Missing Magazine - Video Games Player / Computer Games

[RetroDefense]

Hello all,

Per Phillyman's "Missing a magazine? Let us know!" announcement, here's what I know about Video Games Player, eventually renamed Computer Games. If anyone can elaborate on this magazine that'd help in having a formal entry eventually added to the database so we can begin indexing and preserving these issues.

Name: Video Games Player (becomes Computer Games with issue eight (Dec 83/Jan 84))

Country of origin: USA

Number of issues: 14?

Dates of each issue:

• Fall 1982 (v1n1)
• Dec 82/Jan 83 *
• Feb/Mar 83 *
• Apr/May 83 *
• Jun/Jul 83 *
• Aug/Sep 83 (v2n1)
• Oct/Nov 83 (v2n2)
• Dec 83/Jan 84 (v2n3)
• Feb 84 (v2n4)
• Apr 84 (v3n1)
• Jun 84 (v3n2) (indicia incorrectly dated 'April 1984')
• Jul/Aug 94 (v3n3)
• Nov/Dec 84 (v3n4)
• Jan/Feb 85 (v3n5)

* unconfirmed dates but supported by Digital Press, the Library of Congress, and an interview with former editor Dan Gutman. If you'd like to sample some issues, several are currently available from Digital Press and 2600 Connection.

A few covers have already been scanned and archived here at Retromags:

http://community.retromags.com/gallery/image/1438-vgplayer-8310/

http://community.retromags.com/gallery/image/2085-vgplayer-8308/

http://community.retromags.com/gallery/image/1740-computer-games-issue-009-february-1984/

The Video Games Player covers are currently in the Unsorted Covers gallery - they'll eventually need a gallery of their own. The Computer Games cover scan is in a Computer Games gallery but will require a split - at least two different magazines have used the title Computer Games over the years, apparently.

Edited June 10, 2015 by RetroDefense

[RetroDefense]

bump (edit spotlight - added some links)

[VGBounceHouse]

I now have a few of these on hand. I also picked up some Computer Games Strategy Plus and will update that thread to hopefully sort everything out.

These are quick scans with no editing but they do confirm dates and volume/issue numbers:

Volume 2, Number 1, August/September 1983 (as Video Games Player)

Volume 2, Number 2, October/November 1983 (as Video Games Player)

Volume 3, Number 1, April 1984 (as Computer Games)

I will continue to keep a look out for issues from this run.

[VGBounceHouse]

I posted this in my In Progress thread but wanted to leave it here as well in case there are more developments:

The link to Digital Press implies issues between Volume 1, Number 1, dated Fall 1982, which has been archived elsewhere, and Volume 2, Number 1, dated August/September 1983 which I both own and remember from the newsstand. However the link to 2600 Connection doesn't allow space for those issues though they may only be listing ones they've archived. Neither the Library of Congress nor interview links imply these other issues exist. I had hoped to cross December 1982 off my list but these speculative issue holders at Digital Press leave me wanting lol

[RetroDefense]

I've looked into this further during the past year - on and off - and like you, I'm beginning to suspect issues Dec 82/Jan 83 through Jun/Jul 83 don't exist. I haven't found any cover scans, etc, of these missing issues. And although the LoC entry and the interview do support most or all of the Digital Press placeholders, they just as easily don't. Dan Gutman mentions a bi-monthly schedule but also suggests a long break after the first issue. The LoC indicates bi-monthly but also indicates a formerly quarterly schedule. Without knowing the month the Fall '82 issue actually released, it could overlap the placeholder time frame.

Plus, your eye-witness testimony is fairly damning evidence they never happened.

I'm going to try and contact Gutman - perhaps he'll be willing to clarify the publishing schedule. I'll follow-up if I learn anything.

[RetroDefense]

Dan Gutman was kind enough to reply to my inquiry.

Thanks for the note. Here's my memory. The publisher--Chip Goodman--was a very cautious man who would dip a toe in the water of anything before making a commitment. So instead of putting out a full fledged monthly magazine, he would put out a one-shot and see how it sold before deciding what to do next. That's why there is the first issue of Video Games Player and then a long gap before the next issue came out. While I was waiting for the first issue to come out, I went and got hired to work for Electronic Fun.

So I think this ends any speculation.

I can't edit my OP to reflect this, but whomever eventually adds the issue breakdown to the database, please ignore the unconfirmed dates listed.

I'll be contacting Digital Press - perhaps they'll pull their placeholders to avoid any future confusion.

[Phillyman]

I looked into this today as well, I can't seem to find any more than 3 issues for the title Video Games Player, so I am just going to create 3 issues for the time being.

[RetroDefense]

Wanted to give this a bump as it looks to still be a work in progress. Two database entries exist for the magazines but as yet no issue entries are present (viewable?). Here's the latest issue breakdown based on the discussion we've been having (thanks VGBounceHouse!):

As Video Games Player:

• Fall 1982 (v1n1)
• Aug/Sep 83 (v2n1)
• Oct/Nov 83 (v2n2)

As Computer Games:

• Dec 83/Jan 84 (v2n3)
• Feb 84 (v2n4)
• Apr 84 (v3n1)
• Jun 84 (v3n2) (indicia incorrectly dated 'April 1984')
• Jul/Aug 94 (v3n3)
• Nov/Dec 84 (v3n4)
• Jan/Feb 85 (v3n5)

We'll also need a Video Games Player cover gallery along with splitting the current Computer Games gallery eventually. (There appears to be at least two distinct publications masthead titled Computer Games.)

[RetroDefense]

We'll also need a Video Games Player cover gallery along with splitting the current Computer Games gallery eventually. (There appears to be at least two distinct publications masthead titled Computer Games.)

 

Done.  Also added individual issue entries to the Video Games Player and Computer Games (1983) mag dbase sections.