WoW! Future’s Subs-Only, No-Ads Games Mag Beats Forecasts

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WoW! Future’s Subs-Only, No-Ads Games Mag Beats Forecasts

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We said it at the time - a magazine targeting the millions gamers who already subscribe to World Of Warcraft was always likely to prove successful for Future.

Today, the publisher says World Of Warcraft: The Magazine has exceeded its own subscription targets by 30 percent (although we don’t know what the target was).

Launched in January, the 148-page quarterly title is available in subscription only, either one year ($39.95, €34.95 or £29.95) or two years ($69.95, €61.25 or £52.50). And forget about a website - it’s all about print, baby.

For many other titles, that combination may have been the kiss of death. But there are over 12 million people around the world who are only too happy to pay £8.99 a month to play as orcs, trolls and blood elves (and more on in-game goods). That’s a ready-made loyal audience for dependable subscription income, and has allowed Future to run no ads in the mag, which is an official licence. Publishers should look for more niches like this.

“The strength of our special-interest portfolio model continues to help protect us from the worst of the media recession,” said CEO Steve Spring, announcing October-to-December revenue that is down 12 percent from the prior year…

—UK circulation decline slowed to four percent year-on-year, from seven percent over the full 2009 year.
—Sports, technology, music and movies mags were “resilient” but games mags hurt from 40 percent fewer AAA and “A” games being released.
—U.S. circulation decline halved from 26 percent over the year to 13 percent in the quarter after restoring a distribution deal. But Future was exposed to the games industry decline because half of its U.S. ad income is from games mags.

By Robert Andrews