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Famitsu

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Famitsu
Cover art for the first issue ofFamitsūmagazine (then known asFamicom Tsūshin), June 1986. TheAtari 2600controller and theFamily Computercontroller can be seen on the cover.
CategoriesVideo game
FrequencyWeekly / Monthly
FormatPaper and online magazine
Circulation500,000 (Shūkan)
120,000 (Entamikusu)
80,000 (Connect! On)
40,000 (DS+Wii)[1]
PublisherASCII(1986–2000)
Enterbrain(2000–2013)
Kadokawa(2013–2017)
Gzbrain (2017–2019)
Kadokawa Game Linkage (2019–present)
First issueJune 1986;38 years ago(1986-06)(as Famicom Tsūshin)
CountryJapan
Based inTokyo
LanguageJapanese
Websitefamitsu

Famitsu[a],formerlyFamicom Tsūshin[b],is a line of Japanesevideo game magazinespublished by Kadokawa Game Linkage (previously known as Gzbrain), a subsidiary ofKadokawa.Famitsuis published in both weekly and monthly formats as well as in the form of special topical issues devoted to only one console, video game company, or other theme.Shūkan Famitsū,[c]the originalFamitsupublication, is considered the most widely read and respectedvideo game news magazinein Japan.[2][3][4]From October 28, 2011, the company began releasing the digital version of the magazine exclusively onBookWalkerweekly.[5][6]

The nameFamitsuis aportmanteau abbreviationofFamicom Tsūshin;the word "Famicom" itself comes from a portmanteau abbreviation of "Family Computer" (the Japanese name for theNintendo Entertainment System), the dominantvideo game consolein Japan when the magazine was first published in the 1980s.

History

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LOGiN(ログイン),a computer game magazine, started in 1982 as an extra issue ofASCII,and later it became a periodic magazine.Famicom Tsūshin[d]was a column inLogin,focused on the Famicom platform, and ran from March 1985 to December 1986 issue. It received a good reception, so the publisher decided to found the magazine specialized for it.[7][8]

The first issue ofFamitsuwas published on June 6, 1986, asFamicom Tsūshin.[9]It sold less than 200,000 copies, despite 700,000 copies printed. The major competitor wasFamily Computer Magazinelaunched in July 1985 byTokuma Shoten.Famitsu's editor found many readers had multiple game consoles, and they thought it would be better if the magazine covered various platforms. Increasing contents and the page count gradually, the magazine was published three times per month instead of semimonthly publication. On July 19, 1991 (issue #136) the magazine was renamed toShūkan Famicom Tsūshin[e]and issues were published weekly thereafter. Alongside the weekly magazine, a monthly version calledGekkan Famicom Tsūshin[f]was also published.

Hirokazu Hamamura,an editor-in-chief (1992–2002), felt the beginning of a new era when he saw a private demonstration ofFinal Fantasy VIIin 1993. He thought the nameFamicom Tsūshinshould be refurbished. At the start of 1996 (with issue #369) the magazines underwent another name change, truncating their titles toShūkan Famitsū[g]andGekkan Famitsū[h]v The nameFamitsuhad already been in common use.[8]

The magazine was published byASCIIfrom its founding through March 2000 when it was sold toEnterbrain,which published it for 13 years, until their parent companyKadokawapublished it from 2013 to 2017. Since 2017, Kadokawa's subsidiary Gzbrain has been publishing the magazine, while in 2019 the company changed its name to Kadokawa Game Linkage.[6]

Shūkan FamitsūandGekkan Famitsū

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Famicom Tsūshininitially focused on the Famicom platform, but later it featured multi-platform coverage.Famicom Tsūshinwas renamed toFamitsuin 1995.Shūkan Famitsūis a weekly publication concentrating on video game news and reviews, and is published every Thursday with a circulation of 500,000 per issue.[1]Gekkan Famitsūis published monthly.

Necky the Fox

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Famitsucovers alternately feature pop idols or actresses on even-numbered issues and theFamitsumascot, Necky[i]the Fox[10]in odd-numbered issues.[11]Year-end and special editions all feature Necky dressed as popular contemporary video game characters. Necky is the cartoon creation of artistSusumu Matsushita,and he takes the form of a costumed fox.[12]The costumes worn by Necky reflect current popular video games. Necky's name was chosen according to a reader poll, and it derives from a complex Japanese pun: "Necky" is actually the reverse of the Japanese word for fox, キツネ,[j]and his original connection toFamicomTsūshinis intended to evoke the bark of the fox, the Japanese onomatopoeia of which is コンコン[k].[13]Necky makes a cameo appearance inSuper Mario Maker.[14]

Special-topicFamitsupublications

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Famitsupublishes other magazines dedicated to particular consoles. Currently in circulation are:

  • Entamikusu[l](previouslyOtonafami[m]) is written for an older audience and coversretrogaming.It has been published monthly since November 2010.
  • Famitsū Connect! On[n]reports on online gaming.
  • Famitsū DS+Wii[o]reports on Nintendo platforms (currently theNintendo 3DSandNintendo Switch). The magazine was formerly known asFamitsū 64and thenFamitsū Cube(among other variations of those two names) based on whatever platforms Nintendo was producing games for at the time.
  • Famitsū GREE[p]reports on mobile gaming viaGREE.
  • Famitsū Mobage[q]reports on mobile gaming viaMobage.

