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The Hub | The GamePro FAQ

Ask and you shall recieve... IF we've received your question and felt like answering it and if we've answered it numerous times, chances are we've tired of that and added it to this list. If there's something you just can't find the answer for, email here and we'll try and add it to the list.

PART 1: GAMEPRO HISTORY, MYTHS, AND LEGENDS

PART 2: HOW WE DO WHAT WE DO

PART 3: PERSONALITY STUFF

PART 4: GAMEPRO.COM AND THE GAMEPRO HUB

PART 5: THE MOST COMMON MISCELLANEOUS Q'S

PART 6: SUBSCRIPTION QUESTIONS

PART 1: GAMEPRO HISTORY, MYTHS, AND LEGENDS

1.1 How did GamePro start?

GamePro started in the garage of four entrepreneurs in late 1988. Their plan wasn't really to publish a video gaming magazine so much as to create a venue to sell products such as T-shirts, caps, and beach towels based on video games. The first issue of GamePro wasn't able to secure newsstand distribution, so the founders sold the entire print run of 750,000 copies to Toys 'R' Us who gave out a free copy to everyone that bought a video game during the middle of 1989. (That's how Dr. Zombie got his job--by answering the art contest in the back of that first issue.) The founders quickly ran out of money, and sold the magazine and all its assets to IDG (International Data Group), which is now the world's largest technology publisher with over 300 magazines in over 90 countries. GamePro was re-launched in the fall of 1989 as a bimonthly magazine and quickly became a monthly. It went on to become the number one video gaming magazine of all time within just a year and a half.
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1.2 Are you guys really the World's Largest Independent Multiplatform Gaming Magazine, or is that just a sales pitch?

It's is true. GamePro's readership, just like many other magazines, is measured by MRI (Mediamark Research Inc.). This biannual survey asks consumers all across the country which magazines they read. In 2006 there were 3,026,000 readers of GamePro magazine age 18 and over. This number is more than just GamePro subscribers, these are people who are reading their friends copies, who read it in school or in the library, even who read it at the doctor's office or waiting to get their hair cut. GamePro is one of the most recognized and respected brands in the video game magazine publishing business. When people see the magazine they pick it up and read it.
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1.3 Where is GamePro located? Do you give tours?

GamePro started in Redwood City, California, moved up north about 15 minutes by car to San Mateo some years later, moved another 30 minutes north to San Francisco back in 1998, then over the Bay Bridge to Oakland in 2000. Now we are headed back to San Francisco where we will be right in the heart of the action! We don't give tours; it is, after all, just an office building, folks. If you want to see what life is like behind the scenes, check out the GamePro Blogs on our Web site.
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PART 2: HOW WE DO WHAT WE DO

2.1 How do I get a job at GamePro?

This has earned an entire FAQ of its own! If you're looking for an internship, we do use interns in our art, editorial, and online departments, but you must be currently enrolled in college to qualify. Both full-time jobs and internships are posted on the Jobs page, which is linked at the bottom of every page of this website.
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2.2 Can I work for you for free? Send me a game to review, then I'll send it back, and then you can print my review. Give me a chance!

As much as we don't want to appear like a cold, corporate entity, the truth is that people don't start their careers here (well, except for college-enrolled interns, sometimes). We're the top-selling video game magazine for a reason: We use the best and the brightest. If you don't have experience, there's a good chance we won't want to hire you (even for free). However, you are more than welcome to utilize, and encouraged to fine-tune your skills with GamePro.com's User Reviews and/or User Blogs. User reviews will sometimes be used as guest reviews in GamePro magazine -- and all these could help make your resume shine for any editorial job.
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2.3 Why don't you have reader reviews in the magazine?

We have recently introduced reader reviews in GamePro magazine's "Loading" section. Online, we don't have any limitations, so we have user reviews on our Web site. By all means, chime in and post your thoughts there.
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2.4 Why don't you have more people review each game? EGM has three or four people comment on each game.

Yeah, but EGM doesn't show more than one screen or offer strategy tips for each title they review, either. They have multiple bylines; we have multiple screen shots that illustrate gameplay and strategy. It's just a different approach, that's all. And for what it's worth, we don't review any game without receiving multiple opinions. Even though one person writes it, we always ask for input from the other editors. People speak freely during multiplayer games, too. Let's face it: We can't get people to stop sticking their noses into other people's reviews. But everybody takes an interest because everybody wants to help represent the game fairly. So the name on the review is the author, but they're basically speaking for the staff. And, yes indeed, this leads to plenty of internal arguments.
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2.5 Do you review from preview versions of the games, or a complete game?

