ABCs: Continued growth for Future's Xbox 360 and Nintendo magazines

16/08/07 - In today's ABC magazine circulation figures, Future, the special-interest media company, announces that both Official Nintendo Magazine and Xbox 360: The Official Xbox Magazine have reported significant double-digit growth.

Future now reaches more gamers than ever before, across its print, web and event portfolios. Xbox 360: The Official Xbox Magazine posts its third ABC result, and third consecutive rise, increasing 54% year-on-year to 65,673 copies to become the UK's fastest-growing videogames magazine, whilst the independent Xbox World 360 grew 31% year-on-year to 30,296 copies, to become the UK's best-selling unofficial Xbox title.

Thanks to the success of the Wii and DS consoles, Official Nintendo Magazine recorded a 35% year-on-year rise to 47,925 copies, seeing the title going from strength to strength under Future's direction, since taking it over from Emap in January 2006.

As predicted, sales of Sony PlayStation-focused magazines continued to decrease across the board, with all PlayStation magazines subject to an ABC audit registering significant declines. These falls were expected in the traditional seasonal lull for gaming, whilst gamers also awaited the PlayStation 3, which went on sale across Europe in March, halfway through the ABC period.

Future's PlayStation 3 focused Official PlayStation Magazine experienced promising early sales, with significant uplift, following the addition of the pioneering Blu-ray playable demo disc, included with the magazine each month from the June issue.

Despite declines in both Future's multi-format and PC games magazines, more gaming enthusiasts than ever before are reading Future's specialist content. The company recently announced its first-ever ABCe audits for videogames websites, www.computerandvideogames.com and www.gamesradar.com Social gaming website GamesRadar attracts 3.25 million unique users a month, whilst its companion-site for hardcore gamers, CVG has some 1.56 million unique users each month. Both websites continue to grow rapidly, dramatically increasing Future's reach and influence amongst UK gaming enthusiasts.

Robert Price is Chief Executive of Future UK:

"Today's ABCs highlight evidence which suggest a long-term future for carefully-targeted print-based videogames content. Our magazines focused on the two biggest-selling consoles of the moment, Wii and Xbox 360 are once again showing steady growth. We've seen declines in other areas of our games portfolio, but as a multi-channel provider of games media, Future is more influential than ever before.

"The overall decline in PlayStation titles is fully inline with our expectations and can be attributed to uncertainty around the PlayStation 3 launch and a quiet post-Christmas period for the PlayStation 2. A quick look ahead for the next six months sees all three home consoles from Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony with exciting release schedules, bringing plenty of excitement for gamers. Future's games business has always been profitable and resilient, and our growing web presence strengthens this position."

ENDS

About Future

Future plc is an international special-interest media group with offices in the UK, US and France. Founded in 1985 with one magazine, today it creates over 180 special-interest publications, websites and events, with strong portfolios in the technology, games, music, automotive and sports sectors. Over 130 international editions of Future's magazines are published under licence by publishing partners in 30 other countries around the world. Future employs around 1,450 people worldwide. The company is listed on the London Stock Exchange (symbol FUTR).

For more information

Will Guyatt, Media Relations Manager, 01225 822517