View source for GameStar

{{short description|German PC game magazine}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}}
{{Infobox magazine
| title           = GameStar
| image_file      = GameStar Logo 2024.svg
| image_size      = 250px
| image_alt       = 
| image_caption   =
| editor          = Heiko Klinge
| editor_title    = Editor-in-chief
| previous_editor = Jochen Gebauer<br />Michael Trier<br />Gunnar Lott
| staff_writer    = 
| photographer    =
| category        = 
| frequency       = 
| circulation     = 63,189 (01/2015)<ref name= IVWwhole />
| publisher       = [[Webedia]]
| founder         = Jörg Langer
| founded         = September 1997
| firstdate       =  <!-- {{Start date|1997|08}} -->
| company         = 
| country         = Germany
| based           = 
| language        = German, English (US division)
| website         = {{URL|gamestar.de}}<br />{{URL|gamestar.com}}
| issn            = 
| oclc            = 315108087
}}

'''''GameStar''''' is a monthly-released [[PC game|PC gaming]] magazine in Germany. It is the best-selling German-language magazine focused on PC gaming and it also hosts the largest video gaming-related portal in the German-speaking internet.

''GameStar.de'' is the largest PC gaming [[web portal]] in the German-speaking internet and one of the largest web portals in the entirety of the German-speaking internet.<ref name="stats">{{cite web |title=AGOF digital facts: website statistics February 2016 |url=https://www.agof.de/download/Downloads_digital_facts/Downloads_Digital_Facts_2016/Downloads_Digital_Facts_2016-02/02-2016_df_Ranking_Gesamtangebote_Internet.pdf?e6c0a9 |access-date=10 June 2016 |website=agof.de |publisher={{Interlanguage link multi|Arbeitsgemeinschaft Online Forschung|de}} |archive-date=1 July 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160701171934/https://www.agof.de/download/Downloads_digital_facts/Downloads_Digital_Facts_2016/Downloads_Digital_Facts_2016-02/02-2016_df_Ranking_Gesamtangebote_Internet.pdf?e6c0a9 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The magazine also comes with a DVD, which features Demos, Mods, video-reviews as well as a full retail version of a videogame.<ref name="archiv" />

== Content ==
''GameStar'' has been in published in various versions with different features. This includes the magazine version (which does not include any DVDs and is thus cheaper), a "normal" edition, which includes one DVD, and a XL Version, which contains 2 DVDs. The magazine for subscribers has less advertisement and shows a larger front-page picture. Until mid-2005 a CD-only version was also available, but it was decided that DVD-readers in Computers had become widespread enough, and so the CD-version was deemed unnecessary. Instead the XL version appeared for the first time.<ref name=archiv>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamestar.de/plus/heftarchiv/|title=GameStar archive| access-date= 10 June 2016|language=de|publisher=Gamestar.de }}</ref>

''GameStar'' also hosts a large [[internet forum]], the GSPB (GameStar Pinboard). It is one of largest internet forums in the German-speaking internet.<ref>{{cite web |title=Big-Boards ranking |url=http://www.big-boards.com/highlight/365/ |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130502043852/http://www.big-boards.com/highlight/365/ |archive-date=2 May 2013 |access-date=11 June 2016}}</ref>

== History and editorship ==
''GameStar'' was founded by Charles Glimm, Jörg Langer und Toni Schwaiger with the [[International Data Group|IDG Entertainment Media]] GmbH as publisher and debuted in September 1997, with Jörg Langer as editor-in-chief.<ref name=history>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamestar.de/specials/spiele/3004169/jubilaeum.html|title=GameStar history|date=29 August 2012| access-date= 10 June 2016|language = de|publisher=Gamestar.de }}</ref><ref name=idghistory>{{cite web|url=https://www.idg.co.uk/news/idg-launches-gamestar-magazine-in-germany-idg-continues-to-expand-global-publishing-product-lines/|title=IDG press release: IDG Launches GameStar Magazine In Germany| access-date= 29 June 2016|publisher= International Data Group (IDG)}}</ref>

The new magazine soon gained a lot of popularity. By the fourth quarter of 1999 it sold about 333,000 issues per month, in 2000 it overtook competitor [[PC Games (magazine)|PC Games]] as the largest German language videogames magazine in Europe.<ref name=IVW1>[[IVW]] statistics ([http://daten.ivw.eu/index.php?menuid=1&u=&p=&detail=true database]), GameStar for IV/1997 – IV/2000</ref>

