The Space Gamer received three Origins Award nominations for Best Professional Roleplaying Magazine (in 1981, 1985, and 1986). The Space Gamer won an Origins Award for Best Professional Roleplaying Magazine of 1982.
Space Gamer began life as a paper magazine published by Metagaming Concepts in 1975. Steve Jackson Games took over publication with issue #27 (dated March/April 1980), and ultimately published 50 issues (plus six issues of spin-off magazine Fantasy Gamer). Issue #76, September/October 1985, became Steve Jackson Games' last issue before the rights to the name went elsewhere. Space Gamer covered all aspects of hobby gaming: RPGs, wargames, card and strategy games, and more. It also featured industry news and reviews. Although Space Gamer is still a great read in its own right, today it's also a fascinating look at an earlier era of hobby gaming.
All the issues of Space Gamer that were published by Steve Jackson Games are available digitally at Warehouse 23, including a bundle of all 50 issues.
Today's featured issue from the vault:
Space Gamer #28 (May-June 1980)
Space Gamer #28 (cover date May-June 1980) presents another fascinating snapshot into the gaming hobby's yesteryear – and the articles are fun to read, too!
In addition to the game reviews, news, and letters found in every issue, this installment contains additional information on computerizing hex-maps for wargames; a Company Report on Task Force Games (written by Steve Cole); a new race for The Fantasy Trip; a sci-fi short story called "Distraction Tactic"; and the second in the series "Game Design: Theory and Practice," co-written by Steve Jackson. This issue is especially interesting to armchair annalists, as it contains both a guide of sci-fi and fantasy game publishers (as they existed in 1980) and the results of a 1979 survey of gamers' opinions. (The best-rated fantasy roleplaying game may surprise you . . .)
Whether you're a fan of old-school gaming or a historian of our hobby, each issue of Space Gamer is the perfect passport to the past!
 #27 - #36 |  #37 - #46 |  #47 - #56 |  #57 - #66 |  #67 - #76 |
