Play Meter was a US-based trade periodical focused on the coin-operated entertainment industry, published by Skybird Publishing between 1974 and 2018.
The magazine was published monthly (except 1981-1986 when it was published twice a month) and made available primarily through mail-order subscriptions. As part of its video-game journalism coverage, Play Meter offered in-depth industry news, upcoming events, buyer’s guides, and product profiles. Regular features included columns from industry experts and video game reviews complete with a ten-point assessment scale that was a novelty at the time.
Skybird Publishing also produced an annual directory issue that listed active manufacturers, distributors, and suppliers. The advent of the web saw a companion website launched to support the magazine. Play Meter’s online presence included a calendar of upcoming industry events, news, and select articles from the current issue posted for online reading.
More than 600 issues were produced, the last in June 2018. While there is no centralized archive of back issues, individual copies are routinely for sale on eBay and Etsy.