We review the complete game, or something very close to complete. On occasion we will do a 95% completed game, but that's only with the permission of the game's publisher (and usually a list of problem elements that are still being addressed). Sometimes we'll get three or four "final builds" of a game before we finish writing our review. That's kind of standard and all the print mags do it that way, due to the timing involved with printing and whatnot--we have to work early. Sometimes hands-on previews are based on a demo, but since that's all a demo is intended to be, we'd never write the full review of an incomplete game.
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2.6 Do you choose the games you review or are they assigned to you?

A little of both. Some editors are better at or more interested in certain genres--for years, Major Mike was the go-to guy for 2D fighting games, and Sid is usually the FPS dude. Rice Burner is famously addicted to all things DragonBall Z. So when the articles are assigned, personal preferences are usually accomodated, but other times, it's the luck of the draw. Everything has to get written, and if you're a warm body with nothing else on your schedule, you're it! Again, no review is written without input of other poeple with relevant experience in that genre.
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2.7 What is the lowest score GamePro has ever given a game? Has any game received a 0.0 for Fun Factor?

We've never given out a total zero, but it's been discussed and it is a possibility. We haven't done it yet out of sheer respect for the people that make the games. I mean, if a game is boxed and on the shelf, effort went into it--you've got to respect that someone, somewhere, tried. They failed miserably, but they will get a 0.5 for effort. Only a handful of games have earned 0.5 for Fun Factor, partly because if a game's that bad, we're more likely to ignore it and not waste space on something you wouldn't want to play, and give that space instead to something worth writing about. However, Konami's NFL Full Contact for the PlayStation was the most recent 0.5 Fun Factor victim.
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2.8 Why are you guys so biased toward [insert company here]?

Nine times out of ten, this question doesn't reveal our bias, but a reader's bias. A lot of times we'll get letters from supporters of one company who see anything positive said about the competition as a slam at their favorite company--and it's not what we're writing, it's what they're reading into it. GamePro is a multiplatform magazine--we cover them all with no personal preference. Our only concerns are what will be of interest to the reader.

Right now, we get "Why do you guys love Sony so much", but our coverage is a reflection that our readers own Sony more than any other company's systems. We do frequent reader surveys to keep up with what our readers own and are planning to buy, and the PS2 currently tops those surveys (and you can take those surveys yourself to let your own voice be heard--check the Free Stuff section of our website). Obviously, that makes Nintendo fans very angry to see so much of "the enemy" in our pages. If we make a joke about Nintendo in Static, for instance, Nintendo fans will focus on that but ignore the joke at Sony's expense in the previous or next issue--so we're kind of doomed to hearing only complaints. Sometimes companies will not reveal info as fast as the readers want it, or they'll cut exclusive deals to reveal big products or games with another media outlet. And sometimes they just don't want to tell anybody anything--they're not ready and won't give us any info to work with. But, you know, it looks like it's our fault. Oh well.

Ultimately, we get letters from Sony fans that say we like the Xbox too much, and letters from Xbox people asking why we dedicate so much space to Nintendo. This complaint of bias is not exclusive to any one group of fans, and we simply can't make everybody happy-some days, it feels like we can't keep ANYBODY happy. In short: People with biases tend to see GamePro as biased; readers with open minds tend to see GamePro differently. And there's simply nothing we will ever be able to do to convince anybody otherwise beyond simply doing our impartial best.
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2.9 Why do you have so many ads in the magazine? They really make me angry!

And they really make GamePro affordable! There's a misconception that we put ads in where we would normally be writing about games, and that therefore we're gypping the readers out of game coverage--but it's simply not true. It probably seems like ads waste space, but in fact, ads give us MORE space. Here's the deal: The ad money pays for the very expensive paper. The more ads we get, the more pages total we can buy, and therefore the more games we have room to show. We're not putting ads in instead of games--we have a ratio of ads to content that we stick to, so the more ads, the more content, too. It has always been that way, and it will continue to be that way, and it's also that way for the competition. If we were able to produce your dream issue--140 pages, no ads, all games--that one issue would cost you about $20, and you wouldn't buy it. I mean, hell, we wouldn't buy it either. Instead, with the system we use, you have to suffer through the easy-to-skip ads and can subscribe to the mag for under $20 a year. Not a bad deal, really.
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2.10 How do you choose which letters to print in the magazine?

