PC Gamer
PC Gamer is a digital gaming media publication serving PC gaming enthusiasts globally with news, hardware and game reviews, buying guides, and game walkthroughs, monetized through advertising, affiliate commerce with 40+ retailers, and a paid membership club of 28K+ members under parent Future US Inc.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1993
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What PC Gamer does
PC Gamer is a digital media publication focused exclusively on PC gaming, operating under Future US Inc (part of Future plc) and serving PC gaming enthusiasts globally. Founded in 1993 and self-described as the global authority on PC games, the company delivers editorial content including daily gaming news, in-depth hardware and game reviews, buying guides, game walkthroughs, and industry opinion across a website (pcgamer.com), regional editions for the US, UK, Canada, and Australia, a suite of themed email newsletters, a YouTube channel, and an annual PC Gaming Show event. Its core technology is a digital publishing platform with content management, affiliate tracking, and membership systems; no public APIs, SDKs, or proprietary AI capabilities were identified.
The business model combines three revenue streams. Display advertising monetizes high organic traffic from SEO-optimized reviews and guides; affiliate commissions are generated through a Coupons & Deals platform featuring partnerships with over 40 hardware and gaming retailers including Corsair, Logitech, Dell, Razer, ASUS, and Samsung; and recurring subscription revenue comes from the PC Gamer Club paid membership (28K+ active members with 11 premium benefits) plus a print and digital magazine subscription (starting at $1 for the first three issues). Pricing operates on a freemium model with free content supported by ads and affiliate links, a paid Club tier, and an annual magazine subscription.
Go-to-market is content-led, attracting readers through editorial quality and SEO, converting them to Club members or affiliate-purchasing shoppers, and monetizing the audience through B2B relationships with hardware OEMs and game publishers. The company maintains an editorial team of approximately 15-20 named staff under a Global Editor-in-Chief structure, and operates from Future US Inc's headquarters at 130 West 42nd Street, New York. A long-standing editorial partnership with The Princeton Review on the annual Top Game Design Schools rankings (since 2013) extends the brand into adjacent education and career verticals.
PC Gamer firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- PC Gamer
- Legal name
- Future US Inc
- Website
- https://pcgamer.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1993
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- PC Gamer is a digital gaming media publication serving PC gaming enthusiasts globally with news, hardware and game reviews, buying guides, and game walkthroughs, monetized through advertising, affiliate commerce with 40+ retailers, and a paid membership club of 28K+ members under parent Future US Inc.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
PC Gamer industry classification
Industry- Product category
- PC Gaming Media
- NAICS
- Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (45912)
- SIC
- Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Gaming Culture, Opinion & Commentary (Columns, Think Pieces) (MPAFAMAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Game Reviews & Criticism (Critiques, Scores, Editorial Reviews) (MPAFAMAB)
Keywords
Where PC Gamer is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
PC Gamer business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations
Revenue model
- Advertising: Display advertising on the website and newsletter placements, monetizing high traffic volumes from PC gaming enthusiasts.
- Affiliate Commissions: Commission revenue from affiliate links for hardware retailers (Corsair, Logitech, Dell, etc.) and game stores. The coupons section generates revenue when users click through to retailer sites.
- Subscriptions and Memberships: Paid membership club with premium benefits, plus magazine subscriptions starting at $1 for first 3 issues. Recurring subscription revenue from engaged readers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Free tier with access to news, reviews, and guides supported by advertising |
| Subscription | Monthly | PC Gamer Club premium membership with exclusive content and features |
| Subscription | Annual | Print and digital magazine subscription |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
PC Gamer product offering
Product offeringCore offering
PC Gamer publishes original PC gaming editorial content — news, hardware and game reviews, buying guides, and game walkthroughs — through its website, regional editions, email newsletters, YouTube channel, and forums. It monetizes this audience via display advertising, affiliate commerce through a coupons/deals section covering 40+ hardware retailers, and recurring revenue from the PC Gamer Club premium membership and a print/digital magazine subscription.
Product overview
PC Gamer is a gaming media publication operating as a unified content platform with multiple integrated services. The core offering consists of the PC Gamer Website delivering daily PC gaming news, reviews, hardware coverage, and editorial content. Premium membership is provided through PC Gamer Club, offering exclusive articles and early access. Physical/digital subscriptions are available through PC Gamer Magazine. The site aggregates gaming guides across major titles, maintains an active YouTube presence, hosts community forums, and operates a coupons/deals section featuring affiliate partnerships with over 40 gaming and tech brands. The publication is part of Future US Inc and serves as a comprehensive resource for PC gaming coverage.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- PC Gamer Club Premium paid membership program for PC Gamer readers, offering exclusive articles, weekly newsletters, member-only commenting privileges, member badges, exclusive competitions, and early access to gaming news. Priced as a recurring subscription with 28K+ active members.
