This was the first dedicated video game magazine co-founded by Bill Kunkel, Joyce Worley, and Arnie Katz. The first issue was released in October of 1981 and ran until April 1985. They had met writing the “Arcade Alley” column, which ran from 1979 – 1984, in Video Magazine. This was the beginning of video game reviews and they gave them the depth that had not been considered before.
Video Magazine[1], a pioneering publication in the realm of visual media, emerged in the late 20th century as a comprehensive source for enthusiasts and professionals alike. Launched in 1977, Video Magazine covered a wide spectrum of topics related to the burgeoning video industry, including reviews of the latest video equipment, insightful articles on filmmaking techniques, and discussions on the evolving landscape of visual storytelling.
As a trusted resource, it played a crucial role in educating and informing readers about the rapidly advancing technology and creative trends shaping the world of video production. The magazine became a go-to guide for filmmakers, videographers, and anyone passionate about the art and science of visual storytelling.
While Video Magazine may no longer be in circulation, its impact on the video production community remains significant, reflecting the transformative era in which it thrived. Electronic Games Magazine is notable for hosting the Arkie Awards, the first Game of the Year award for Video Games. Some notable winners were: Space Invaders – Arcade (1980), Asteroids – Arcade and Superman – Atari VCS (1981),
Pac-Man – Arcade and Asteroids – Atari VCS (1982), Tron – Arcade and Demon Attack – Atari VCS (1983), Pole Position – Arcade and Ms. Pac-Man – Atari 2600/Lady Bug – Colecovision (1984), Star Wars – Arcade and Space Shuttle – Atari 2600 (1985).
There are a lot of stories behind the various Electronic Games Magazine cover design meetings and occassional photo shoots. We always devoted a lot of thought and effort to make those things work. I had the idea for the very first cover — the kid being “zapped” by the saucer from a Space Invaders type game which has departed his TV screen and entered 3D space. The original drawing, however, was not universally popular — the kid had that “I’m getting zapped” look all right, but it wasn’t a a good kind of zapping. So it was re-drawn, but I had to go to the summer CES in Chicago in June ’81 armed with nothing but the promise of a game magazine and these original cover slicks with the kid looking very weird and the ad info etc. printed on the back. Obviously, our history with Video Magazine was a help, and there weren’t many companies to meet with, so I could take my time building personal relationships at each company. Obviously, the game publishers thought it would be great — if it sold. But other folks, like Jim Levy at Activision, had already “gotten” it and the PR person Diane Drosnes was already treating me like visiting royalty. Magnovox genuinely liked us which meant Atari had to play. After that, everybody wanted in. Or ALMOST everybody. At the time, for example, coin-op companies produced these gorgeous, lavish ads for only two magazines — RePlay and Play Meter — both of which were trade publications. They simply did not advertise to the general public. So I suggested that we give Midway, then the top company in the business, our back cover — for free. Midway took a week or two to take us seriously, but they loved the ad placement and wound up as regular advertisers through most of the magazine’s run.
Bill Kunkel
Reader Polls let the fans pick their most popular games. Asteriods (May 1982), Pac-Man Sept 1982), Defender (Oct/Nov 1982), Pitfall! (Jan 1983), Donkey Kong (June 1983), Donkey Kong Jr. (Sept 1983), Pitfall II (Nov 1984) to name a few. The magazine also let readers choose their Hall of Fame games: Pong (1972), Space Invaders (1978), Asteroids (1979), Star Raiders(1979), Defender (1980), Major League Baseball (1980), Pac-Man (1980),
Donkey Kong (1981), Quest for the Rings (1981), Miner 2049er (1982), Zaxxon (1982 and Dragon’s Lair (1983). Their articles covered video games like Atari, Coleco and so on, as well as computer games like Apple ][, C64 and Vic-20. Articles gave reviews of upcoming games, hints and tips, interviews and more. This was the best magazine that covered a broad range of video and computer game manufacturers, providing a good cross-section of the industry at any given time.
Footnotes
- Video Magazine, established in 1977, was published by Reese Communications, and served as a comprehensive resource for both enthusiasts and industry professionals, covering a wide array of topics related to video production. Its content spanned reviews of the latest video equipment, in-depth articles on filmmaking techniques, and discussions on the evolving landscape of visual storytelling. Video Magazine played a crucial role in educating its readers about the rapidly advancing technology and creative trends shaping the world of video production during its run from 1977 to 1996. Although the magazine is no longer in circulation, its legacy persists as a testament to its influence on the video production community during a transformative era. [Back]
Further Reading
Sources
- “Joyce Worley Katz, Pioneering Videogame Critic, Has Passed Away” https://www.wired.com/2016/08/rip-joyce-worley-katz-games-writing-pioneer/
- “Arcade Alley articles” https://www.ataricompendium.com/archives/articles/arcade_alley/arcade_alley.html
- “Video (magazine)” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_(magazine)
- “The Story Behind the REAL First Issue Cover of Electronic Gaming Magazine” http://www.gooddealgames.com/articles/Electronic%20Games%20Magazine%20First%20Cover.html
- “Electroic Games” https://www.mocagh.org/loadpage.php?getcompany=elecgames
