Europress was a British magazine and software publisher based in Adlington, near Macclesfield, Cheshire. Their magazine publishing business was previously known as Database Publications. The software division was renamed in 1999 to Actualize.
History
Europress was formed by Derek Meakin in 1965. It began by publishing magazines and newspapers, then during the 1980s as an expansion of its magazine publishing business, it became involved in the rapidly growing software industry.
Under the name Database Software, they released software including the
Red Arrows
The Red Arrows, officially known as the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, is the aerobatics display team of the Royal Air Force based at RAF Waddington. The team was formed in late 1964 as an all-RAF team, replacing a number of unofficial teams ...
game for the
ZX Spectrum
The ZX Spectrum () is an 8-bit computing, 8-bit home computer that was developed by Sinclair Research. It was released in the United Kingdom on 23 April 1982, and became Britain's best-selling microcomputer.
Referred to during development as t ...
and the
office suite
Productivity software (also called personal productivity software or office productivity software) is application software used for producing information (such as documents, presentations, worksheets, databases, charts, graphs, digital paintings, ...
Mini Office II, as well as games and
educational software
Educational software is a term used for any computer software which is made for an educational purpose. It encompasses different ranges from language learning software to classroom management software to reference software. The purpose of all t ...
for children.
During the late 1980s Europress decided to spin off its software publishing division as a separate company: Europress Software, with Christopher Payne as managing director and Diane O'Brien as Sales Director. Chris Payne came up with the name Mandarin Software as the brand for all the planned games, graphic designer Heather Sheldrick designed the logo, and Mandarin Software was launched to the press at a Chinese restaurant in London, where it showed off its first round of planned product launched. Europress Software published a high proportion of educational material, such as the
Fun School
Fun School is a series of educational packages developed and published in the United Kingdom by Europress Software, initially as ''Database Educational Software''. The original Fun School titles were sold mostly by mail order via off-the-page adver ...
series.
The publishing business was purchased by
IDG
International Data Group (IDG, Inc.) is a market intelligence and demand generation company focused on the technology industry. IDG, Inc.’s mission is centered around supporting the technology industry through research, data, marketing technol ...
and became
IDG Media
International Data Group (IDG, Inc.) is a market intelligence and demand generation company focused on the technology industry. IDG, Inc.’s mission is centered around supporting the technology industry through research, data, marketing technol ...
towards the end of 1994. A reorganisation of the titles promptly followed, with the Atari, Amiga and Acorn divisions each losing one or more titles along the way.
Their software publishing business was purchased by
Hasbro Interactive
Hasbro Interactive was an American video game developer, video game production and video game publisher, publishing subsidiary of Hasbro, the large game and toy company. Several of its studios were closed in early 2001 and most of its properties ...
in 1999. At first, the studio prospered and expanded. It was able to produce titles using some of the brands owned by Hasbro, even producing two for Hasbro Germany. A little over a year later, Hasbro Interactive was losing money and was sold to
Infogrames
Atari SA (formerly Infogrames Entertainment SA) is a French video game holding company headquartered in Paris. Its subsidiaries include Atari Interactive and Atari, Inc. It is the current owner of the Atari brand through Atari Interactive. Bec ...
for a small amount; Infogrames gained ownership of all the Hasbro brands. However, Infogrames were not interested in the educational multimedia, which was Europress's focus, and ignored the company for several months. Ownership was then returned to the Meakin family. They ran the company for little over a year before it went into liquidation. A major factor in this was Granada TV's ignorance of their rights over Countdown. They had encouraged Europress to produce a Countdown CD-ROM, but only weeks before the launch, with large pre-orders, they discovered that they did not have the interactive rights.
Derek Meakin sold the rights to the Europress brand name to Atari, who then sold them to Koch Media in 2002. Meakin then cofounded Meakin Enterprises with Chris Phillips. Meakin died in October 2010.
