Gaming Universal

Gaming Universal was a professionally produced magazine devoted to the play-by-mail game field.[2]

The magazine was first published in November 1983 by Imagascape Industries. Rick Loomis, of Flying Buffalo, Inc., noted that this was because Bob McLain had identified the lack of a professional independent PBM magazine.[3] The publication began with heavy advertising, known writers, and extensive PBM game analysis.[3] According to Loomis, the first three issues were published, albeit all late, before McLain realized that a PBM magazine wouldn't be profitable due to the small gaming base and lack of advertising budgets in PBM companies.[3]

By 1987, a new edition of Gaming Universal was in publication by Aftershock Publishing, with McLain remaining as the editor.[4] The new edition continued to run bi-monthly—or six times per year—but on an off-month schedule (Dec/Jan versus Nov/Dec and Jan/Feb) to provide seamless coverage with the other PBM magazines: Paper Mayhem and the UK-based Flagship.[4] By the March/April 1987 issue of Paper Mayhem, the new Gaming Universal had one interim issue and two regular issues averaging 20–32 pages.[4] David Webber, Paper Mayhem's editor in chief, noted that the initial issues were light on content (articles and reviews) because the publisher wanted to ensure publication timeliness, which was a noted issue with the prior version.[4] Webber also observed that some of the authors for the new Gaming Universal also wrote for Paper Mayhem and Flagship.[4] Webber recommended his readers pick up Issue #2 of Gaming Universal, the December/Jan 1986/1987 issue, which was the best to date as it contained a listing called The PBM Primer which was a listing of all known US PBM companies and games.[4]

In 1988, this edition of the magazine also ended. David Webber announced that Gaming Universal was ending publication.[5] He announced that Advent Games Inc "had a few of their partners buyout the others", decide to end publication, and try to sell the magazine. Their unsuccessful efforts officially finished the second publication run of Gaming Universal.[5] Paper Mayhem took over Gaming Universal subscriptions for those not requesting a refund.[5]

Michael Gray reviewed Gaming Universal in Space Gamer No. 70.[2] Gray commented that "Gaming Universal is indispensable to anyone seriously interested in PBM. Non-PBM gamers may even be motivated to get involved after seeing just what is available and how interesting PBM can be. If you read 'PBM Update' in [Space Gamer], you should subscribe to GU. I recommend it highly."[2]