- PC Gamer Magazine Subscription Subscription to PC Gamer Magazine, delivered in print and digital formats, marketed as the world's #1 PC gaming magazine. Introductory offer at $1 for the first 3 issues, with ongoing subscription billing on an annual cadence.
- PC Gamer Newsletter Suite Set of themed email newsletters delivered to subscribers, covering gaming news (GamesRadar+, GTA 6 O'clock), hardware (The Setup), Switch coverage, movies/TV (The Watchlist), and entertainment (SFX, Knowledge). Delivered weekly to opted-in readers.
- PC Gamer Website (pcgamer.com) The primary digital publishing platform delivering PC gaming news, hardware and game reviews, buying guides, game walkthroughs, and community forums. Operates as a freemium service free to readers and monetized via advertising and affiliate links. Includes regional editions for the US, UK, Canada, and Australia.
Quantifiable outcome
- PC Gamer has served as reporting partner on Princeton Review's Top Game Design Schools rankings since 2013
Companies that use PC Gamer
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
PC Gamer technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
PC Gamer partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- The Princeton ReviewcorePC Gamer has served as the official reporting partner on The Princeton Review's annual Top Game Design Schools rankings project since 2013. PC Gamer features these rankings in its May issue each year, providing editorial coverage of educational institutions offering game design programs.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights6 records
PC Gamer competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- IGN Entertainment: Major multi-platform gaming media publication covering games, hardware, and entertainment. Directly comparable to PC Gamer as a leading gaming editorial brand, though broader in platform scope (console, mobile, film/TV).
- Rock Paper Shotgun: PC gaming-focused editorial publication known for deep coverage of strategy, RPG, and PC-exclusive titles. Comparable to PC Gamer in PC-only editorial focus and enthusiast audience.
- Eurogamer: European-based gaming media publication with strong PC and console coverage. Comparable to PC Gamer in editorial depth, video content, and enthusiast gaming audience.
- PCGamesN: Dedicated PC gaming news, reviews, and hardware coverage publication. The closest direct peer to PC Gamer in scope, focusing exclusively on PC gaming news, reviews, and hardware buying advice.
- Polygon: Gaming media publication with strong editorial voice on games, culture, and industry. Comparable to PC Gamer as a digital gaming editorial brand serving enthusiast audiences via reviews, features, and video.
- GamesRadar: Gaming media brand also owned by Future plc, covering games, hardware, and entertainment. Closely comparable to PC Gamer as a sister brand with overlapping editorial mission, audience, and corporate parent.
- Kotaku: Gaming-focused editorial publication covering news, reviews, and opinion. Comparable to PC Gamer in digital-first gaming journalism, though with a stronger culture/opinion orientation and broader platform coverage.
- GameSpot: Long-standing gaming media publication offering reviews, news, and video content. Closely comparable to PC Gamer in editorial coverage, monetization via ads and affiliate, and target audience of core gaming enthusiasts.
Broad incumbents
- Tom's Hardware: Major PC hardware review and technology publication. Comparable to PC Gamer's hardware vertical in covering GPUs, CPUs, peripherals, and buying guides, though broader in scope across general computing and enterprise tech.
Emerging players
- Digital Foundry: Specialist technical gaming publication focusing on performance analysis, frame rates, and graphics technology. Comparable to PC Gamer's hardware review vertical, particularly for the technically-engaged PC gaming enthusiast segment.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
PC Gamer social profiles
Digital presencePC Gamer financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
PC Gamer leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles18 records
PC Gamer funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
PC Gamer M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about PC Gamer
What does PC Gamer do?
PC Gamer publishes original PC gaming editorial content — news, hardware and game reviews, buying guides, and game walkthroughs — through its website, regional editions, email newsletters, YouTube channel, and forums. It monetizes this audience via display advertising, affiliate commerce through a coupons/deals section covering 40+ hardware retailers, and recurring revenue from the PC Gamer Club premium membership and a print/digital magazine subscription.
Is PC Gamer a public or private company?
PC Gamer is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was PC Gamer founded?
PC Gamer was founded in 1993. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is PC Gamer based?
PC Gamer is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does PC Gamer make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Advertising is the primary driver. The others are affiliate Commissions and subscriptions and Memberships.
Who are PC Gamer's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are IGN Entertainment, Rock Paper Shotgun, Eurogamer, PCGamesN, Polygon, GamesRadar, Kotaku and GameSpot. Tom's Hardware is listed as a broad incumbent. Digital Foundry is listed as an emerging player.
Does PC Gamer have an API?
No public API is recorded for PC Gamer.
What industry is PC Gamer in?
PC Gamer's product category is PC Gaming Media. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAFAMAH, Gaming Culture, Opinion & Commentary (Columns, Think Pieces), with a secondary code of MPAFAMAB, Game Reviews & Criticism (Critiques, Scores, Editorial Reviews). Its NAICS code is 45912 and its SIC code is 2731.