Redesigned Print Edition of Retro Gamer Sells Almost 9,000 Units

Since the beginning of the year, Retro Gamer has been self-distributed by Jörg Langer and his team. The sales figures after the redesign are remarkable. The publisher reports that almost 9,000 physical copies have been sold.

After eleven years with Heise/eMedia and the threat of cancellation in the meantime, Retro Gamer has been self-published by Jörg Langer's editorial office since the beginning of the year. 8,800 physical copies of the first issue (2/24) were sold, excluding ePapers, according to Langer. This was the first issue of the redesigned Retro Gamer (improved paper quality) with a print run of 15,000 copies and a higher price of 14.90 Euros. Jörg Langer: "For comparison: The last GameStar issue I was responsible for (in 9/2004) sold 340,000 copies. So times have changed a tiny little bit for print magazines, but I am super-happy that we pulled this off! And also about going from 0 to 4,000 subscribers in just six months."

For comparison. According to webedia media data, GameStar has a circulation of 40,000 and has sold 21,000 copies. Computec reports 16,300 copies sold of PC Games Hardware, 14,800 of PC Games, 6,400 of Play7 and 5,400 of MMORE.

Commenting on the move to self-publishing earlier this year, Langer said: "We are proud that Retro Gamer continues to be an integral part of gaming culture in Germany. The changes we are making reflect the wishes of our loyal readership and involve the German retro scene more closely. We are confident that we will be able to serve this readership with our content for many years to come."

The print edition of Retro Gamer is available in retail outlets in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Luxembourg, while subscriptions and e-paper versions can be purchased online. Regarding costs and newsstand distribution, the team writes in the FAQ: "We earn almost nothing from newsstand editions, neither in Germany, nor in Austria, nor in Switzerland. The reason for this is the high discounts we have to give to the kiosks, the distribution costs and not least the Fact that for every kiosk issue sold, two or three remain unsold - but still incur production, distribution and disposal costs for us."

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