Next Generation (magazine)

Next Generation (magazine)
source
Title	Next Generation
Frequency	Monthly
Category	Video game journalism
Company	Imagine Media
Firstdate	1995
Finaldate	2002
Country	United States
Based	San Francisco, California
Language	English

Next Generation (magazine) was a United States-based monthly magazine covering the video game industry, production, and cultural context from a developer- and future-oriented perspective. Launched in the mid-1990s, the publication emphasized long-form analysis, industry forecasting, and technical discussion aimed at professionals and avid readers rather than casual consumers. Its editorial stance positioned it alongside contemporaries in videogame journalism while distinguishing itself through a focus on development, design, and the business dynamics shaping companies such as Nintendo, Sony Computer Entertainment, Microsoft Game Studios, and Sega.

History

Next Generation debuted during a period of rapid change following the rise of the PlayStation and the emergence of 3D hardware led by actors like NVIDIA and ATI Technologies. Founded by Imagine Media in 1995, the magazine evolved from trade and enthusiast roots shaped by contributors with backgrounds at outlets such as Electronic Gaming Monthly, GamePro, and Computer Gaming World. Over the late 1990s, the publication chronicled major industry events including launches like the Nintendo 64, corporate shifts involving Sega Enterprises and Sony, and cross-media developments tied to companies such as LucasArts and Square.

During its run, the magazine documented transitions in platform economics influenced by firms like Activision, Electronic Arts, and Capcom, while reflecting on hardware cycles typified by the advent of the Dreamcast and the early phases of the Xbox project. The title ceased print publication in the early 2000s as digital distribution and consolidated media ownership altered magazine viability; its closure paralleled the consolidation trends exemplified by mergers including Vivendi Universal's acquisitions and strategic shifts at parent companies.

Editorial Profile and Content

Next Generation cultivated a professional tone that foregrounded interviews, design postmortems, and market analysis rather than hardware reviews and consumer buying guides. Regular features analyzed development pipelines at studios such as Rare, Naughty Dog, Bungie, and BioWare, while columns interrogated platform holder strategies from Sony Interactive Entertainment and Microsoft executives. The magazine ran think pieces about emergent technologies like real-time 3D engines from id Software, middleware from Epic Games, and graphics advances tied to 3dfx Interactive.

Coverage extended into legal, cultural, and policy arenas touching on controversies involving Entertainment Software Rating Board, litigation featuring companies like Sega and Atari, and debates that involved legislators such as those tied to landmark hearings on interactive content. Profiles of high-profile creators — including figures associated with Shigeru Miyamoto, Hideo Kojima, John Carmack, and Will Wright — were balanced with technical articles about rendering, AI, and tools used by studios such as DICE and Crytek. The magazine also published retrospectives on franchises like Final Fantasy, The Legend of Zelda, Metal Gear Solid, and Grand Theft Auto that traced design lineage and market impact.

Contributors and Staff

Next Generation employed and commissioned writers, editors, and columnists drawn from across the industry and journalistic community. Notable staff included editors who had worked at outlets like PC Gamer, Edge, and Game Informer. Regular contributors ranged from developers at Blizzard Entertainment and Konami to analysts affiliated with firms resembling NPD Group and boutique consultancies. Illustrators, photographers, and designers collaborated with production teams in San Francisco, often liaising with international bureaus in regions anchored by companies such as Nintendo of America, Sony Computer Entertainment America, and SEGA of America.

Guest essays and op-eds occasionally featured senior figures from studios like Valve Corporation, Square Enix, and id Software, as well as commentators from academia and cultural institutions that studied interactive media. Editorial direction was influenced by executives and founders within Imagine Media and by industry events including Electronic Entertainment Expo and trade conferences where staff both reported and moderated panels.

Reception and Impact

Critics and industry observers regarded Next Generation as an influential voice for serious readers interested in the craft and commerce of game creation. Publications and commentators compared its long-form emphasis to outlets such as Edge and Computer Arts, noting that its analysis shaped discourse among developers, publishers, and investors. The magazine’s investigative features and forecasts were cited within trade discussions about platform strategy, contributing to conversations at firms like Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo.

Academics studying game studies and media history have referenced Next Generation’s pieces when tracing industry narratives and technological adoption, alongside scholarship that examines industry consolidation and cultural debates. Its editorial choices influenced later digital outlets and influenced editorial models that blended professional analysis with consumer coverage.

Format, Circulation, and Distribution

Published monthly and produced with glossy interiors and feature-driven layouts, the magazine was distributed through newsstands, subscriptions, and targeted professional channels that reached development studios and corporate offices. Circulation figures reflected a niche, upmarket readership concentrated in North America, with additional copies shipped to professionals in Europe and Asia where publishers such as Ubisoft, THQ, and Namco maintained offices. Advertising inventory commonly featured hardware manufacturers like Intel, middleware vendors such as Ageia, and publishers promoting major releases.

Production values emphasized typography, long-form photography, and infographics that mapped development pipelines and market share, aligning the title’s aesthetic with contemporaneous specialist magazines circulated in technology and entertainment sectors.

International Editions and Spin-offs

Imagine Media explored international partnerships and content syndication to extend reach into markets served by publishers including Future plc and other regional media houses. While direct localized editions remained limited, content syndication and translated features appeared in international trade outlets covering the European and Japanese markets where companies like Sony Computer Entertainment Japan and Konami were active. Spin-offs and successor products in digital formats eventually absorbed aspects of the magazine’s approach, influencing online journals and industry analysis services that concentrated on developer-oriented reporting.

Category:Video game magazines