''PSM3'' (short for ''PlayStation 3 Magazine'') was a video game magazine specializing in all

Sony is a Japanese multinational conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at Sony City in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. The Sony Group encompasses various businesses, including Sony Corporation (electronics), Sony Semiconductor Solutions (i ...

video game console A video game console is an electronic device that Input/output, outputs a video signal or image to display a video game that can typically be played with a game controller. These may be home video game console, home consoles, which are generally ...

s and handheld gaming platforms. It was published by

Future plc Future plc is a British publishing company. It was started in 1985 by Chris Anderson (entrepreneur), Chris Anderson. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index. History 1985–2012 The company was ...

, a UK-based publishing company. The magazine launched in October 2000 under the name ''PSM2'' and quickly became one of the most popular unofficial PlayStation magazines on the market. It changed its name to ''PSM3'' in issue 78, focusing more on Sony's

PlayStation 3 The PlayStation 3 (PS3) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE). It is the successor to the PlayStation 2, and both are part of the PlayStation brand of consoles. The PS3 was first released on ...

, but still covering

PlayStation Portable The PlayStation Portable (PSP) is a handheld game console developed and marketed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on December 12, 2004, in North America on March 24, 2005, and in PA ...

and

PlayStation 2 The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on 4 March 2000, in North America on 26 October, in Europe on 24 Novembe ...

. In July 2011, ''PSM3'' underwent a redesign in an effort to appeal to the "needs of the modern, adult gamer." On 13 November 2012, it was announced that both ''PSM3'' and sister magazine Xbox World would be closed down by publisher Future. The final issue of both magazines went on sale on 12 December 2012.

Magazine team

PSM3 also had a number of regular freelance contributors, including writers from ''

Edge Edge or EDGE may refer to: Technology Computing * Edge computing, a network load-balancing system * Edge device, an entry point to a computer network * Adobe Edge, a graphical development application * Microsoft Edge, a web browser developed by ...

'', ''

PC Gamer ''PC Gamer'' is a magazine and website founded in the United Kingdom in 1993 devoted to PC gaming and published monthly by Future plc. The magazine has several regional editions, with the UK and US editions becoming the best selling PC games m ...

'' and ''

NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming and culture website, bimonthly magazine, and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a "Rock music, rock inkie", the ''NME'' would be ...

''.

DVD

PSM3's cover disc was popular with readers because of its reviews. Each month, the writers recorded a commentary – much like a director's commentary or a

podcast A podcast is a Radio program, program made available in digital format for download over the Internet. Typically, a podcast is an Episode, episodic series of digital audio Computer file, files that users can download to a personal device or str ...

– over footage of recently released games. In 2007, PSM3 released a double sided disc. One side was the regular DVD and the other side consisted of high definition trailers of new games as well as screenshots and game saves, all of which can be transferred to a personal computer or PlayStation 3.

Blog

PSM3 had been running a blog since the middle of 2006. Initially it was run independently, but in early 2007 it became part of the CVG network, along with other Future games magazines, including '' Xbox World''.

The PlayStation 3 video

In 2006, through their blog, the PSM3 team released YouTube videos of

being used in a non-controlled environment. The videos gained a vast amount of hits and were some of the most-viewed on YouTube. Sony quickly removed the footage but it has since been re-hosted by hundreds of other users. The blog was also noteworthy during PS3's Japanese launch; one of the freelance writers, Joel Snape, was in the queue at the Asobits store in

Akihabara is a neighborhood in the Chiyoda ward of Tokyo, Japan, generally considered to be the area surrounding Akihabara Station (nicknamed ''Akihabara Electric Town''). This area is part of the and Kanda-Sakumachō districts of Chiyoda. There is an ...

and blogged live using his laptop. He was second in line and was the second person in the world to buy a PS3 commercially.

Podcasts

On 21 June 2007, PSM3 announced that they would be releasing a podcast and requested suggestions for topics of discussion. The release of the first podcast was praised by readers, and this led to a second podcast (released on 31 July 2007). Again, readers were given the chance to put forward questions. Both of the podcasts were more than an hour long. Many further podcasts were produced since then. In January 2013, the team produced their final episode and shared their thoughts in an emotional retrospective on 2012 and their history with PSM3. They signed off this episode by playing "I'm So Sorry" (from the game Portal 2).

References

External links

The official PSM3 blog
{{PlayStation Future plc 2000 establishments in the United Kingdom 2012 disestablishments in the United Kingdom Monthly magazines published in the United Kingdom Video game magazines published in the United Kingdom Defunct video game magazines published in the United Kingdom Magazines established in 2000 Magazines disestablished in 2012 PlayStation (brand) magazines