A combination of serious research and random whim. We read the paper and electronic mails, find the questions that are most frequently asked or have the most relevance, and tackle those first. A thought-provoking question we think other people would like to see answered, or someone who summarizes a feeling in a particularly effective way will also stand a good chance. We also check the GamePro forums for topics and sometimes just go with one or two bizarre/funny/out-there letters for amusement's sake. The selection is simultaneously based on research and yet entirely arbitrary. And no, we don't make 'em up--we get way too much mail to need to do that.
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2.11 Why do you guys hate lists?

Ya know... sometimes things simply change. List are now back in.
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2.12 How do you get your screen shots?

For First Look previews, the screens are almost always provided by the game publisher. For Hands-On previews, reviews, features, and strategies, we take them with a video capture card and a computer.
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PART 3: PERSONALITY STUFF

3.1 Why don't you guys use your real names and photos in the magazine?

Geez, nobody asks this of professional wrestlers. A few reasons: because it's fun to be a cartoon character and because the magazine is not about us. Since the very first issue, GamePro has used nicknames and characters just to keep things fun and light. At the same time, we have personal e-mail addresses, we do live chats, we post in the forums, exist online. You can talk to us--it's not like we're hiding behind a 'toon because we don't want to back up what we say. Anyone with half a brain and the ability to turn a magazine page can figure out who we are. And, hey, if you could have a cartoon character alter-ego, you'd probably like it too!

At the same time, the characters (our preferred in-house term is "personas") have their place, and they're not supposed to be the focus of the magazine or site. That pretty much says it all. We're not rock stars, we're editors. The games are always the focus of GamePro.
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3.2 Do you choose your own nicknames or are they assigned to you?

A lot of the GamePro staff are new and and simply brought their own names. Brother Buzz--well, Brother Buzz refuses to say where his nickname comes from, but many ofthe other/older persona names are just really horrible puns. Basically, if you could create your own cartoon character, would you want someone else to tell you who you were?
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3.3 Who draws all the characters?

Dr. Zombie creates all the portraits and revises them from time to time. (In fact, with extremely rare exceptions, Dr. Zombie has drawn all the original illustrations you've seen in GamePro for over 10 years.) Some of the older characters, like Air Hendrix, Major Mike, and Dr. Zombie himself, have gone through as many as four or five tweaks or redesigns.
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3.4 What happened to Scary Larry?

Scary worked for--hell, personified--GamePro for nine amazing years. He got married, had a beautiful daughter, and realized that spending time with his loved ones was a little more important than working 14-hour days and taking assignments home on the weekends. We love him dearly, wish him the best, and don't begrudge him putting his priorities in order. So that's why you haven't seen Scary for a while--unlike other magazines, when an editor leaves the staff, we retire that editor's character. It's a respect thing, both for the writer and for the readers.
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3.5 Does Miss Spell really look like her picture?

She's shorter.
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PART 4: GAMEPRO.COM AND THE GAMEPRO HUB

4.1 Why don't you have moderators in the forums?

We do--anybody whose posts carry a big orange G logo is a moderator, and they watch over the Forums and User Reviews.
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4.2 Why don't you have user moderators in the forums?

We do--now. User mods have just been added to the community... so heads up!
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4.3 Why did my message/thread get deleted?

It could be any one of the following:

Contrary to popular belief, these things will NOT cause your post or topic to be removed:

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4.4 How come the "Hey Maestro" thread is so long and why hasn't it been deleted?

The original "Hey Maestro, I think we're the only ones here" topic was started by a user named j2k as a random, late-night discussion and, for whatever unknown reason, took on a life of its own with thousands of replies. It became the unofficial "anything goes" topic, the thread for any and all random thoughts and conversations--something of a forum mascot. Due to server errors and whatnot, the thread has been restarted several times, most recently by a GamePro editor who wanted to see the tradition continue. Whatever the topic's current count, you can add about 25,000 to it from the earlier editions. And that said, please don't try to duplicate it--it's one of a kind and we like it that way.
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4.5 Why did I get banned?

It could be any one of the following:

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4.6 Why doesn't Gamepro.com offer signature files, HTML/UBB coding, or user profiles?

