Digital game magazines 12 issues for $12 from Future Publishing

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Most game magazines in America besides Game Informer are gone now, but they continue to be published in the UK by Future Publishing. The company is currently running a January promotion where you can get digital subscriptions to many of their titles for $12, which include Edge, Retro Gamer, PlayStation Magazine, and PC Gamer.

Retro Gamer is easily the cream of the crop because it often reveals new insight on classic games and they interview developers years after games have released. The current issue features SNK's Neo Geo prominently as its cover story.

The print subscriptions for these magazines are all over $60 since they have to be imported. My only complaint about the digital subscription is that you have to download the magazines and can't just view them online. If you download them as traditional scans, the files can be quite large. There's also a tablet-friendly version that is a lighter download.

https://www.magazinesdirect.com/mobile/categories/gaming/
 
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Thanks- also got Retro Gamer. I’ve bought it in print before and it’s a beautiful magazine- more like art or photography magazine level of print than Game Informer or other mass print magazines, but usually like $12 an issue. It will still be great to have digitally though, assuming it’s not too tedious to download. It’s one of those magazines that is always fun to read old issues because it obviously isn’t really in sync with contemporary events anyway. My only question is whether I can order the 1 year digital several times and stack it, since the 2 year digital still lists as $64. Might try it.
 
Before I jump in, how do I access on my iPad?  Is there a specific app or do I have to download the scans and read them?

 
Zimmy said:
Before I jump in, how do I access on my iPad? Is there a specific app or do I have to download the scans and read them?
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There's a Retro Gamer app. You have to jump through some hoops to activate it, the process is kinda wonky. Tip: Leave the "subscriber number" blank, because none of the numbers given to you are your subscriber number, somehow. That was the part I had the biggest problem with.

edit: also mine came with like a year of backissues too, which was nice. Had a great time reading through the issue with the Monkey Island cover feature.

 
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Tempted to sub to PCGamer because that's where I get most of my gaming news, but not really seeing what I am missing out on now versus just checking the site.  Anyone subbed?  Any info on whether the magazine has information worth paying for?

 
Can I keep the pdfs forever or does the app deactivate after a year. Also, they are saying online there is a cheap way to purchase all the back issues... anyone do that before?
 
Thanks OP. Ended up buying a year of PC Gamer physical at a bit of a discount. Saved even more with Honey add-on. Excited to have my first physical gaming mags in forever!

 
Appreciate the heads up. I snagged a year of Retro Gamer. I really like their compilation issues when I catch them in the bookstore.

Out of curiosity, is there any way to get this in a PDF format or something? If I can work with it outside an app, that'd be great. If not, no biggie.

 
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Thank you.

Now to wait 48-72 hours for them to activate the account. Almost Retro time!

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billyrox said:
Can I keep the pdfs forever or does the app deactivate after a year. Also, they are saying online there is a cheap way to purchase all the back issues... anyone do that before?
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Good question(s).

 
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New Offer:

Retro Gamer PRINT $3 for 3 Issues; Renews every 3 months at the $3 price up to 1 year

I couldn't believe it on seeing this as I usually pay more for a single issue at Barnes & Noble.  Negative if you don't want the physical issues but I will take them.  My old man tendencies appreciates it!

 
Joe Fongul said:
New Offer:

Retro Gamer PRINT $3 for 3 Issues; Renews every 3 months at the $3 price up to 1 year

I couldn't believe it on seeing this as I usually pay more for a single issue at Barnes & Noble. Negative if you don't want the physical issues but I will take them. My old man tendencies appreciates it!
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Do they charge extra for shipping to the U.S. with the print subscription?

 
josekortez said:
Do they charge extra for shipping to the U.S. with the print subscription?
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Doesn't look like it. I used a Privacy.com card just to make sure I don't suddenly get charged more than $3 though. So far they charged $4.11, so I'm not sure if they charge taxes (the checkout page only ever mentioned a $3 total, so much for their claim of no hidden charges).

 
smokeyjoey8 said:
Doesn't look like it. I used a Privacy.com card just to make sure I don't suddenly get charged more than $3 though. So far they charged $4.11, so I'm not sure if they charge taxes (the checkout page only ever mentioned a $3 total, so much for their claim of no hidden charges).
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Thanks for the reply. I used to chase down these magazines at Barnes & Noble here in the U.S. before COVID, and I have ordered physical back issues from Future Publishing before, so I'm considering this deal since I miss reading the new issues when I was able to get them. And they're based out of the UK, so that $4.11 sounds about right.

 
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josekortez said:
Thanks for the reply. I used to chase down these magazines at Barnes & Noble here in the U.S. before COVID, and I have ordered physical back issues from Future Publishing before, so I'm considering this deal since I miss reading the new issues when I was able to get them. And they're based out of the UK, so that $4.11 sounds about right.
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My transaction posted for the $3 even plus an extra 9 cents for the Foreign Transaction Fee. The only negative with the physical issues is waiting for them to ship from the Europe to the US. I have had an Edge subscription for years & it has been spotty for the last year due to COVID-19 shipping restrictions. They do list the shipping dates on the Subscription Management section of the website & the ability to order a replacement issue if needed.

