''Power Unlimited'' is a Dutch multi-format
video game
Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This fee ...
s magazine. It is the biggest gaming magazine in the
Benelux
The Benelux Union ( nl, Benelux Unie; french: Union Benelux; lb, Benelux-Unioun), also known as simply Benelux, is a politico-economic union and formal international intergovernmental cooperation of three neighboring states in western Europe: B ...
. The first issue was released in June
1993.
History
''Power Unlimited'' started in June 1993 in Bjørn Bruinsma's basement as a new label of
VNU Business Publications
Nielsen Holdings plc is an American information, data and market measurement firm. Nielsen operates in over 100 countries and employs approximately 44,000 people worldwide.
The company was listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and use ...
. With VNU's other labels being primarily free business magazines, a gaming magazine was considered a big risk that lacked a real audience. That's why they decided to start it up in Bjørn Bruinsma's basement. VNU started out with only freelance editors. One year later, the concept had proven itself worthy, and an Editor in Chief and Final Editor were employed. Since that first year, ''Power Unlimited'' has become the biggest gaming magazine of the Benelux countries.
''Power Unlimited'' has expanded to other activities, organizing an annual gaming event since 2003, and hosting the television show ''Gamekings''.
From November 2007, ''Power Unlimited'' was published by HUB Uitgevers (HUB Publishers), after being taken over from VNU Media.
In August 2013 HUB Uitgevers filed bankruptcy. As of September ''Power Unlimited ''was taken over by the newly formed ''Reshift Digital''.
Features
Reviews
In the 25-year history of the magazine, more than 4,500 games have been reviewed. Reviewed games are given an overall score out of 100. Although several games have received scores high in the 90s, only twenty have been given a perfect 100: these are ''
Escape From CyberCity'', ''
Mortal Kombat 2'', ''
Mortal Kombat 3
''Mortal Kombat 3'' is a 1995 arcade fighting game developed by Midway Games and first released into arcades in 1995. It is the third main installment in the '' Mortal Kombat'' franchise and a sequel to 1993's ''Mortal Kombat II''. As in the p ...
'', ''
Mortal Kombat Trilogy'', ''
Sentinel Returns'', ''
Art of Fighting 2
is a fighting video game trilogy that were released for the Neo Geo platform in the early 1990s. It was the second fighting game franchise created by SNK, following the ''Fatal Fury'' series and is set in the same fictional universe as a pre ...
'', ''
Tekken'', ''
NBA Jam
''NBA Jam'' (sometimes "Jam" for short) is a long-running List of basketball video games, basketball video game series based on the National Basketball Association (NBA). Initially developed as arcade games by Midway Games, Midway, the game foun ...
'', ''
Vampire Hunter
Vampire hunter or vampire slayer is a fictional occupation in history and fiction which specializes in finding vampires, and sometimes other supernatural creatures. A vampire hunter is usually described as having extensive knowledge of vampires a ...
'', ''
Gran Turismo 2
''Gran Turismo 2'' is a 1999 racing game developed by Polyphony Digital and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation. It is the sequel to '' Gran Turismo''. It was well-received critically and financially, shipping 1.71&nbs ...
'', ''
Super Mario Galaxy
is a 2007 platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the Wii. It is the third 3D game in the ''Super Mario'' series. As Mario, the player embarks on a quest to rescue Princess Peach, save the universe from Bowser, and collect 1 ...
'', ''
Grand Theft Auto IV
''Grand Theft Auto IV'' is a 2008 action-adventure game developed by Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the sixth main entry in the ''Grand Theft Auto'' series, following 2004's '' Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas'', and the e ...
'', ''
LittleBigPlanet
''LittleBigPlanet'' (stylized as ''LittleBIGPlanet''; abbreviated ''LBP'') is a puzzle platform video game series created and produced by British developer Media Molecule and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Most games in the series ...
'', ''
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves'', ''
World of Warcraft: Cataclysm'', ''
Fallout 3
''Fallout 3'' is a 2008 action role-playing game developed by Bethesda Game Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks. The third major installment in the ''Fallout'' series, it is the first game to be developed by Bethesda after acquiring ...
'', ''
Grand Theft Auto V
''Grand Theft Auto V'' is a 2013 action-adventure game developed by Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the seventh main entry in the Grand Theft Auto, ''Grand Theft Auto'' series, following 2008's ''Grand Theft Auto IV'', and ...
'', ''
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild'', ''
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'' is a 2018 crossover fighting video game developed by Bandai Namco Studios and Sora Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. It is the fifth installment in the '' Super Smash Bros.'' series, succeed ...
'' and ''
The Last of Us Part II
''The Last of Us Part II'' is a 2020 action-adventure game developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment for the PlayStation 4. Set five years after ''The Last of Us'' (2013), the game focuses on two playable chara ...
''.
Sometimes, however, such as with the game ''
Dead or Alive Xtreme 2
is a 2006 video game for the Xbox 360 game console. Developed by Team Ninja, it is the sequel to ''Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball''. The title expands upon the activities available in the original, supplementing beach volleyball with addi ...
'', a bogus score is given to make a statement. In the above case, the game was rewarded a score of 99, 1 point higher than ''
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess'' which was, according to the editor in question, extremely overrated.
This was also the case with the game ''Beavis and Butthead'', which was given a 132. In the February issue of 2018 the game ''
Purrfect Date'' was awarded with a score of 140.
Other features
The magazine offers news, (p)reviews, a column by either one of the editors or someone games-related, various miscellaneous articles, as well as a comic and a mailbox where readers can voice their opinion, or sometimes have their questions answered by the editors. Editors have stated that the magazine is as much about games as it is about the (gaming) lives of the editors, their experiences in the office, etc.
Target audience
The magazine targets the teenage gamer demographic, specifically male gamers between 12 and 20 years old.
Technical details for advertisers Because of the relatively young target audience, ''Power Unlimited''s tone of voice is often rather straightforward and humorous. For example: to most screenshots of featured games jokes and oneliners are added by Final Editor Ed Wiggemans.
Editorial team
When the magazine started in 1993, it started in the basement of the home of Bjørn Bruinsma. He was responsible for negotiating with legal and grey-area game importers, advertising and production, before VNU Media decided it was good enough to publish internally. The editorial team consisted of Bjørn Bruinsma (who wrote more than 80% of the first issue), Kees de Koning, Michael Schaeffer, Ben de Dood. David Lemereis and Adam Eeuwens. The publisher at VNU Media was Matt Heffels.
After a year, ''Power Unlimited'' hired two employees: Editor in Chief Edwin Ammerlaan and current Final Editor Ed Wiggemans. Although most online editors are working on a freelance basis, some of the editors of the paper magazine are employed.
The editorial team consists of:
* Martin Verschoor (Editor in Chief)
* Ed Wiggemans (Final Editor)
* Wouter Ferdinand Brugge
* Jan-Johan Belderok (nicknamed "JJ")
* Florian Houtkamp
* Jurjen Tiersma
* Willem van der Meulen (nicknamed "Graddus")
* Samuel Hubner Casado
* Tjeerd Lindeboom
* Simon Zijlemans
The magazine styling is done by Johnny Rijbroek, the comic at the back of the magazine by Jordi Peters.
References
External links
''Power Unlimited'' website
{{Video Game Critics
1993 establishments in the Netherlands
Computer game magazines published in the Netherlands
Dutch-language magazines
Magazines established in 1993
Magazines published in Amsterdam
Monthly magazines published in the Netherlands