''Play Meter'' (initially ''Coin Industry Play Meter'') was an American

trade magazine A trade magazine, also called a trade journal or trade paper (colloquially or disparagingly a trade rag), is a magazine or newspaper whose target audience is people who work in a particular trade or industry. The collective term for this ...

focusing on the coin-op

amusement arcade An amusement arcade (often referred to as a video arcade, amusements or simply arcade) is a venue where people play arcade games, including arcade video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, merchandisers (such as cl ...

industry, including

jukebox A jukebox is a partially automated music-playing device, usually a coin-operated machine, that will play a patron's selection from self-contained media. The classic jukebox has buttons, with letters and numbers on them, which are used to selec ...

and

arcade game An arcade game or coin-op game is a coin-operated entertainment machine typically installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are presented as primarily games of skill and include arcade v ...

machines. It was founded in December 1974 by publisher and editor Ralph C. Lally II and it is published in physical form by Skybird Publishing on a monthly basis. Together with rival publication ''RePlay'' (founded 1975) it chronicled the arcade industry from its nascency, through market fluctuations like the video game crashes of 1977 and 1983, and the rebirth and maturation of the medium through the 1980s. It is the earliest example of

video game journalism Video game journalism is a branch of journalism concerned with the reporting and discussion of video games, typically based on a core "reveal–preview–review" cycle. With the prevalence and rise of independent media online, online publicat ...

, establishing such practices as individual video game reviews and the ten-point assessment scale for video game reviews. ''Play Meter'' served as the parent organization of the first coin-op-oriented spring

trade show A trade fair, also known as trade show, trade exhibition, or trade exposition, is an exhibition organized so that companies in a specific industry can showcase and demonstrate their latest products and services, meet with industry partners and cu ...

(forerunner to North America's annual

Amusement Expo Amusement Expo is an annual convention featuring and showcasing vendors, developers and businesses having to do with coin activated amusements such as video arcade machines, electro-mechanical games, ticket/redemption skill and chance games, and ...

). It published several bi-monthly and annual special issues throughout its history and it maintains a website where online content is also published monthly. The magazine shut down after publishing the June 2018 issue, coinciding with publisher Carol Lally's retirement.

History

*December 1974 - ''Play Meter'' is founded by publisher, editor, and arcade operator Ralph C. Lally II. *1976 - ''Play Meter'' publishes its first Annual State of the Industry Report. *July 1976 - ''Play Meter'' introduces its pinball game reviews column, "Critic's Corner" (currently titled "Critic's Corner Too"), written by Roger Sharpe. *July 1979 - ''Play Meter'' publishes its first Equipment Poll and adds a redemption section to the magazine. *1980s - ''Play Meter'' introduces the influential "Players' Picks" column. Heading a team of seven experienced playtesters, writer Steve Harris provides reviews from the player's perspective. The introduction of the column met with interest from industry-based readers of the magazine, and by 1987 Harris and his team were considered "the

Siskel and Ebert Gene Siskel (January 26, 1946 – February 20, 1999) and Roger Ebert (June 18, 1942 – April 4, 2013), collectively known as Siskel & Ebert, were American film critics known for their partnership on television lasting from 1975 to Siskel's dea ...

of the arcade industry". *1980 - ''Play Meter'' inaugurates its first awards for best-ranked games. *March 1980 - Ralph Lally establishes the industry's first spring trade show: the Amusement Operators Expo (AOE). It runs for 5 years before merging with the

American Amusement Machine Association An arcade game or coin-op game is a coin-operated entertainment machine typically installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are presented as primarily games of skill and include arcade ...

(AAMA)'s Amusement Showcase International (ASI) in 1986 to become the American Coin Machine Exposition (ACME). The exposition would again be retitled the ASI from 1997 to 2009 before merging with the Amusement & Music Operators Association (AMOA)'s show to become the

. *1981 - Expanding sales prompt the magazine to begin publishing twice a month. This schedule continues for 5 years until resuming once monthly publication in 1986. *1981 - ''Play Meter'' introduces its industry criticism column, "Frank's Cranks", written by Frank Seninsky. The column would continue to run until 1996. *December 1984 - Ralph Lally is killed in a car accident. His wife Carol Lally takes over as the magazine's publisher. *1989 - ''Play Meter'' inaugurates its first award for Operator of the Year. *1990 - ''Play Meter'' introduces its "Video Game Outlook" column to cover legislation related to video games and video lotteries. The column would continue to run until 1994. *1991 - ''Play Meter'' circulation peaks at 6500 subscriptions. This figure represents a steady increase from 5400 in 1979. By 1995 the figure would again dip to 6000, and by 2014 the magazine would see 3000 subscriptions. *1994 - ''Play Meter'' publishes its first Family Fun Edition (currently headed by Joseph Camarota III) devoted to the FEC market. *April 1999 - ''Play Meter'' introduces its "Consultant's Corner" column written by Jerry Merola. *29 Aug 2005 - In connection with

Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina was a destructive Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that caused over 1,800 fatalities and $125 billion in damage in late August 2005, especially in the city of New Orleans and the surrounding areas. It was at the time the cost ...

, a

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Merriam-Webster. ; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...

levee breaks 4 blocks from ''Play Meters 3-story ew Orleansheadquarters in Lakeview. Although all employees were evacuated in anticipation of the hurricane, much of the magazine's back catalog including 31 years of archives are lost to massive flooding. The magazine temporarily relocates its headquarters to

St. Louis St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...

. *2008 - ''Play Meter'' is awarded a plaque by the International Flipper Pinball Association (IFPA) *June 2018 - ''Play Meter'' ceases publication.

Special issues

''Play Meter'' released a number of special issues. *''Play Meter Buyers' Guide Special Issue'' *''Play Meter Equipment Poll'' (bi-monthly) - This issue rates the top performing video games in street and amusement arcades. *''Play Meter: New Products'' (bi-monthly) *''Play Meter Ranks the Games'' (annual) - This issue rates and reviews the top ten video games displayed at the annual

. *''Play Meter: Special Directory Issue'' (annual)

References

External links

* {{Official website, http://www.playmeter.com/ Business magazines published in the United States Monthly magazines published in the United States Video game magazines published in the United States Defunct computer magazines published in the United States Magazines established in 1974 Magazines disestablished in 2018 Magazines published in Louisiana Mass media in New Orleans Works about pinball Professional and trade magazines