Commodore Format is 30 years old today!

Exactly thirty years ago this morning, the very first Commodore Format went on sale ❤

NEW: all the build up and pre launch publicity
NEW: an updated long read telling the story behind issue 1
NEW: read on for why we’re telling the story of the C64 GS today or dive in to the article now
Use the hashtag #CFis30 to join in all week

The Commodore Format Archive has now been on the go for over seven years, and although it’s a bit cheesy I’d like to think that every single day it’s online is a celebration of the magazine. I hope it’s fairly evident that the magazine and the games of the time are an enormous passion of mine. That said, I’d initially been resistant to making anything of the big three-oh on September 20th. After all, it’s only the turning of a calendar page right? It’s all been done. Nothing really changes.

My channelling of grumpy Steve was short-lived when I began to think about the one story we hadn’t really covered properly yet and how it tied in with CF‘s first issue. Today, then, we’ve got part one of a new series about Commodore’s console tragicomedy: The C64GS. We all know it was a C64 without a keyboard and that nobody bought it, and you probably know the carts worked in a normal ’64 too. We’ve scratched the surface before – notably on our old Patreon (RIP) last year – but this time we’re going deeper. What were Commodore thinking? We’ve managed to piece together the full story, from the people who were there, and it’s here for you this morning exactly three decades after CF went big on the front of issue 1. There’s a ton of new info here, much of it published for the first time, including how the project derailed the mysterious C65 and what Commodore UK’s MD really thought about the entire circus.

Today’s big read is only part one of a series that’ll run between now and Christmas, and it’s sure to feature your favourite game or GS moment. Even though the “oversized Fisherman’s Friend” (cheers ZZAP!) was a dumpster fire a lot of the games weren’t, and it’s about time they were celebrated. On that, at least, the calendar has turned without a nod and fist bump for too long.

Enjoy the read, and thanks for being here. We’ll be back in a week with more, and keep an eye on the socials for lots of anniversary stuff through the week too. You can join in with your memories using #CFis30. Happy birthday, Commodore Format! Neil, Editor