Weekly Famitsu

Weekly Famitsu
source
Title	Weekly Famitsu
Frequency	Weekly
Category	Video game magazine
Company	Kadokawa Corporation
Firstdate	1986
Country	Japan
Language	Japanese

Weekly Famitsu is a Japanese video game magazine published by Kadokawa Corporation through Enterbrain and formerly ASCII Media Works, focused on console, handheld, and PC gaming news, reviews, and interviews. It traces roots to the 1980s rise of the home console market and intersects with major franchises, companies, and cultural phenomena across Japan, North America, Europe, and beyond. The magazine has covered developments from major platform holders, publishers, developers, and retailers, and has been cited in discussions involving hardware launches, blockbuster titles, and industry trends.

History

Weekly Famitsu originated amid the 1980s console boom that included companies such as Nintendo, Sega, Sony Interactive Entertainment, Atari, and NEC alongside hardware like the Nintendo Entertainment System, Sega Genesis, PlayStation, Xbox, and PC Engine. Early issues reflected coverage of publishers and developers including Capcom, Konami, Square, Enix, Bandai Namco Entertainment, Hudson Soft, Namco, and Tecmo. During the 1990s the magazine reported on transitions involving events such as the release of the PlayStation and industry gatherings like the Tokyo Game Show, the E3, and the CES trade shows. The 2000s saw coverage expand to handheld markets typified by the Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, and PlayStation Portable, and to major franchises including Final Fantasy VII, Metal Gear Solid, Resident Evil, The Legend of Zelda, and Pokémon. Corporate changes tied Famitsu to media groups such as Kadokawa Corporation and content distributors like ASCII Corporation, with contributions from journalists linked to outlets like IGN, GameSpot, Eurogamer, and Kotaku. The magazine adapted to shifts in digital distribution represented by Steam, Xbox Live, and PlayStation Network.

Content and Features

Regular sections include news briefs, previews, reviews, interviews, and feature articles covering hardware from Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S to legacy systems like the Sega Saturn and Dreamcast. Review coverage has included titles from series such as Grand Theft Auto, Call of Duty, Dark Souls, Monster Hunter, Dragon Quest, Persona, and Monster Hunter World, with emphasis on scores and developer commentary involving studios like FromSoftware, Square Enix, PlatinumGames, Bethesda Game Studios, Rockstar Games, Ubisoft, Electronic Arts, Capcom Vancouver, and Naughty Dog. The magazine features interviews with figures such as Hideo Kojima, Shigeru Miyamoto, Gabe Newell, Ken Kutaragi, Satoru Iwata, Yoko Taro, Hajime Tabata, Shinji Mikami, and Hideki Kamiya. Coverage often references events and awards like the Game Developers Conference, British Academy Games Awards, The Game Awards, D.I.C.E. Awards, and platforms including Nintendo eShop, Google Play, Apple App Store, and GOG.com. Special columns have examined localization efforts involving companies such as Atlus, NIS America, and XSEED Games, and have discussed middleware and engines including Unreal Engine, Unity, RE Engine, and Frostbite.

Circulation and Influence

Circulation numbers reflect trends affected by the rise of online outlets such as Famitsu.com competitors including Gematsu, Siliconera, Destructoid, and Rock Paper Shotgun, as well as aggregator platforms like YouTube, Twitch, Niconico, and Steam Community. Famitsu’s review scores and exclusive previews have influenced retailer stocking decisions at chains like Yodobashi Camera, Bic Camera, and Tsutaya, and impacted marketing plans of publishers such as Sony Interactive Entertainment Japan Studio, Microsoft Game Studios, Nintendo EPD, Square Enix Holdings, Bandai Namco, and Capcom Co., Ltd.. The magazine’s brand has been cited in academic and market analyses alongside institutions like Nielsen, GfK, Enterbrain, Dentsu, and research by universities including University of Tokyo and Keio University in studies of Japanese media consumption.

Editorial Staff and Contributors

Editorial leadership and contributors have included editors and journalists with ties to organizations such as ASCII Corporation, Enterbrain, Kadokawa Shoten, and independent outlets including Famitsu.com freelancers who later worked with IGN Japan, 4Gamer.net, Game Watch, Otaku USA, and Animage. Frequent contributors have interviewed and written about creators and executives like Hiroshi Yamauchi, Kazunori Yamauchi, Yoko Shimomura, Koji Igarashi, Eiichiro Oda, Tetsuya Nomura, Masahiro Sakurai, Toru Iwatani, Yuji Naka, and Naoto Ohshima. The magazine has featured photography and art tied to studios such as Level-5, Monolith Soft, Cygames, Koei Tecmo, Grasshopper Manufacture, Cliff Bleszinski-led projects, and collaborations with composers and designers from Nobuo Uematsu to Koichi Sugiyama.

Controversies and Notable Incidents

Notable incidents have involved review-score controversies, exclusivity disputes, and interactions with corporate public relations from companies like Sony, Nintendo Co., Ltd., Microsoft, Capcom, Konami, Square Enix, Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc., and SNK Corporation. Coverage has sometimes intersected with legal and regulatory debates involving intellectual property disputes referenced alongside court cases and industry debates featuring entities such as Nintendo Co., Ltd. legal teams, Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC counsel, and publishers like Sega Sammy Holdings. Famitsu-exclusive reveals have occasionally sparked rapid discourse across social platforms including Twitter, Facebook, Reddit, and 2channel, and prompted responses from developers and producers including Yoshinori Kitase, Kazuhiro Tsuchiya, Hidetaka Miyazaki, and Katsuhiro Harada.

Special Editions and Spin-offs

The Famitsu brand expanded into spin-offs and special editions covering niche topics and platforms, collaborating with subsidiaries and partner publications such as Famicom Tsūshin, Dengeki PlayStation, Comptiq, Weekly Shōnen Jump cross-promotions, and special issues tied to events like the Tokyo Game Show, E3, and commemorative features for milestones of franchises such as Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, Pokémon, Metal Gear, and The Legend of Zelda. Spin-off magazines and books have included platform-focused guides, artbooks, and strategy guides produced in partnership with developers and series licensors like Nintendo Publishing, Square Enix Books, Bandai Namco Arts, and Shueisha, as well as collaborative projects with retailers and distributors such as Amazon Japan and Rakuten.

Category:Video game magazines Category:Japanese magazines Category:Kadokawa Corporation publications