Dengeki PlayStation
Dengeki PlayStation was a Japanese video-game magazine focused primarily on Sony's PlayStation platforms and related software.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
Dengeki PlayStation was a Japanese video-game publication devoted primarily to the PlayStation family of consoles and handheld systems. It was launched in 1994 as a special-edition publication associated with Dengeki G's Magazine, during the early expansion of the original PlayStation market in Japan. The magazine developed into a recurring source of platform news, game previews, reviews, release information, strategy material, and coverage of prominent Japanese-developed titles. The publication operated within the Dengeki publishing business, which was associated first with MediaWorks and later with ASCII Media Works. Its editorial focus was closely tied to Sony's PlayStation ecosystem, but its coverage also extended to games and services connected with PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, and online-capable titles. The brand therefore functioned not as a Sony-owned product, but as an independent specialist media property covering Sony's gaming platforms and their software communities. Dengeki PlayStation also served as the source or umbrella for several related special editions. Dengeki PlayStation D began publication in 1997 and was later renamed Dengeki PS2, reflecting its emphasis on PlayStation 2 material. Dengeki PSP focused on Sony's portable system and appeared periodically from 2004. Dengeki Girl's Style began as a PlayStation-associated special edition in 2003 before becoming an independent magazine centered on otome games, boys' love-related games, anime, and manga for a female audience. Dengeki Online D was a short-lived special edition covering online games across multiple platforms. The print magazine's final issue was number 686, released on March 28, 2020. Its cover featured Cloud Strife in connection with Final Fantasy VII Remake. The publisher attributed the end of regular print publication to broader changes in magazine media and in the way game information was delivered. Following the print closure, related digital activity continued through Dengeki Online rather than through the magazine as a conventional print periodical. Dengeki PlayStation is therefore best understood as a defunct Japanese print gaming-magazine brand whose editorial legacy continued within a broader online games-media operation.
History
Dengeki PlayStation emerged in Japan in 1994, initially appearing as a special-edition version of Dengeki G's Magazine. Its launch coincided with the growth of Sony's original PlayStation platform and the increasing demand for dedicated coverage of console software, release schedules, and platform news. The publication subsequently developed its own identity as a recurring magazine focused principally on PlayStation products and games. The magazine was published within the MediaWorks and later ASCII Media Works publishing structure. Its core editorial remit covered the PlayStation brand, while the scope of coverage changed as Sony introduced additional hardware generations and portable systems. Articles addressed games for the original PlayStation and PlayStation 2, and later included PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable material. The publication's role was that of a specialist enthusiast magazine rather than an official Sony corporate publication. Several periodic special editions expanded the Dengeki PlayStation publishing line. Dengeki PlayStation D first appeared on January 22, 1997. It was renamed Dengeki PS2 in September 2001 and concentrated mainly on PlayStation 2, while also carrying material about PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable. The final issue of Dengeki PS2 appeared on February 15, 2008. Dengeki PSP was introduced on December 3, 2004. Published at irregular intervals, it concentrated on Sony's PlayStation Portable and remained in circulation until October 21, 2011. Another branch, Dengeki PlayStation Girl's Style, began on December 4, 2003. Its title was shortened to Dengeki Girl's Style in the early part of 2007, after which it became an independent publication. It evolved from a quarterly format to a bimonthly schedule in April 2007 and later to monthly publication in April 2012. Its editorial emphasis was on otome and boys' love-related games, as well as anime and manga aimed at female audiences. A dedicated BL Version special edition was introduced in 2008. Dengeki Online D was a shorter-lived special edition published between August 31 and December 21, 2007. Unlike the main magazine's platform-centered remit, it covered online-capable games across several platforms, including Final Fantasy XI and Monster Hunter Frontier. The principal print edition continued for hundreds of issues before ending with issue 686 on March 28, 2020. The final cover highlighted Cloud Strife in connection with Final Fantasy VII Remake. The publisher cited structural changes affecting magazines and changes in how game information was delivered as reasons for ending print production. The Dengeki PlayStation presence did not disappear entirely from the publisher's media ecosystem: associated digital content continued through Dengeki Online. The brand's print-magazine era is therefore closed, while its subject matter and editorial heritage remain represented online.
- 2020
Print publication ends
[1]Dengeki PlayStation ended its print run with issue 686 on March 28, 2020, while related digital activity continued through Dengeki Online.
- 2012
Girl's Style becomes monthly
[1]Dengeki Girl's Style began monthly publication on April 10, 2012.
- 2008
Dengeki PS2 concludes
[1]The final issue of Dengeki PS2 was published on February 15, 2008.
- 2007
Girl's Style becomes an independent magazine
[1]The publication dropped PlayStation from its title in early 2007 and subsequently operated as an independent magazine; it also moved to a bimonthly schedule in April.
- 2004
Dengeki PSP launches
[1]The PlayStation Portable-focused special edition was first published on December 3, 2004.
- 2003
Dengeki PlayStation Girl's Style is introduced
[1]The female-oriented special edition began publication on December 4, 2003.
- 2001
Dengeki PlayStation D is renamed Dengeki PS2
[1]The special edition adopted the Dengeki PS2 title in September 2001.
- 1997
Dengeki PlayStation D begins publication
[1]The first issue of the PlayStation 2-oriented special edition appeared on January 22, 1997.
- 1994
Launch as a Dengeki G's Magazine special edition
[1]Dengeki PlayStation first went on sale in December 1994 as a special-edition publication associated with Dengeki G's Magazine.
Products and positioning
A specialist Japanese gaming publication positioned around PlayStation platform coverage, Japanese game releases, and associated enthusiast communities.
Video-game magazine · 1994
Dengeki PlayStation
The main Japanese print publication covering Sony's PlayStation ecosystem. Its editorial material included platform news, software information, previews, reviews, features, and strategy-oriented content across successive PlayStation hardware generations. The magazine began in 1994 and ended its print run with issue 686 in March 2020.
Special-edition video-game magazine · 1997
Dengeki PS2
A periodically issued special edition focused mainly on PlayStation 2 games and information. It also included material related to PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable. It began as Dengeki PlayStation D in 1997, adopted the Dengeki PS2 name in 2001, and ended publication in 2008.
Special-edition video-game magazine · 2004
Dengeki PSP
An irregularly published special edition centered on Sony's PlayStation Portable. It was issued from 2004 to 2011 and formed part of the wider Dengeki PlayStation family of platform-specific publications.
Video-game and anime magazine · 2003
Dengeki Girl's Style
A publication that began as Dengeki PlayStation Girl's Style and later became independent. It specialized in otome and boys' love-related games, with additional coverage of anime and manga aimed at female audiences. Its schedule expanded from quarterly to bimonthly and eventually monthly publication.
Online-gaming special edition · 2007
Dengeki Online D
A short-run special edition covering online-capable games across multiple platforms. Its reported coverage included Final Fantasy XI and Monster Hunter Frontier, and it was published between August and December 2007.
Brand decisions
2020
End of print publication and continuation through digital mediaStrategyBackground
The publisher cited changes affecting magazine media and changes in the way video-game information was delivered.
Action taken
Print production ended with issue 686 on March 28, 2020, while the brand's related digital presence continued through Dengeki Online.
Aftermath
Dengeki PlayStation ceased to operate as a regular print magazine, but its editorial subject area remained represented within the publisher's online gaming-media operation.
Sources2 sources
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