Official PlayStation Magazine is no more, ending the publication’s decades-long run as it relaunches (with the same staff and focus) simply as Play Magazine.
The change sees the monthly publication dropping the Official PlayStation branding, something an FAQ from its editorial team notes was the result of conversations between the magazine and PlayStation-maker Sony.
“All good things come to an end, and along with Sony we felt that the Official PlayStation Magazine had finally earned a well-deserved retirement,” explains the team.
“Your support over the past year, and the previous 25, has really meant the world to us. Your messages and inclusion in every issue have helped us bring the world and culture of PlayStation to life,” continues the announcement. “So, as we launch PLAY, we hope you’ll continue to join us each month as we report on the biggest games, issues, and events surrounding the consoles we love.”
Interestingly, the branding shift also represents the end of an era as Official PlayStation Magazine was the last major licensed game console magazine in circulation (as pointed out in a Tweet from video game historian and archivist Frank Cifaldi).
All three major console makers had some sort of official magazine at some point during their reign, though all three have since ceased publication as Nintendo ended Nintendo Power in 2012 and the Future-published Xbox Official Magazine went dark in 2020.