Game Chronicles Magazine

Originally founded as the videogame strategy site Sinjin Solves, Game Chronicles Magazine (GCM) is an online magazine of videogame reviews and related content. According to the site's owner, the Sinjin Solves strategy guides have collectively reached more than 100 million people around the globe and have been translated into more than 12 languages. GCM currently claims more than 180,000 unique user hits per day.

Foundation and Organization

Game Chronicles began as an outgrowth of the Sinjin Solves strategy guide site, which was founded in 1996 (see History). From a slow start, the number of reviews posted to the site in a given year has increased dramatically to the present day. GCM's content is written by volunteer staff who apply for a position via a writing sample and were accepted on the basis of writing skill and enthusiasm for gaming. Staff are GeneRally allowed to keep games they review, as noted on Game Chronicles' "Jobs" page. As such, the site is considered an amateur review site, though professionally published (as evidenced by the quality of links to the site from Gamerankings.com, which links more reputable and professional-looking sites in boldface when tabulating reviews of a game).

GCM's use of personal enjoyment as a review criterion (sometimes called the 'Tilt' or 'fun factor' of a videogame) is increasingly unusual, particularly since The Release of the Videogame Style Guide, which frowns upon the practice as subjective. Nevertheless, it remains an integral part of the magazine's writing philosophy for the time being.

The main website at 1 is arranged into loose "channels" containing content specific to different videogame systems, as well as more generalized content such as a "Previews" channel. The home page consists of a magazine cover graphic that changes each month, accompanied by a sidebar with links to newly posted content, site announcements and videogame-related press releases.

Reviews

The majority of content on the Game Chronicles site consists of staff reviews of videogames, gaming-related hardware and peripherals. GCM uses a 10-point system for reviews. Most scores may also Appear in half-point denominations (e.g., 8.5). In addition to assigning each game an overall rating, individual criteria are assessed on the scale as well, including sound, graphics, value, general gameplay and gaming community (reserved mostly for online games such as MMORPGs). A 5.0, rather than a 7.0, represents an average score. According to the Game Chronicles web site,

1. Products are judged solely on their own features and level of enjoyment.
2. Comparisons are made only with current products in the same genre and same technology level.
3. All reviews are based on Final Retail Versions unless otherwise noted.

History

GCM was founded in November of 1996 as Sinjin Solves, and was comprised of a single strategy guide for the original Tomb Raider game by Eidos Interactive. In 2001, with some advice and encouragement from a SEGA PR rep, that site evolved into Game Chronicles Magazine. At the time, a print publication was also in the works, but that project has since been abandoned and all focus is now put into the website.

GCM has continued to grow over the years. Originally started as a sole-proprietorship, editorial staff soon increased to 5, then 12, and now is home to more than 20 full and part-time staff members.

As of December 2006, GCM averages 3.6 million unique visitors a month, and is one of the most popular non-profit destinations for gamers as such.

The Future

Currently, GCM uses a segmented review format, with each individual criterion under a separate heading. Plans are underway for the site to shift away from this style of review, which some see as archaic, and towards a more unified, essay-style review such as those seen in publications such as Play Magazine.

Management Team