Computec Media

What Computec Media does

Computec Media GmbH is a German special-interest media company headquartered in Fürth that publishes gaming, PC hardware, and IT content across a portfolio of approximately fifteen magazine and digital brands serving DACH markets (Germany, Austria, Switzerland). Founded in 1994, the company operates flagship brands PC GAMES and PC GAMES HARDWARE, supplemented by platform-specific titles (N-ZONE for Nintendo, play5 for PlayStation, PC Games MMORE for MMO gaming) and technology publications (Linux Magazin, LinuxUser, Raspberry Pi Geek, golem.de), reaching approximately 5 million monthly readers across the flagship brands and claiming access to over 10 million users across the full portfolio.

The company runs a multi-channel publishing and e-commerce platform, shop.computec.de, supporting both print subscriptions and digital ePaper downloads, alongside a network of owned content websites (buffed.de, gamesworld.de, gamezone.de, videogameszone.de, golem.de, linux-magazin.de, linuxuser.de). The underlying technology stack consists of AWS-hosted cloud infrastructure in EU regions, Salesforce for CRM and subscriber management, and Mapp Digital for email marketing and analytics. Physical fulfillment, billing, and customer service for subscriptions and orders are outsourced to DPV Deutscher Pressevertrieb in Hamburg.

Revenue is generated through four streams: print and digital magazine sales (subscriptions and single issues, with unit pricing of €5.99–€11.99 per issue and an ad-free PUR tier at €2.50/month), advertising services across display, print, native, video, social, YouTube, podcast, and affiliate channels, e-commerce through the PCGH Gear branded gaming computers and components line and Affiliate-as-a-Service offering. Computec is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Swiss-based Marquard Group, alongside sister companies Golem Media in Berlin and 4Players in Hamburg (acquired by Computec in 2012), and employs approximately 115 staff across its headquarters in Fürth and offices in Berlin and Munich.

Name

Computec Media

Legal name

Computec Media GmbH

Website

https://computec.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Computec Media GmbH is a German special-interest publisher in Fürth operating flagship gaming and hardware brands PC GAMES and PC GAMES HARDWARE, plus platform-specific and IT titles, serving approximately 5 million monthly readers across DACH markets via print, digital ePaper subscriptions, and commerce.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Gaming & Technology Media Publishing

NAICS

Periodical Publishers (513120)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Magazine & Newspaper Subscription Platforms (Paywalls, Membership) (MPAJAMAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Publishing Networks & Multi-Author Publications (MPACAIAG)

Keywords

• Gaming media publishing
• Hardware magazine publishing
• Digital magazine subscriptions
• Advertising services
• Affiliate marketing services

Headquarters

HQ city

Fürth

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Magazine Sales (Print): Sale of printed magazine editions including PC Games, PCGH, N-ZONE, play5, PC Games MMORE, Linux Magazin, LinuxUser, and Raspberry Pi Geek through subscriptions and single issues
2. Digital Subscriptions and ePapers: Digital subscriptions and single-issue ePaper downloads available for all magazine titles with various pricing tiers
3. Advertising: Display and print advertising, native advertising, content and video production, social media and YouTube campaigns, podcasts, and affiliate marketing across all media brands reaching 10+ million users
4. E-commerce and Affiliate: PCGH Gear gaming computers and hardware components, PCGH-PC branded complete PC systems, and Affiliate-as-a-Service offerings

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Computec Media publishes a portfolio of print and digital magazines covering PC gaming, gaming hardware, Nintendo, PlayStation, MMO/RPG, Linux/open source, and IT/technology news under flagship brands PC GAMES and PC GAMES HARDWARE plus specialized titles (N-ZONE, play5, PC Games MMORE, Linux Magazin, LinuxUser, Raspberry Pi Geek). The company sells these publications via shop.computec.de subscriptions and single issues, complements the portfolio with branded hardware (PCGH Gear, PCGH-PC), offers full-service advertising and an Affiliate-as-a-Service program, and operates related digital portals (buffed.de, golem.de, gamesworld.de, gamezone.de, videogameszone.de).

Product overview

Computec Media is Germany's leading media company for gaming and hardware trends, operating a diversified portfolio of magazine and digital media sub-brands. The core offering consists of flagship magazines PC Games and PC Games Hardware, complemented by platform-specific publications (N-ZONE for Nintendo, play5 for PlayStation, PC Games MMORE for MMO gaming) and technology-focused titles (linux-magazin.de, LinuxUser, Raspberry Pi Geek, golem.de). Digital operations include gaming portals (buffed.de, gamesworld.de, gamezone.de, videogameszone.de) and the Computec Online-Shop for subscriptions and single issues. Business has expanded into PCGH Gear (hardware products), PCGH-PC (complete branded PCs), Affiliate-as-a-Service e-commerce offerings, and full-service advertising solutions. Publications are available in print, digital (ePaper), and ad-free PUR subscription formats.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PC GAMES: Flagship gaming magazine brand, Germany's leading gaming publication.
• PC GAMES HARDWARE
• PCGH Gear
• buffed.de
• golem.de
• gamesworld.de
• gamezone.de
• linux-magazin.de
• linux-community.de
• linuxuser.de
• N-ZONE
• play5
• Raspberry Pi Geek
• videogameszone.de

