Is COMPUTE!'s Gazette really being revived ?

djc6 said:

I currently subscribe to a printed newsletter Juiced.GS that covers Apple II news: https://juiced.gs/ - I’ve wanted something similar that covers the Commodore scene, maybe this is it. Thanks for posting!

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As far as 8-bit Commodore coverage, there are current magazines like FREEZE64, ZZAP! 64, and K&A Plus. And for Amiga fans, there's Amiga Addict and Amiga Future. But the one thing they all have in common is that they're produced in Europe.

If this Gazette revival isn't a hoax, it's an opportunity for a North American voice to be published. But I'm still not liking the lack of Commodore exclusivity in this revival, though.

djc6 said:

I've looked at those, but I feel like they are too game centric. I want to know about new hardware (there is always some new Commodore hardware) and utilities and such without having to resort to Facebook groups. Juiced.GS seems to cover everything going on in the apple II scene not just games.

Perhaps because of the Commodore's superior graphics/sound thats why all the games coverage?

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I think that's certainly a big part of it. The C64 was noticeably better at delivering good graphics and sound compared to its 8-bit contemporaries. And the Amiga continued to carry that torch by being better than its 16-bit rivals - e.g. Atari ST, Mac, PC. It's no wonder that games continue to be a celebratory aspect of C64 and Amiga computing.

I also think that reviewing games is easier than acquiring and reviewing new hardware, so reviewing games is a lower-hanging fruit that is more feasible for these small magazines to deliver consistently.

But while FREEZE64 and ZZAP! 64 are heavy on games, don't let the game-oriented art on the covers of K & A Plus fool you.

K & A Plus - Issue 20: MEGA65, Rejuvenator, C64 OS.
K & A Plus - issue 22: Internet as it was in the past, Amiga as a Linux terminal.
K & A Plus - issue 24: New course - 6502 assembly.