''Computer and Video Games'' (also known as ''CVG'', ''Computer & Video Games'', ''C&VG'', ''Computer + Video Games'', or ''C+VG'') is a

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

-based

video game A video game or computer game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a user interface or input device (such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device) to generate visual fe ...

magazine A magazine is a periodical literature, periodical publication, print or digital, produced on a regular schedule, that contains any of a variety of subject-oriented textual and visual content (media), content forms. Magazines are generally fin ...

, published in its original form between 1981 and 2004. Its offshoot website was launched in 1999 and closed in February 2015. ''CVG'' was the longest-running video game media brand in the world. Several ''CVG'' writers led the creation of ''

Video Games Chronicle ''Video Games Chronicle'' (''VGC'' is a British entertainment website covering video games published independently by 1981 Media. Led by editor-in-chief Andy Robinson, the team consists largely of former ''Computer and Video Games'' staff. Lau ...

'' in 2019.

History

''Computer and Video Games'' was established in 1981, being the first British video games magazine. Initially published monthly between November 1981 and October 2004 and solely web-based from 2004 onwards, the magazine was one of the first publications to capitalise on the growing

home computing Home computers were a class of microcomputers that entered the market in 1977 and became common during the 1980s. They were marketed to consumers as affordable and accessible computers that, for the first time, were intended for the use of a s ...

market, although it also covered

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 game of skill, games of skill and in ...

s. At the time of launch it was the world's first dedicated video games magazine. The first issue featured articles on ''

Space Invaders is a 1978 shoot 'em up video game developed and published by Taito for Arcade video game, arcades. It was released in Japan in April 1978, with the game being released by Midway Manufacturing overseas. ''Space Invaders'' was the first fixed s ...

'', Chess, Othello and advice on how to learn programming. Reviews featured a numerical score, with the highest rated games receiving the "C+VG Hit" award. This logo came to be seen as a selling point for games, big and small. The magazine had a ABC of 106,000 for the second half of 1986.

Website

In early 2014, CVG, amongst other Future-operated websites, was earmarked for closure by management, but instead received staff cuts in July. Future announced the closure of the website in December 2014. The website closed on 26 February 2015, with all pages redirecting to Gamesradar+, another Future publication.

YouTube channel

Until the closure of CVG, their official YouTube channel provided a variety of video game related content, providing everything from walkthroughs of games to news regarding video game consoles and regarding gaming events. Their second longest running series, ''GTA V O'clock'' covered news and

conspiracy theories A conspiracy theory is an explanation for an event or situation that asserts the existence of a conspiracy (generally by powerful sinister groups, often political in motivation), when other explanations are more probable.Additional sources: * ...

regarding

Rockstar Games Rockstar Games, Inc. is an American video game publisher based in New York City. The company was established in December 1998 as a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive, using the assets Take-Two had previously acquired from BMG Interactive. Foun ...

' ''

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 ...

'' and '' Grand Theft Auto Online''. It was one of the few publications invited to see and play ''Grand Theft Auto V'' before its release to the public on 17 September 2013 and re-release for PC on 14 April 2015.

''CVG Presents''

When the magazine did reappear it was in a new form, titled ''CVG Presents'', on 16 April 2008 with a bi-monthly release schedule.

Golden Joystick Awards

CVG hosted the annual

Golden Joystick Award The Golden Joystick Awards, also known as the People's Gaming Awards, is a video game award ceremony; it awards the best video games of the year, as voted for originally by the British general public, but is now a global event that can be vote ...

s, the longest running gaming ceremony in the world and widely acknowledged as one of the most prestigious, as they're voted for solely by the general gaming public. Originally created in 1982 as the CVG magazine's annual awards ceremony, the awards moved onto the web with CVG.com in 1999. In April 1983, the magazine published the results of its first Golden Joystick Awards, along with pictures from the ceremony in

Berkeley Square Berkeley Square is a garden square in the West End of London. It is one of the best known of the many squares in London, located in Mayfair in the City of Westminster. It was laid out in the mid 18th century by the architect William Kent, ...

. DJ Dave Lee Travis presented the award for best game of the year to Jetpac.

References

External links

* at the

Internet Archive The Internet Archive is an American 501(c)(3) organization, non-profit organization founded in 1996 by Brewster Kahle that runs a digital library website, archive.org. It provides free access to collections of digitized media including web ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Computer And Video Games 1981 establishments in the United Kingdom 2004 disestablishments in the United Kingdom 2008 establishments in the United Kingdom 2009 disestablishments in the United Kingdom defunct video game magazines published in the United Kingdom Future plc home computer magazines magazines disestablished in 2004 magazines disestablished in 2009 magazines established in 1981 magazines established in 2008 magazines published in London monthly magazines published in the United Kingdom video game magazines published in the United Kingdom video game websites