Thursday 13th August 2009

Latest Imagine ABCs buck trend

Bournemouth-based publisher posts solid ABCs for Jan-Jun 09.

In difficult market conditions, Imagine Publishing has shown confidence in its Xbox 360 titles by posting positive ABC results for the Jan-June period, while its main rival failed to audit any of its gaming portfolio.

X360, the company’s flagship Xbox 360 title, posted an increased ABC of 26,092, bucking the market trend that has seen its competitors lose confidence. 360, Imagine’s Xbox 360 magazine for discerning gamers, posted an ABC that fell from 12,939 to 11,518, yet still managed to increase its overall sales thanks to a move from 13 issues to 17 issues per annum. Imagine’s combined monthly Xbox 360 magazine circulation now stands at 37,610 and gives the company a market- leading share of 69.4%.

With Play magazine on a 12-month ABC, and with its only major competitor declining to audit its PlayStation titles in this period, Imagine’s PlayStation publication remains the leading independent title, with an ABC of 26,464.

Nick Jones, Editor in Chief of 360 and Play commented: “These are difficult times for games magazines – our rival’s reluctance to ABC this period is proof of that. However, in spite of this, our two Xbox 360 titles have held up well, with one increasing its ABC and the other increasing its overall sales with more issues published. It’s also immensely satisfying to see Play, the world’s longest-running PlayStation magazine, not only survive, but flourish in conditions where others have failed.”

Rick Porter, Editor in Chief of X360 and games™ said of the ABCs: “I’m extremely pleased that despite the tough economic climate, X360 has managed to grow its readership. It’s a real testament to the hard work that the team put into the magazine every month and it’s good to see consumers value this quality and effort.”

Advertising Manager James Haley added: “It’s great to see we are growing our Xbox 360 reader base and are still the number one choice for the independent Xbox market. Videogames is a very challenging market at the moment – the closure of Future’s PSW highlights this. Our results are extremely encouraging, offering a solid, transparent platform for our advertisers to showcase their products and engage with their target market at a critical time in the year.”

Imagine Publishing
01202 586200
www.imagine-publishing.co.uk