dreamcast Magazine (US magazine)

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This article is about the United States Official Dreamcast Magazine. For the United Kingdom Official Dreamcast Magazine, see Official Dreamcast Magazine (UK).

Official Dreamcast Magazine
February 2001 issue
Editor-in-chiefChris Charla[1]
EditorSimon Cox[2]
CategoriesComputer and video games
FrequencyMonthly/bimonthly
First issueSeptember/October 1999
Final issue
Number		March/April 2001
13
CompanyImagine Media Inc.
CountryUSA
ISSN1525-1764

The Official Dreamcast Magazine (commonly abbreviated as ODCM and formerly known as Official Sega Dreamcast Magazine) was a video game magazine for the Dreamcast video game console published in the United States. It was published by Imagine Media.[3]

History

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The magazine's initial issue "0" was released in June 1999, a full 3 months before the launch of the system. This issue featured Sonic the Hedgehog on a black cover, along with the launch date and some of the system's unique features.[4] Upon the magazines release on August 24, 1999, they printed 330,000 copies of the debut issue.[5] The magazine ran for twelve issues from the September 1999 Dreamcast launch to March/April 2001, shortly after Dreamcast was discontinued.[6]

Starting with issue 2, each issue came with a GD-ROM with demos of Dreamcast games.[7] The final issue did not come with a disc. This was explained as Sega looking for a new way to distribute demos. The cancellation was apparently unexpected as the magazine promised more information about demo distribution in future issues and had a preview for the next issue where Phantasy Star Online was to be reviewed. Much of the staff went on to work for Official Xbox Magazine.

The magazine was published bimonthly, but during the 2000 holiday season, issues were sold monthly due to additional relevant content being available for the shopping season.

Structure and features

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The first issue introduced the Dreamcast console, the magazine itself, profiles of game designers, and Dreamcast news from Europe and Japan.

The general structure of Dreamcast Magazine included several key sections:[8][9][10][11][12][13]

Visuals: The magazine featured a variety of images, often including detailed game walkthroughs and gameplay screenshots.

Game Reviews: Each issue included reviews of Dreamcast games, offering gameplay analysis, an overall impression, and rating.

Previews: The magazine provided sneak peeks at upcoming Dreamcast games, highlighting new gameplay mechanics and features.

Developer Interviews: There were interviews with game developers, including Sega executives and industry experts, offering insights into game development and trends.=

Special Features

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Hardware Tutorials: Guides on how to use or enhance Dreamcast hardware.

Tips and Tricks: Strategies for players to improve their gameplay.

Strategy Sections: Walkthroughs, cheat codes, and strategies for popular Dreamcast titles.

Hardware & Accessories: Dedicated to Dreamcast peripherals, such as controllers, memory cards, and Visual Memory Units .

Reader Interaction: Fans could write in, comment, and provide feedback, creating a space for community engagement.

This structure allowed Dreamcast Magazine to cater to both casual and dedicated Dreamcast fans, offering a balance of game-focused content and interactive features.

Games seen within the Official Dreamcast Magazines received a rating of M for Mature 17+ on the ESRB scale. Most games displayed within the magazines were rated M for mature, such as Dino Crisis, Resident Evil, Half-Life, Record of Lodoss War, and Unreal Tournament.[9][10] The content within the magazine was considered provocative, often picturing women who are in bikinis or other revealing clothing.[13] The Official Dreamcast Magazine UK is marketed towards "predominantly, but not exclusively, 22–30 year old males, who may or may not have an existing interest in gaming."[14] This helped Sega expand its market to older audiences rather than just teens and younger children.[15][9][10]

Reviews

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The magazine used multiple reviewing techniques, including the 24-hour review, where a reviewer would play the game for 24 hours, even if the game was bad. They also compared games to similar ones.[16]

The Dreamcast was known for being very honest with their reviews, sometimes seen as even "too harsh." Writers often rated games on a lower scale than other magazines at the time.[17]

Reception

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At the beginning of the magazines start, they were selling more than 250,000 copies, which is similar to Electronic Gaming Monthly's circulation.[18] The magazine's short two year run was initially started to boost the new console the Dreamcast.[19] The Dreamcast console sales reflected the magazine sales. By 2000, Sega was losing money on each console and was relying on games to cover it, they were loosing about 400 million dollars a year.[18] The next year, 2001, the final issue of the Dreamcast Magazine was released.[6]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Floyd, Mike (May 10, 2000). "Battlel of the Video Games". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. p. 4E.
  2. ^ Simmers, Tim (September 8, 1999). "Sega Sees Sale Record". Oakland Tribune. Oakland, California. p. Business-5.
  3. ^ "Gaming Popularity Continues To Rise: About Imagine Media, Inc". The Times and Democrat. Orangeburg, South Carolina. December 18, 1999. p. CL6.
  4. ^ "Official Sega Dreamcast Magazine US". Sega Dreamcast Magazine. Imagine Media. June 1999.
  5. ^ Takahashi, Dean (August 24, 1999). "Sega Taps Creator Of 'Antz' to Launch Dreamcast Console". Wall Street Journal. p. B7. ProQuest 398712490. Sega is printing 330,000 copies of the debut issue of its enthusiast magazine, Dreamcast Magazine, which hits the streets today.
  6. ^ a b Gaudiosi, John (February 12, 2001). "Game over for two gaming news sites". Video Business. Vol. 21, no. 7. p. 52. ProQuest 223920838. Meanwhile, Imagine Media, in light of Sega's departure from the console business, has closed production of its Official Dreamcast Magazine.
  7. ^ "Script Kiddiez Suck: Toward An Economy For Vulnerability Disclosure". Computer Security Journal. 17 (1): 27–35. Winter 2001. ProQuest 216362403. Dreamcast Magazine. Every month I get a new issue and every month it has a CD
  8. ^ imagine (March 2001). Official Sega Dreamcast Magazine 2001-03.
  9. ^ a b c imagine (January 2001). Official Sega Dreamcast Magazine 2001-01.
  10. ^ a b c Official Sega Dreamcast 11 Feb 2001. February 2001.
  11. ^ Official Sega Dreamcast 11 Feb 2001. February 2001.
  12. ^ https://archive.org/details/Official_Dreamcast_Magazine_The_Issue_00_1999-06_Imagine_Publishing_US/page/n3/mode/2up
  13. ^ a b Official Sega Dreamcast Magazine US. 1999.
  14. ^ "Jul 10, 1999, page 265 - The Guardian at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  15. ^ https://www.wired.com/1993/06/sega/#:~:text=Now%20that%20it's%20a%20$3.6,beat%20it%20in%20the%20US
  16. ^ Cravens, Glenn (March 3, 2000). "Read, ask, play before you buy". The Gamer's Corner. The Salinas Californian. Salinas, California. p. 6D.
  17. ^ "Official Dreamcast – a mag that didn't last – Games Asylum". September 9, 2011. Retrieved December 11, 2024.
  18. ^ a b Horti, Samuel (July 31, 2023). "How Dreamcast Killed Sega's Hardware Reign". IGN. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  19. ^ Ashford, Sage (June 24, 2023). "10 Best Video Game Magazines That No Longer Exist". CBR. Retrieved December 3, 2024.

Further reading

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