 
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Joe Fongul said:
My transaction posted for the $3 even plus an extra 9 cents for the Foreign Transaction Fee. The only negative with the physical issues is waiting for them to ship from the Europe to the US. I have had an Edge subscription for years & it has been spotty for the last year due to COVID-19 shipping restrictions. They do list the shipping dates on the Subscription Management section of the website & the ability to order a replacement issue if needed.
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Yep. I’ve gotten less than half of my Retro Gamer issues since April. They don’t respond to any emails.

Buyer beware. Their customer service is worse than GameStop.

 
josekortez said:
Thanks for the reply. I used to chase down these magazines at Barnes & Noble here in the U.S. before COVID, and I have ordered physical back issues from Future Publishing before, so I'm considering this deal since I miss reading the new issues when I was able to get them. And they're based out of the UK, so that $4.11 sounds about right.
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Are you worried about not getting them in the mail?

 
billyrox said:
Are you worried about not getting them in the mail?
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I still haven't pulled the trigger on this deal yet. What I was thinking about doing is buying a prepaid debit card for $50, setting it up on my Paypal account for the recurring monthly charge for the subscription, and then disputing any charges with Paypal if the magazines don't show up. But I still haven't made up my mind about bothering with it in the first place.

I know that it would take weeks sometimes to get the back issues that I ordered before the pandemic, but those issues always showed up eventually. But COVID has more or less ruined any semblance of normalcy that previously existed when it comes to international orders.

 
josekortez said:
I still haven't pulled the trigger on this deal yet. What I was thinking about doing is buying a prepaid debit card for $50, setting it up on my Paypal account for the recurring monthly charge for the subscription, and then disputing any charges with Paypal if the magazines don't show up. But I still haven't made up my mind about bothering with it in the first place.

I know that it would take weeks sometimes to get the back issues that I ordered before the pandemic, but those issues always showed up eventually. But COVID has more or less ruined any semblance of normalcy that previously existed when it comes to international orders.
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I was also curious if you need to decontaminate the magazine after you get it? Just debating if I should buy it either because it's an insanely good deal

 
billyrox said:
I was also curious if you need to decontaminate the magazine after you get it? Just debating if I should buy it either because it's an insanely good deal
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You could just leave them in the mailer bag that they will come in for a good month or so before opening it if you're worried. And with that new strain of COVID-19 that recently came out of Great Britain, you should be. :shock:

 
josekortez said:
You could just leave them in the mailer bag that they will come in for a good month or so before opening it if you're worried. And with that new strain of COVID-19 that recently came out of Great Britain, you should be. :shock:
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Ugh, you are right. Guess i'll just get the digital till this blows over.

 
josekortez said:
You could just leave them in the mailer bag that they will come in for a good month or so before opening it if you're worried. And with that new strain of COVID-19 that recently came out of Great Britain, you should be. :shock:
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Jesus Christ. That’s not how it works.

Aren’t you the numbskull that several months ago was advocating leaving GS purchased in his trunk for a month? Do some reading. Get somewhat educated.

 
While you don't have to wait that long after delivery, COVID can survive on surfaces for days. According to the CDC, it is a low-risk vector, but low-risk is not no-risk. I'm careful with my mail myself until it has sit for a few days, just in case the mail carrier or someone close to my end is infected and doesn't know it. If it's something I have to use immediately, I wipe it down if possible.

 
I don't know about a scam, but my confirmation from Retro Gamer does say I should have my issue by March 18. About a month late now. I found the Retro Gamer confirmation in my email (not sure how I missed it two months ago) and was able to register my account on their subscription management site, and I was able to extend my subscription a month, since they're out of stock for the missing issue.

Who knows if the issue is really lost though. With this coming from the UK it could still be on it's way, what with how slow the USPS has been.

I also lowered the limit on my Privacy.com virtual card I used for this, so they can't charge me again. Scam or not, I'm not resubscribing to something I've missed an issue of, and will likely miss all the issues of.

 
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Yeah I have ordered several Blu-rays from the UK over the weeks following my subscription to this service and received all of them within a significantly shorter time frame. It should not take this long, regardless of whatever shipping service they are using. I did the same (extended my subscription) but if I don't see anything by the end of this month I am cancelling and issuing a chargeback on my CC.

 
FWIW, even though I got an email close to a month ago that my first issue had been shipped, I still haven't received so they're likely taking a long time to arrive.

 
Yeah, I'm really not expecting the same shipping speed for a magazine as I would merchandise purchased from UK retailers. I mean, for one, we didn't even pay shipping for the magazine, nor was what we paid enough to make free shipping realistic.

 
FYI

i have had a sub to games before they got canceled and retro gamer for years. I usually get my issue 2 months late every month. The June issue arrives in august (if I’m lucky)

 
So about a week after I made an account on retro game subscription management site I got an email today about Covid delays and that they’re giving me access to the digital version to make up for it.
 
After signing up for the 3 for $3 in early February, I just received my first issue of Retro Gamer in the mail, issue 218. Then I got an email saying I have access to the digital edition. After getting that set up on my phone it let me pick a free issue of another magazine and showed the digital edition for issue 219, but not for 218.

 
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