Past magazines that have since ceased publication include: ''
Amiga Action
''Amiga Action'' was a monthly magazine about Amiga video games. It was published in the United Kingdom by Europress (later IDG Media) and ran for 89 full issues, from October 1989 to December 1996. After its closure, it was merged into sister pu ...
,
Amiga Computing
''Amiga Computing'' was a monthly computer magazine of a serious nature, published by Europress and IDG in both the UK and USA. A total of 117 issues came out. The games section was called Gamer, although later ''Amiga Action'' was incorporated i ...
, Computing with the Amstrad / Amstrad CPC Computing,
Atari User
''Atari User'' was a British computer magazine aimed at users of Atari home computers, and published by Database Publications (later known as Europress) between 1985 and 1988.
''Atari User'' was a general-interest computer magazine, containing ...
,
Atari ST User
''Atari ST User'' was a British computer magazine aimed at users of the Atari ST range. It started life as a pull-out section in ''Atari User'' magazine. From March 1986 onwards it became a magazine in its own right, outliving its parent by a numb ...
, ST Action, Mega Action, PC Today, PC Home, PC Action, Gamepro UK, Apple User, Telelink'' and ''Video Action''.
Europress Impact
When Europress bought Newsfield in 1991, Europress Impact, a satellite company of Europress, was launched. Run by ex-Newsfield directors Roger Kean, Oliver Frey and Jonathan Rignall. In 1993 the publishers name changed to Impact Magazines. Publications ceased in March 1994 as Impact entered into
administration
Administration may refer to:
Management of organizations
* Management, the act of directing people towards accomplishing a goal
** Administrative assistant, Administrative Assistant, traditionally known as a Secretary, or also known as an admini ...
.
Key titles from Europress / Impact Magazines included:
*''
Zzap!64
''Zzap!64'' was a computer games magazine covering games on the Commodore International series of computers, especially the Commodore 64 (C64). It was published in the UK by Newsfield Publications Ltd and later by Europress Impact.
The magazine ...
'' - Along with ''
CRASH
Crash or CRASH may refer to:
Common meanings
* Collision, an impact between two or more objects
* Crash (computing), a condition where a program ceases to respond
* Cardiac arrest, a medical condition in which the heart stops beating
* Couch su ...
'', ''Zzap!64'' was one of the two main titles brought in from
Newsfield
Newsfield Publications Ltd (also known as Newsfield) was a British magazine publisher during the 1980s and early 1990s.
Newsfield Publications Ltd was founded by Roger Kean, Franco Frey and Oliver Frey in 1983. Based in Ludlow, Shropshire, News ...
. After issue 90 ''Zzap!'' was re-launched as ''
Commodore Force
''Commodore Force'' was a computer games magazine covering games for the Commodore 64. It was published in the UK by Europress Impact. Its predecessor was ''Zzap!64''.
Background
''Commodore Force'' was created when ''Zzap! 64'' was re-launche ...
'', which lasted for 16 more issues ending with the last one in March 1994.
*''
CRASH
Crash or CRASH may refer to:
Common meanings
* Collision, an impact between two or more objects
* Crash (computing), a condition where a program ceases to respond
* Cardiac arrest, a medical condition in which the heart stops beating
* Couch su ...
'' - CRASH was Newsfield's first ever magazine title and the best seller at its peak. In 1992 the title was sold to
EMAP
Ascential plc, formerly EMAP, is a British business-to-business media business specialising in exhibitions & festivals and information services. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.
History
Ric ...
after only five issues and was incorporated into their own Spectrum title ''
Sinclair User
''Sinclair User'' was a magazine dedicated to the Sinclair Research range of home computers, most specifically the ZX Spectrum (while also occasionally covering arcade games). Initially published by ECC Publications, and later EMAP, it was publi ...
''.
*''
Sega Force
''Sega Force'' was an early 1990s publication that covered the Sega console range (Sega Mega Drive, Mega-CD, Master System and Game Gear).
