Talk:Games (magazine)

Bankruptcy
The following appeared on GAMES Magazine bankruptcy being considered for deletion as of May 7, 2006 (as it was left 04:16, 7 May 2006 by User:Jimkoke ). I thought it was an interesting story, though posited without reference to the source of information. It might have a home on this page if someone can verify it, or maybe even just as a mention of rumour? - Rainwarrior 04:46, 7 May 2006 (UTC) --- Games Magazine mysteriously stopped publication in the early 1990's.

Each issue of GAMES contained numerous and varied puzzle style games. Some of these games were implemented as contests with a first prize of typically $1,000.00. One of these contests forced the magazine into bankruptcy. Through an omission, the now very standard text similar to only one prize will be awarded and in the event of a tie, the winner will be chosen randomly, was left out of the contest rules. This contest had well over a thousand winners. The magazine was obligated to award all the winners the first prize of $1,000.00. The prize payout was more than the magazine could bear and bankruptcy took the magazine out of publication.

As compensation to its subscribers, the magazine offered a substitute subscription to a somewhat less successful, but similar, puzzle magazine.

The magazine was later purchased and resumed publication. About a year or so after resuming publication, an article in the magazine detailed the events leading up to the bankruptcy. ---

Bankruptcy? Yes. Contest gone awry? No.
The above is almost totally false. Here's an article with the actual facts, which are far more mundane than the contest-run-amok version. It's vaguely possible that the "contest" explanation did appear in the magazine though, as I remember GAMES occasionally pulling April Fool's jokes on its readers. Perhaps this was one of them. Andrew Lenahan -  St ar bli nd  17:25, 7 May 2006 (UTC)

PSC Publishing
Interesting article on why the bankruptcy occurred. The article mentions that, at the time, it was being published by "PSC Publishing." The article lacks mention of when Playboy (PEI) sold off the magazine, who bought it, etc. I'm assuming PSC got it directly after PEI, but don't want to add that information to the article without confirmation. Anyone have back issues that could be consulted? Student Driver 22:17, 3 September 2006 (UTC)

GAMES History
I was a contributor to GAMES starting with its third issue, early 1978. It was not originally owned by Playboy, but was bought by them a couple of years after its founding. During the time that they owned the magazine, they actually ran a few puzzles in Playboy itself, mostly by GAMES contributors or editors. (Including the first one, I'll modestly add, a word search by yours truly.) It's been awhile, and I have to set the "wayback machine", but, as I recall, John Jacobson was the editor prior to Will Shortz's tenure. They did indeed declare bankruptcy after Playboy sold them. I never learned all the details. I believe there may have been a second bankruptcy later, before they were picked up by Kappa. The present incarnation retains most of the "look and feel" of the original. The GAMES WORLD OF PUZZLES publication is, for me, a welcome addition. I love the articles in the original, but it's truly fun to have a pure puzzling edition as well. For any further discussion, you can contact me at ekstra@msn.com. Edith Rudy —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 63.164.145.85 (talk) 19:09, 26 April 2007 (UTC).

Contests
It seems like the magazine has stopped doing contests for quite a while now. Came to the Wikipedia page looking for the reason, but there's been no edits to the page lately. I'm hoping someone could add some info on this subject. —Preceding unsigned comment added by McP (talk • contribs) 05:18, 28 June 2010 (UTC)

Not sure: They had been doing their contests online, but now I can't view their website either. The last I can remember looking at it was about Novemeber 2009, I think. Bookbrad (talk) 21:25, 13 July 2010 (UTC)

Text section from article page
(Please note that I have copied this text that was added to the article from a user. It is not my text, and it is not appropriate in its current form to include, so moving here so it can be dealt with. --M ASEM  (t) 23:57, 29 August 2010 (UTC))

Please note that a good deal of the early "history" is incorrect. For the record, I was a regular contributor to GAMES from its third issue. The original publisher (and I'm sorry...I've forgotten the name) was NOT Playboy. The magazine was started by someone who wished to create a niche publication and sell it so that he could go on to the next project. The original editor was John Jacobson. John Jacobson was still editing when GAMES was sold to Playboy Publications; however, my notes indicate that I was copying both Will Shortz and John Jacobson as early as 1979. Playboy bought the magazine in late '79, after it had been published for about two years. Playboy Magazine ran a puzzle for about three or four issues, starting in January, 1980. Playboy rights and acquisitions were still on the contracts I signed through sometime in 1985, and by 1988, just before one or the other publication stoppage, it was a publication of PSC Games Limited Partnership.

The history from 1991 on, as far as I can tell, is accurate. I've been a contributor to only a few issues since that time, so I'm no longer familiar with everything. I do know, however, that Kappa is publishing both Games and World of Puzzles. —Preceding unsigned comment added by EdithRuby (talk • contribs)