NME to introduce video games coverage as it goes free

Weekly music magazine NME is to become free in September, with video games joining a number of new topics being introduced to its pages.

The switch will see 300k copies of the magazine handed out at stations, universities and retailers each week. The magazine’s circulation fro the latter half of 2014 stood at just under 14k, a decline of 23 per cent year-on-year.

NME says that while music is "firmly at the heart of the brand" other subjects including "film, fashion, television, politics, gaming and technology" will also begin to feature. Its website will also undergo a revamp.

For the past few months we’ve been working in secret here at NME on the next phase of our evolution,” editor Mike Williams said. The goal, throughout all of our research and development, has been to find new and inventive ways to connect with you, our audience, better than ever.

In the 63 years since NME launched we have evolved and transformed plenty of times. The evolution of 2015 is our boldest ever move, and I’m delighted to be able to share the news with you at last."

Time UK chief executive Marcus Rich added: This famous 63-year-old brand was an early leader in digital and has been growing its global audience successfully for the best part of 20 years. It has been able to do so because music is such an important passion and now is the right time to invest in bringing NME to an even bigger community for our commercial partners.”