Future's NGamer celebrates new Pokemon game with social networking first

23/04/09 – NGamer, the UK’s only independent Nintendo magazine, is celebrating the eagerly awaited launch of Pokémon Platinum for the Nintendo DS with an exclusive split-run of twenty different Pokémon covers, as chosen by its readers on Facebook, Twitter and the magazine’s own forum at www.ngamer.co.uk.

NGamer readers were asked to vote for their favourite Pokémon characters, and the top twenty suggestions have been turned into a series of ultra-collectable covers, split across the title’s 35,000 print run. Fans will be able to choose one of twenty covers, including established Pokémon favourites such as Pikachu, Jigglypuff and Squirtle.

The global Pokémon phenomenon kicked off in 1995, with combined game sales passing 200m this year. Broadly based on the age-old concept of insect collecting, Pokémon returns to excite a new generation of gamers with Pokémon Platinum, launching on the Nintendo DS handheld console on Friday 22 May.

Celebrating Pokémon Platinum’s launch, the June issue of NGamer includes a comprehensive six-page review of the game. Continuing the Pokémon theme, the magazine comes with a double-sided A2 poster featuring all 493 Pokémon and a map of Sinnoh, the latest region in the ever-growing Pokémon universe, plus a set of unique Pokémon decals to adorn your DS. Readers can also hunt Pikachu throughout the pages of NGamer, finding ten pictures of the famous Pokémon to be in with a chance of winning a copy of the game.

Also inside the June issue, NGamer offers previews of future Wii hits Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles, Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, Ghostbusters: The Video Game and Grand Slam Tennis. The magazine also has an eight-page guide to GTA: Chinatown Wars on the Nintendo DS to help you get a 100% complete rating.

Nick Ellis is Editor of NGamer:

“The launch of a Pokémon game is a major event among fans and our readers. We wanted to celebrate the new game, and giving readers the opportunity to choose which characters ended up on our covers proved hugely popular.”

James Binns, Publishing Director of Future’s games portfolio, added:

“Asking NGamer readers to choose the cover stars of our June issue through social networking sites was a fantastic way of celebrating the launch of the new Pokémon title. Across Future’s portfolio we continue to drive cross-media engagement, and getting fans to choose what goes on the front of NGamer has created a series of highly collectable covers directly tailored to the demand of our enthusiast readership.”

The June issue of NGamer with the split-run Pokémon cover is on sale now, with a coverprice of £4.99.

GamesPress