On the Edge

Were you surprised to see Edge claim this year’s award?

We had no idea who was going to win. But we’re grateful to everyone for their support. Edge has been around for a long time – it’s 15 years old – so it’s encouraging that it still gets recognition.

What has been the secret to your magazine’s success?

We have good writers, the art team know what they’re doing, and we’ve always tried to maintain high production values. Ultimately we’re trying to make a magazine that treats gaming respectfully. I’ve heard it said that we’re too serious or too stuffy, but it’s actually about respect. We all admire the craft and dedication that goes into games, and we want to recognise those things.

What have been the most exciting developments at Edge this year?

The relaunch of Edge Online in July was one of the high points because it represented an internet presence for Edge on a scale that hadn’t previously been attempted. In terms of the magazine, we’ve worked with some amazing editorial opportunities over the last 12 months – we sat down with Sam Houser at Rockstar’s New York HQ and he talked for over five hours about the making of the GTA series, for example. We had a lot of great feedback on that article. But every month we get to talk to the most talented people working in games, and that means making the magazine is always a rewarding process.

What are your targets for the next 12 months?

We have issue 200 coming up in March, and that’s going to be a big job. We’re actually putting it all together right now. And we’ll be introducing new elements to the mag in 2009. Edge Online is set to evolve, too. Games aren’t standing still, and we have to recognise that. Some magazines are more or less the same now as they were ten years ago, and I think we have to keep moving.

What have been your biggest influences?

I don’t think we consciously look at anything apart from the games we’re writing about and the people who make them. No one on the team writes about games in isolation; everything is always discussed as a group, so the biggest influences are the things that come out of these discussions, every day, in the office and in assorted drinking venues around Bath.

How would you like to see the games media develop?

I’d like to see a new wave of writers coming in who don’t want to just sit around reviewing games. Reviews are important, but gaming has become such a rich and diverse form of entertainment – there are so many elements to talk about nowadays. I’d also like to see people finally appreciating that 7/10 in Edge really isn’t a bad review score, but I’m not holding my breath for that particular development.