Products and services

• PC Games Magazine Germany's leading PC gaming magazine covering video game reviews, previews, news, and industry coverage, available in print and digital (ePaper) formats for individual gaming enthusiast readers.
• PC Games Hardware (PCGH) Magazine Germany's leading PC gaming hardware magazine focused on components, benchmarks, reviews, and technology trends, available in print and digital formats for hardware enthusiasts.
• N-ZONE Magazine Germany's major Nintendo gaming magazine covering Nintendo platforms, games, and Nintendo hardware releases for Nintendo-focused readers.
• play5 Magazine Germany's best-selling PlayStation magazine covering PlayStation console games, hardware, and gaming news for PlayStation gamers.
• PC Games MMORE Magazine MMO and online role-playing game magazine covering World of Warcraft, game guides, raids, instances, classes, and talents for MMO/RPG enthusiasts.
• Linux Magazin Professional Linux magazine for system administrators and IT professionals covering open-source software, system administration, and Linux technologies.
• LinuxUser Magazine User-focused Linux magazine for everyday Linux desktop users, covering applications, distributions, and practical Linux usage.
• Raspberry Pi Geek Magazine Magazine focused on Raspberry Pi hardware, software projects, maker culture, and DIY electronics for Raspberry Pi makers and enthusiasts.
• PCGH Gear (Branded Hardware Line) Gaming computer and hardware component product line under the PCGH brand, including branded PC configurations and hardware editions developed with hardware manufacturers.
• PCGH-PC (Branded Complete PCs) Complete PC product lineup sold under the PCGH brand, built in collaboration with hardware manufacturers as special PCGH Edition configurations for gamers and hardware enthusiasts.
• Computec Online-Shop (shop.computec.de) Online shop for subscriptions and single issues of all Computec magazines and publications, offering print, digital (ePaper), and ad-free (PUR) subscription options with customer service support.
• Digital Subscriptions (ePaper) Digital magazine subscriptions and single issues available as ePaper downloads, accessible via iOS/Android apps and as device-independent PDF files.
• PUR (Ad-free) Subscriptions Premium ad-free subscription tiers offering tracking-free browsing, no external advertising, faster load times, and exclusive access to magazine archives at €2.50/month.
• Computec Advertising Services Full-service advertising solutions including display and print advertising, native advertising, content and video production, social media and YouTube campaigns, podcasts, and affiliate marketing across Computec's media brands reaching over 10 million users and readers.
• Affiliate-as-a-Service E-commerce-based service offering affiliate marketing capabilities across Computec's gaming and technology web properties.

Quantifiable outcome

• Approximately 5 million monthly readers trust flagship brands PC GAMES and PC GAMES HARDWARE
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Marquard GroupcoreOthersParent company of Computec Media GmbH. Marquard Group is a leading European media house for lifestyle, special-interest, gaming, and IT brands, founded by Jürg Marquard. Computec is one of three German subsidiaries alongside Golem Media (Berlin) and 4Players (Hamburg).
• DPV Deutscher Pressevertrieb GmbHcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFulfillment partner handling billing, payment processing, and shipping for Computec magazines and products. Located at Koreastraße 7, 20457 Hamburg. Handles customer service for subscriptions and orders.
• Microsoft CorporationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBing Ads conversion tracking partner for paid advertising campaigns to measure campaign effectiveness and customer acquisition from Microsoft advertising network.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Heise Medien: German independent technology publisher operating heise online, c't, iX, and Make magazine. Direct competitor to Computec's golem.de and Linux Magazin titles for IT professionals and Linux/open-source audiences in Germany.
• ComputerBase: Independent German-language hardware and technology news site with strong benchmark and review coverage. Directly competes with PC GAMES HARDWARE for German PC enthusiast readers and hardware vendor advertising budgets.
• Webedia Gaming (GameStar / GamePro): French-owned gaming media group operating the leading German PC gaming magazines GameStar and GamePro as well as buffed-style MMO sites. Closest direct competitor to Computec's PC Games and buffed.de brands in the German-speaking market.
• Future plc: UK-based global multi-brand media publisher owning PC Gamer, Tom's Hardware, GamesRadar, and TechRadar. Direct peer to Computec in PC gaming and hardware editorial publishing with a comparable multi-brand subscription and advertising model.
• Gamestar / Gamepro.de: Webedia's flagship German PC gaming magazine and website, traditionally the strongest print competitor to PC Games in Germany. Direct overlap in audience (PC gamers) and editorial format (magazine + online).

Others

• Mindfactory (as PC hardware affiliate partner/competitor): Germany's largest specialist PC hardware retailer and a major affiliate partner for hardware publishers. Adjacent competitor/partner to Computec's PCGH Gear branded hardware initiative and a leading destination for the same enthusiast audience.

Broad incumbents

• Ziff Davis: US-listed digital media conglomerate owning IGN, PCMag, Mashable, and Tom's Guide. Comparable multi-brand gaming and technology publisher with similar advertising and affiliate revenue model, but operates at much larger global scale.
• IDG Inc. Global technology media, research, and events company historically owning PCWorld, Macworld, and CIO. Comparable international B2B/B2C tech publishing model with similar advertising and event monetization pillars.
• Burda Media (CHIP): Major German media conglomerate publishing CHIP, Focus, and Bunte. Competes with Computec's golem.de and PCGH titles for advertising spend and tech audience share in the German market, with much broader lifestyle reach.
• Red Ventures (CNET, GameSpot): US digital media holding company owning GameSpot, CNET, ZDNet, and The Points Guy. Operates comparable gaming and technology editorial properties with affiliate-heavy monetization, though at a US/global scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/computecmedia/?ref=page_internal
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/48755

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Computec Media