PC Format
| Editor | Alan Dexter |
|---|---|
| Categories | Computer magazine |
| Frequency | Every four weeks, 13 per year |
| Circulation | 6,249 (2012) 8,009 (2011) 9,318 (2010) 11,914 (2009) 18,003 (2008) |
| First issue | October 1991 |
| Final issue | 2015 |
| Company | Future plc |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Website | www |
| ISSN | 0963-5521 |
PC Format was a computer magazine published in the United Kingdom by Future plc, and licensed to other publishers in countries around the world. In publication between 1991 and 2015, it was part of Future plc's Format series of magazines that include articles about games, entertainment and how to get the most out of the platform. Despite the occasional mention of alternatives, PC Format takes the term 'PC' to mean a Microsoft Windows-based computer.
Aimed at a reader with an age of around 30, PCF is far more irreverent and opinionated than its competition, edging it towards being a lifestyle magazine as well as a computing one. In its earlier days, it promoted itself as a PC entertainment magazine - meaning it was not aimed at the business market, and it was not aimed at solely games. This included content such as video editing, animation, web design, and others - many of which were not very common on the PC at the time.
PC Format has included a cover disk or cover CD, as many other computer magazines. Initially these were in 5¼" and 3½" inch floppy disk formats; this standard progressed to CD-ROM and DVD-ROM as technology advanced. Now however, the CD version does not exist, and only the DVD version remains. You cannot buy the magazine on its own without a disk.
PC Format has prided itself on being unbiased with its reviews, and has frequently given low scores to blockbuster, but poor quality, games. It uses the full range of 0-100% for its game reviews, rather than having 50% for a bad game and 100% for a great game. The magazine rarely awards anything between 30% and 50%, only showing radical scores for games since mediocre games are difficult to review. Scores over 90% are very rarely granted. If a game scores above 90% it receives a PCF Gold award. Before the magazine was redesigned in January 2007, the magazine also awarded 80% plus scores with a high score or top gear award.
Immediately prior to PC Format's launch, the Format series encompassed three platforms - Commodore Format, ST Format and Amiga Format. The magazines in the 'Format' series today are MacFormat (launched 1993), Linux Format (launched 2000), and PC Format.
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