IDG also started ''GameStar'' sister magazines in Italy, Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic<ref>{{Cite web|date=15 June 2006|title=.:: GameStar ::.|url=http://www.gamestar.cz/gs.nsf/obsah?openview|access-date=25 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060615202429/http://www.gamestar.cz/gs.nsf/obsah?openview|archive-date=15 June 2006}}</ref> and the United States. The US version was, quite differently from the rest, positioned as a magazine for adults, about PC and console games, similar to [[inCite]]. However they all folded after a few months due to disappointing sales. The only long term launch was achieved in Hungary. In 2005, ''GameStar'' spawned a sister magazine called ''/GameStar/dev'' which is targeted at European Game Developers. ''GameStar'' also has a sister magazine named ''[[GamePro]]'', which focuses on console games. Incidentally its headquarters are right next-door to the ''GameStar'' office.<ref name=GamePro>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.gamepro.de/artikel/specials/3004575/jubilaeum.html|title=German GamePro history|author= Gunnar Lott |magazine=GamePro|date=5 September 2012| access-date= 10 June 2016|language = de|publisher=GamePro.de }}</ref><ref name=GamestarDev>{{cite web|url=http://www.pcwelt.de/news/GameStar-dev-Magazin-fuer-kommende-Spiele-Entwickler-264559.html|title=/GameStar/dev launch|date=15 July 2005|publisher=PCWelt.de| access-date= 11 June 2016|language = de }}</ref>

In April 2015 ''GameStar'' and its sister magazine ''GamePro'' were sold by IDG to the French publisher [[Webedia]].<ref name=webediaG>{{cite web|url=http://www.golem.de/news/spielepresse-idg-verkauft-gamestar-an-die-mediengruppe-webedia-1504-113806.html
|author=Peter Steinlechner|title= GameStar and GamePro sold to Webedia|publisher={{Interlanguage link multi|Golem.de|de}}| access-date= 11 June 2016|language=de }}</ref>

Jörg Langer was succeeded by Gunnar Lott as editor-in-chief, followed by Michael Trier on 1 December 2007. As of June 2016, editor-in-Chief is Heiko Klinge.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dnv-online.net/jobsandcareers/detail.php?rubric=K%F6pfe&nr=18050|title=IDG: Gunnar Lott neuer Director of Online and New Business|publisher= dnv – der neue vertrieb| access-date= 28 June 2016|language = de|author=Vanessa Goebel}}</ref><ref name=chief>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamestar.de/news/vermischtes/3079643/neuer_gamestar_chefredakteur.html|title=New editor in chief|date=24 October 2014| access-date= 10 June 2016|language = de|publisher=Gamestar.de}}</ref>

''GameStar'' also held a popular known E-Sports-League, the ''GameStar Clanliga'', featuring games such a ''[[Warcraft III]]'', ''[[Counter-Strike (video game)|Counter-Strike]]'' as well as ''[[Tactical Ops: Assault on Terror|Tactical Ops]]''.<ref name=clanlieague>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamestar.de/news/vermischtes/3233705/gamestar_tv.html|title= GameStar Clan League overview|author=Sebastian Stange |date= 17 July 2015| access-date= 10 June 2016|language=de|publisher=Gamestar.de }}</ref>

== Sales and popularity ==
After it launched, ''GameStar'' was able to steadily gain in popularity. By the fourth quarter of 1999, it had sold about 331.535 issues per month and in 2000 it overtook its competitor ''[[PC games (magazine)|PC Games]]'' as the largest German-language PC game magazine in Europe.<ref name=IVW1 /> Since then, ''GameStar'' has kept the spot as the best-selling German-language PC gaming-focused magazine in Europe.<ref name="idghistory" /><ref name= IVWwhole>[[IVW]] statistics ([http://daten.ivw.eu/index.php?menuid=1&u=&p=&detail=true database]), GameStar for IV/1997 – IV/2015</ref>

Like the whole print market, ''GameStar'' was affected by diminishing sales. In 2008, the average monthly [[Magazine circulation|circulation]] was 250,000 copies, but by January 2015 sold issues per month had dropped to 63,189. Despite the drop, ''GameStar'' remains the highest-selling German -language PC gaming-focused magazine in Europe.<ref name="IVWwhole" /><ref>IDG Communications Media AG, ''[http://www.gamestar.de/images/mediadaten/GS_Mediadaten_2009.pdf GameStar Mediadaten 2009]'', 1 October 2008 (German)</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{official website|http://www.gamestar.de}}
* Former regional sites: [https://web.archive.org/web/20070928143359/http://www.gamestar.com.cn/ China], [https://web.archive.org/web/20071130090556/http://www.gamestar.it/ Italy], {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20071125105223/http://www.gamestar.pl/ Poland]}}, [https://web.archive.org/web/20070302113140/http://www.gamestar.com/ USA]

{{IDG}}

[[Category:1997 establishments in Germany]]
[[Category:German-language magazines]]
[[Category:Video game magazines published in Germany]]
[[Category:International Data Group]]
[[Category:Magazines established in 1997]]