Former special topics

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Famitsuspin-offs that are no longer in circulation include:

  • Famitsū Bros.[r](previouslyFamicom Tsūshin Kōryaku Special) was written for younger audiences and concentrated on video game hints and strategy. It was published monthly and was discontinued in September 2002.
  • Famicomi[s](previouslyFamitsū Comic) was a comic and manga magazine published irregularly between 1992 and 1995.
  • Famitsū DC[t]reported onSegaplatforms news and covered theDreamcast.Previous incarnations of this magazine includedSega Saturn Tsūshinwhich covered theSega Saturn,with earlier issues covering earlier Sega platforms.
  • Famitsū Sister[u]coveredbishōjo games.
  • Satellaview Tsūshin[v]covered theSatellaview.It was published monthly and ran for only 12 issues from May 1995 to May 1996. Its inaugural issue was the May 1995 issue ofGekkan Famicom Tsūshin.
  • Virtual Boy Tsūshin[w]covered theVirtual Boy.Only one issue was ever published in 1995.
  • Famitsū PS[x](previouslyPlayStation Tsūshin) began publication in May 1996, and reported onSonyplatforms news. It was later known asFamitsū PS2andFamitsū PSP+PS3before being discontinued in March 2010.
  • Famitsū Wave DVD[y](previouslyGameWave DVD) covered events, film, and previews. Each magazine included aDVDdisc (NTSCRegion 2) that contained video game footage such as trailers and gameplay tips, as well interviews with developers and publishers. It was published monthly, first starting in September 2000 until its final issue of May 2011.
  • Famitsū Xbox[z]reported onXboxandXbox 360news. It was published monthly, first starting in January 2002 before being discontinued in 2013.

Scoring

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Main article:Famitsu scores

Video games are graded inFamitsuvia a "Cross Review" by having four critics each assign the game a score from 0 to 10, with 10 being the highest score. The scores are then added together. As of 2023,twenty-nine games have received perfect scores of 40 fromFamitsu.The console with the highest number of perfect-scoring games is thePlayStation 3,with seven total. Four of the perfect-scoring games on PlayStation 3 were also released on theXbox 360,which is tied with theWiifor the second-highest number of perfect scores at five total. Franchises with multiple perfect score winners includeThe Legend of Zeldawith five titles,Metal Gearwith three titles, andFinal Fantasywith two titles. The most recent game to receive a perfect score isLike a Dragon: Infinite Wealth.[15]

As of 2023,all but three games with perfect scores are from Japanese companies, ten being published/developed byNintendo,four bySquare Enix,three bySega,three byKonamiand one byCapcom.As of 2023,the only three completely foreign games to achieve a perfect score areThe Elder Scrolls V: SkyrimbyBethesda Softworks,Grand Theft Auto VbyRockstar Games,andGhost of TsushimabySucker Punch Productions.Other foreign games that have achieved near-perfect scores areGrand Theft Auto IV,Red Dead Redemption,L.A. Noire,andRed Dead Redemption 2,all byRockstar Games;Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2,Call of Duty: Black Ops,andCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 3,all byActivision(but published bySquare Enixin Japan);Gears of War 3byEpic Games;andThe Last of Us Part IIandUncharted 4: A Thief's EndbyNaughty Dog.Kingdom Hearts II,another game with a near-perfect score, was a joint effort between Japanese developer Square Enix and American developerDisney Interactive Studios.

Awards

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Main article:Famitsu Awards

Famitsuadministers theFamitsuawards. Video games receive a number of different awards in categories like Innovation, Biggest Hit, Rookie Award, Highest Quality, etc. One or two "Game of the Year"awards are granted as the top prize. Top prize winners are determined by a combination of critical and fan review scores as well as sales figures.

