Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine (often abbreviated to OPM) is a now-defunct monthly video game magazine, published by Ziff Davis Media. It was a sister publication of Electronic Gaming Monthly. The magazine focused exclusively on PlayStation hardware, software, and culture, covering the original PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable. Each issue included a disc that contained playable demos and videos of PlayStation games. The magazine was produced for nearly ten years. The first issue, cover dated October 1997, was published September 23, 1997,[1] while the final issue was cover dated January 2007.

This article is about the discontinued Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine. For the re-branded PSM, see PlayStation: The Official Magazine.
Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine
The final issue of the OPM U.S.
CategoriesVideo game
PublisherZiff Davis Media
First issueOctober 1997 (1997-10)
Final issueJanuary 2007 (2007-01)
Based inSan Francisco, California, U.S.
LanguageEnglish
Websiteopm.1up.com

After OPM was discontinued in January 2007, the independent PlayStation magazine PSM became PlayStation: The Official Magazine in December 2007, replacing OPM as the official magazine focusing on Sony game consoles.

Staff

The final incarnation of the OPM staff included:

  • Editor-in-chief – Tom Byron
  • Managing editor – Dana Jongewaard
  • Senior editor – Joe Rybicki
  • Previews editor – Thierry "Scooter" Nguyen
  • News editor – Giancarlo Varanini
  • Art director – Ryan Vulk
  • Associate art director – Alejandro Chavetta
  • Disc editor – Logan Parr
  • Editorial director – John Davison

Past members included:

  • Senior Art Director - Bob Conlon
  • Managing editor – Gary Steinman
  • Managing editor – Din Perez
  • Managing editor – Dan Peluso
  • Reviews editor – Chris Baker
  • Associate editor – Mark MacDonald
  • Editor-in-chief – Wataru Maruyama
  • Editor-in-chief – Kraig Kujawa
  • Editor-in-chief – John Davison

Demo discs

OPM was the first gaming magazine to include a disc that featured playable demos of PlayStation games. Beginning with issue one, each magazine came with a disc containing playable PlayStation game demos and non-playable video footage. Later, interviews, industry event coverage, and video walkthroughs of games would also be included on the discs. Beginning with issue 49 (October 2001), the magazine came with a PlayStation 2 demo disc, though for a time it would still be alternated with original PlayStation demo discs. Issues 50, 52, and 54 were the last issues to include demo discs for the original PlayStation. All of the demo discs were developed by LifeLike Productions, Inc.

OPM had released one PlayStation Portable demo, Killzone Liberation. It was available only with the purchase of retail copies rather than subscription issues. The magazine was discontinued before making the assumed transition to PlayStation 3 demo discs.

OPM demo discs for PS1 and PS2 were listed in order:

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #1 (October 1997) First PS1 OPM

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #2 (November 1997)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #3 (December 1997)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #4 (January 1998)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #5 (February 1998)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #6 (March 1998)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #7 (April 1998)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #8 (May 1998)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #9 (June 1998)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #10 (July 1998)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #11 (August 1998)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #12 (September 1998)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #13 (October 1998)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #14 (November 1998)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #15 (December 1998)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #16 (January 1999)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #17 (February 1999)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #18 (March 1999)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #19 (April 1999)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #20 (May 1999)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #21 (June 1999)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #22 (July 1999)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #23 (August 1999)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #24 (September 1999)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #25 (October 1999)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #26 (November 1999)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #27 (December 1999)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #28 (January 2000)


- Robot in the City Section (Issues #29-32)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #29 (February 2000)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #30 (March 2000)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #31 (April 2000)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #32 (May 2000) (E-T)

- Atlantis Section (Issues #33-36)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #33 (June 2000) (E-M)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #34 (July 2000) (RP-M)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #35 (August 2000) (RP-M)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #36 (September 2000) (E-T)

- Future City Section (Issues #37-40)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #37 (October 2000) (RP-E)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #38 (November 2000)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #39 (December 2000)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #40 (January 2001)


- Dr. Evil Fish Section (Issues #41-46)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #41 (February 2001)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #42 (March 2001)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #43 (April 2001)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #44 (May 2001)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #45 (June 2001)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #46 (July 2001)

- Orb Crystal Section (Issues #47,48, and 50)


Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #47 (August 2001)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #48 (September 2001) (RP-T)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #49 (October 2001) (RP-M) First PS2 OPM

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #50 (November 2001) (E-M) PS1 OPM

- Square lines Section (Issues #51, 53, 55, and 56)/Galaxy Map Section (Issues #52 and 54)


Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #51 (December 2001) (RP-M)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #52 (January 2002) (RP-T) PS1 OPM

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #53 (February 2002) (RP-M)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #54 (March 2002) (RP-T) Last PS1 OPM

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #55 (April 2002) (RP-M)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #56 (May 2002) (RP-M)

- Submarine Section (Issues #57-61)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #57 (June 2002) (RP-M)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #58 (July 2002) (RP-M)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #59 (August 2002) (RP-M)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #60 (September 2002) (RP-M)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #61 (October 2002) (RP-M)


- Mountain Section (Issues #62-64)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #62 (November 2002) (RP-M)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #63 (December 2002) (RP-M)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #64 (January 2003) (RP-M)


- Cubed Circles Section (Issues #65-68)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #65 (February 2003) (RP-M)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #66 (March 2003) (RP-M)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #67 (April 2003) (RP-M)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #68 (May 2003) (RP-M)

- Square Frames Section (Issues #69-72)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #69 (June 2003) (RP-M)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #70 (July 2003) (RP-M)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #71 (August 2003) (RP-M)

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Issue #72 (September 2003) (RP-M)

More to be added...

International editions

Similar international editions of the magazine exist in Sweden, Finland, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Portugal, Brazil and Australia. The Belgian edition is also published in the Netherlands.

The Australian edition was originally published by Next Media bi-monthly, but eventually became a monthly magazine. APC published the magazine after issue 18. It is currently published by Derwent Howard and is edited by Narayan Pattison.

References
  1. "Tidbits...". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 99. Ziff Davis. October 1997. p. 22.

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