History
''Sega Force'', along with ''Nintendo Force'', was initially announced in mid-1991 by Newsfield. ...
'' - As with ''N Force'', ''Sega Force'' was in its planning stage and ready to go ahead just when Newsfield collapsed. It covered the range of
Sega
is a Japanese multinational corporation, multinational video game and entertainment company headquartered in Shinagawa, Tokyo. Its international branches, Sega of America and Sega Europe, are headquartered in Irvine, California and London, r ...
consoles at the time. In July 1993 the magazine was split into ''Sega Force Mega'', for the
Mega Drive
The Sega Genesis, known as the outside North America, is a 16-bit fourth generation home video game console developed and sold by Sega. It was Sega's third console and the successor to the Master System. Sega released it in 1988 in Japan a ...
, and ''Sega Master Force'', for the
Master System
The is an 8-bit
third-generation home video game console manufactured by Sega. It was originally a remodeled export version of the Sega Mark III, the third iteration of the SG-1000 series of consoles, which was released in Japan in 1985 and ...
and
Game Gear
The is an 8-bit fourth generation handheld game console released by Sega on October 6, 1990, in Japan, in April 1991 throughout North America and Europe, and during 1992 in Australia. The Game Gear primarily competed with Nintendo's Game Boy, ...
. The titles disappeared as Impact Magazines closed.
*''Mega Machines'' - Impact Magazines launched ''Mega Machines'' in the summer of 1993. Similar to the existing ''Sega Force Mega'', the new title catered for the Sega Mega Drive and Sega CD. However, it was aimed at a younger audience and was printed in landscape.
*''N-Force'' - Launched in July 1992. Similar to sister title ''Sega Force'' but covered the
Nintendo
is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational video game company headquartered in Kyoto, Japan. It develops video games and video game consoles.
Nintendo was founded in 1889 as by craftsman Fusajiro Yamauchi and originally produce ...
consoles
NES
The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) is an 8-bit third-generation home video game console produced by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan in 1983 as the commonly known as the The NES, a redesigned version, was released in American ...
,
SNES
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), commonly shortened to Super NES or Super Nintendo, is a 16-bit home video game console developed by Nintendo that was released in 1990 in Japan and South Korea, 1991 in North America, 1992 in Euro ...
and
Game Boy
The is an 8-bit fourth generation handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan on April 21, 1989, in North America later the same year, and in Europe in late 1990. It was designed by the same ...
. SNES coverage would transfer across to ''SNES Force'', while ''N-Force'' maintained NES coverage until it was discontinued in August 1993.
*''SNES Force'' - Launched in July 1993. Covering the SNES.
*''
Amiga Force
''Amiga Force'' was a video games magazine launched towards the end of 1992 by Europress Impact. It lasted for 16 issues before being closed by its publishers. The first issue of ''Amiga Force'' went on sale around September 1992. The magazine wou ...
'' - ''Amiga Force'' was launched towards the end of 1992, covering the
Commodore
Commodore may refer to:
Ranks
* Commodore (rank), a naval rank
** Commodore (Royal Navy), in the United Kingdom
** Commodore (United States)
** Commodore (Canada)
** Commodore (Finland)
** Commodore (Germany) or ''Kommodore''
* Air commodore, a ...
Amiga
Amiga is a family of personal computers introduced by Commodore in 1985. The original model is one of a number of mid-1980s computers with 16- or 32-bit processors, 256 KB or more of RAM, mouse-based GUIs, and significantly improved graphi ...
computer games scene. It lasted for 16 issues before going down with its publishers.
References
External links
Koch Media History
MobyGames info for Europress SoftwareHistory of Mandarin SoftwareHistory of Database Educational Software''N-Force'' and ''SNES Force''at the
Internet Archive
The Internet Archive is an American digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It provides free public access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, software applications/games, music, ...
{{Authority control
Mass media companies of the United Kingdom
Publishing companies established in 1965
1965 establishments in the United Kingdom
Video game publishers