Relationship with other magazines

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UK trade magazineMCVandFamitsuhave an exclusive partnership which sees news and content from each magazine appear in the other.[16]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^Japanese:ファミ thông,Hepburn:Famitsū
  2. ^Japanese:ファミコン thông tín,officially translated asFamicom Journal
  3. ^Japanese:Tuần san ファミ thông,lit. "Weekly Famitsū"
  4. ^Japanese:ファミコン thông tín,lit. "Famicom News"
  5. ^Japanese:Tuần san ファミコン thông tín,lit. "Weekly Famicom News"
  6. ^Japanese:Nguyệt san ファミコン thông tín,lit. "Monthly Famicom News"
  7. ^Japanese:Tuần san ファミ thông,lit. "Weekly Famitsū"
  8. ^Japanese:Nguyệt san ファミ thông
  9. ^Japanese:ネッキー,Hepburn:Nekkī
  10. ^Japanese:kitsune
  11. ^Japanese:"kon kon"
  12. ^Japanese:エンタミクス
  13. ^Japanese:オトナファミ
  14. ^Japanese:ファミ thông コネクト!オン
  15. ^Japanese:ファミ thông DS+Wii
  16. ^Japanese:ファミ thông GREE
  17. ^Japanese:ファミ thông Mobage
  18. ^Japanese:ファミ thông ブロス
  19. ^Japanese:ファミコミ
  20. ^Japanese:ファミ thông DC
  21. ^Japanese:ファミ thông Sister
  22. ^Japanese:サテラビュー thông tín
  23. ^Japanese:バーチャルボーイ thông tín
  24. ^Japanese:ファミ thông PS
  25. ^Japanese:ファミ thông WaveDVD
  26. ^Japanese:ファミ thông Xbox

References

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  1. ^ab"Enterbrain Brand Information"(in Japanese). Enterbrain.Archivedfrom the original on 2013-01-15.Retrieved2015-05-01.
  2. ^Tor Thorsen (2006-03-08)."FFXII gets perfect score fromFamitsu".GameSpot.Archived fromthe originalon 2012-10-23.Retrieved2006-06-09.
  3. ^Steve Kalpaxidis (2005-07-01)."PS3 To Come Without Bundled HDD?".Advanced Media Network. Archived fromthe originalon 2007-10-11.Retrieved2006-06-09.
  4. ^Rodney Quinn (2006-03-09)."Final Fantasy XIIscores perfect 40/40 inFamitsureviews ".Ars Technica.Archivedfrom the original on 2011-06-07.Retrieved2006-06-09.
  5. ^"Tuần san ファミ thông ( điện tử bản ) が10 nguyệt 28 ngày から buôn bán スタート! - ファミ thông App".famitsu(in Japanese).Archivedfrom the original on 2015-12-11.Retrieved2015-12-10.
  6. ^ab"KADOKAWA, điện kích ゲームメディア biên tập bộ を hút thâu phân cách で liên kết tử hội xã Gzブレインに10 nguyệt 1 ngày phó で thừa 継へ “ファミ thông” ブランドと “Điện kích” ブランドが dung hợp | gamebiz ".
  7. ^Gifford, Kevin (2008-11-16)."GameSetWatch COLUMN: 'Game Mag Weaseling': Whoops, I Was Logged Out".gamesetwatch.UBM Technology Group.Archived fromthe originalon 2019-06-07.Retrieved2019-06-06.
  8. ^ab"ゲームメディア30 năm sử" [30 Year History of Game Media].Shūkan Famitsū.31(24): 120–127. 2016.
  9. ^Martin Picard (December 2013)."The Foundation of Geemu: A Brief History of Early Japanese video games".International Journal of Computer Game Research.13(2).Archivedfrom the original on 24 June 2015.Retrieved19 November2016.
  10. ^Ashcraft, Brian.Gaming Magazine Totally Snubs Xbox 360!?Archived2009-05-05 at theWayback Machine.Kotaku.4 February 2008.
  11. ^Gifford, Kevin.'Game Mag Weaseling': Japan Mag Roundup 2008Archived2012-10-11 at theWayback Machine.GameSetWatch. 27 April 2008.
  12. ^'Necky the Fox' nay も thượng huy き続ける tùng hạ tiến の đại biểu キャラクターArchived2011-07-24 at theWayback Machine.SusumuMatsushita.net. 10 July 2004.
  13. ^Gifford, Kevin.Weekend Factyard: Famitsu/Famicom TsushinArchived2010-01-03 at theWayback MachineMagWeasel. 19 September 2009.
  14. ^Calvert, Darren (10 September 2015)."Super Mario Maker DLC Confirmed, Famitsu's Mascot Necky The Fox Coming Soon".Nintendo Life.Gamer Network.Archivedfrom the original on 14 September 2016.Retrieved9 September2016.
  15. ^Romano, Sal (January 31, 2024)."Famitsu Review Scores: Issue 135".Gematsu.RetrievedFebruary 22,2024.
  16. ^ "MCV launches daily service".Intent Media. 2007-02-26. Archived fromthe originalon 2010-08-06.Retrieved2007-03-14.
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