Future has acquired two games magazines from Dennis Publishing – and immediately closed one of them due to sliding sales,writes Ruth Addicott.
The £2.5m deal involves PC Zone magazine, CVG (Computer and Video Games) and its website computerandvideogames.com.
Future said it had decided to suspend CVG “in its current form” after the 40 per cent sales decline it reported in this month’s ABCs. The company said PC Zone will continue to compete with Future’s PC Gamer.
All 21 staff will transfer from Dennis to Future’s office in London and enter into a consultation period until the number of redundancies is confirmed.
The takeover coincides with plans to launch Hair Style & Beauty magazine – Future’s debut title in the glossy hair and beauty sector – edited by the former editor of Origin’s Your Hair & Hair Ideas, Becky Skuse.
According to Future, research showed 3.5 million people in the UK regularly read hair and beauty magazines.
The 132-page glossy monthly, due out on 9 September, will target women aged 20 to 40 and will contain hair and beauty tips, style advice and celebrities.
There will be an emphasis on how to recreate salon styles at home, as well as in-depth product tests. It will have a print run of 90,000 and a cover price of £2.70.
Future also broke into the overseas property sector with the acquisition of Spanish Homes magazine earlier this month.
There are expected to be further launches announced over the next few weeks.
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