Done. Complete and Live.
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4.7 Can I submit my own forum icons?

Done and Live.
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4.8 Why does the chat room crash?

What chat room? We tossed that a while ago. Prolly won't see it come back... but ya never know.
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PART 5: THE MOST COMMON MISCELLANEOUS Q'S

5.1 Can you send me free games?

If we're giving any away and you're lucky, sure. Check the Free Stuff page for our current contests.
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5.2 Can you send me free issues?

No, but you can get the mag really cheap. If you subscribe, you get 12 issues for the price of about four. That's eight free issues every year; sorta buy one, get two free. Sound good? Subscribe.
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5.3 What game system should I buy?

It's complicated. So complicated that we've got an entire magazine and Web site dedicated to answering this question, which pops up a lot before big hardware launches. Often the person asking is ready to sell their entire collection of games to get money for a new machine--sometimes one that won't be out for six months anyway. Six months in advance, we usually don't have any hands-on experience with that system, so we're not going to say "get it" or "skip it" until we really know something. And when we know something, we always print it in the mag and on the site anyway. So what system should you buy? Read GamePro and GamePro.com and make up your own mind. We are here to give you the raw information you need to make that decision.
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5.4 What's the code for [insert game here]?

Check our Cheats/Code Vault section on the Web site. If you don't find it there, find help here: GamerHelp.com. If it's not there, we don't have it, or maybe it doesn't exist. If you know of a code that we don't have listed, feel free to send it in. Keep in mind that only codes marked "Tested" on our site were in fact checked out by GamePro and are guaranteed to work. We can't vouch for the others.
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5.5 Can you send me all the info you have on [insert game here]?

Read the magazine. Read the Web site. We don't hold back information. If we know it, we publish it.
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5.6 I have a great idea for a game. Where can I send it?

Not to us. We don't make the games, and the game companies don't look to us for game ideas. Most game developers do not seek outside ideas for games for legal reasons--if you come up with a great idea, and they use it without compensating you in some way, whammo, they're screwed. So even if you send a game concept to a company, chances are they'll stop reading after the first sentence, for the company's own protection. Consider making your own games via PC shareware. Look for The Games Factory and DIV Games Studio, both great programs that will give you the tools you need to get started.
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5.7 Can I go to E3?

Probably not. The Electronic Entertainment Expo is a trade show, meaning it's only intended for members of the video game industry-retailers, store owners, developers, programmers, and the press. Getting credentials to gain access to the show is sometimes tricky even if you're legitimate, and there's supposedly an age restriction--nobody under age 18--but the show does issue special underage badges, so it must not be all that seriously enforced. E3 looks like a party, but it's actually a very noisy, very tiring event where everyone is fighting for attention. We never seem to spend as much time with the actual software as we want to anyway. So unless you're a working member of the press or you are in charge of buying the software for Toys R Us, you probably won't be able to get in, and honestly, it's not as much fun as it looks or sounds anyway. You can check out www.e3expo.com for more info, though.
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PART 6: SUBSCRIPTION QUESTIONS

6.1 How come there are little booklets and DVDs and goodies in the newsstand plastic bags but I don't get them as a subscriber?

Because newsstand readers pay more. Competition is fierce at your local grocery store rack, so many magazines put a little something extra in with that edition to entice casual readers. Subscribers don't get those goodies, but they do get an amazing discount on the price of the magazine--$17.97 per year at home as opposed to $72 a year at the newsstand. So it's not that we don't value subscribers' loyalty--subscribers are already being paid over $50 for sticking with GamePro in the long run.
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6.2 What is GamePro Digital or Digital GamePro or whatever it's called?

GamePro Digital is no longer available. Apologies.
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6.3 I'm a subscriber and I didn't get issue number [whatever]. Why?

Mistakes happen. GamePro subscriptions are handled by an outside company. We just make the thing; it's up to the subscription fulfillment house and the U.S. Postal Service to make sure you're receiving what we write. If you have a problem with your subscription-missing issues, incorrect address, whatever-call 510/768-2767 or write to P.O. Box 37579, Boone IA 50037-0579. This contact info is printed on the ad index page near the back of every issue of GamePro.
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6.4 How can I order back issues?

Back issues are unavailable at this time.
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Got more burning questions that you don't see answered here? Drop a note to Beefcake, who maintains this FAQ.

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