Future Acquires PlayStation: The Official Magazine

Next-gen publisher Future US, Inc. has signed an agreement with Sony Computer Entertainment America for the rights to publish PlayStation: The Official Magazine. Future has also acquired the rights for publication of Nintendo Power.

Gamers will be able to pick up the first full Future US-published issue of PlayStation: The Official Magazine, the Holiday 2007 edition, on sale in late November. Future expects an initial circulation of 300,00 and will be printing 13 issues a year.

Former editor-in-chief of PSM-Independent PlayStation Magazine, Rob Smith, will be the new editor-in-chief of PlayStation: The Official Magazine. Future plc, Future US’ parent company, has experience publishing for the gaming industry and Sony in particular. The company publishes Official Sony PlayStation Magazine in the United Kingdom and licenses it in numerous other countries.

“Future US has a strong heritage delivering cutting-edge insight into the industry, and we are looking forward to a long standing relationship to deliver unrivaled exclusive content to PlayStation fans,” said Peter Dille, senior VP of Marketing and PlayStation Network, SCEA. “We’re very excited to be working with a group that is nearly as passionate about our brand as we are ourselves and we look forward to working with Future on many innovative ideas they have to create a best in class enthusiast publication.”

Simon Whitcombe, publishing director at Future US added, “We are enormously pleased to be selected to publish the Official title for one of the world’s great entertainment brands. Future’s international heritage is as a PlayStation publisher.  PSM sold more than 40 million copies over its lifetime and we have published the Official PlayStation Magazine in the UK since 1995. We’re honored that SCEA recognizes the excellence and experience that we can bring to the license and to PlayStation fans all over the world.”

via Next Generation