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PC Accelerator
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<h2 id="history-and-profile">History and profile</h2> <p><i>PC Accelerator</i> was started by Imagine Media in 1998.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:1" href="#fn:1"><sup>1</sup></a> The first issue was published in September 1998.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a> The magazine was published on a monthly basis.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a> Its last issue was dated June 2000.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> </p><p>After the split up of the magazine, <a href="/facts/Editor-in-chief/d76Qb3Tr">editor-in-chief</a> Mike Salmon went on to start the <i><a href="/facts/Official_Xbox_Magazine/cr7tNGIV">Official Xbox Magazine</a></i>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a> While some of the staff was sent to <i><a href="/facts/PC_Gamer/1gokYs0P">PC Gamer</a></i>, others went on to work for <a href="/facts/Daily_Radar/bCqvDMeq">Daily Radar</a>. In September 2007, a special Fall issue of <i>PCXL</i> was released to newsstands only. This issue was primarily written by the current staff of <i>PC Gamer</i> with contributions by former <i>PCXL</i> staff including Rob Smith and Dan Egger.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="format">Format</h2> <p>Games were reviewed on a scale of 0-10. <a href="/facts/Half-Life_(video_game)/hPAqs2gY"><i>Half-Life</i></a> was the only game to receive an 11 (in the February 1999 issue). </p> <h2 id="staff">Staff</h2> <ul><li>Mike Salmon: Editor in Chief and writer.</li> <li>Rob Smith: Executive Editor who went on to helm <i><a href="/facts/PC_Gamer/1gokYs0P">PC Gamer</a></i>.</li> <li>Ed Lee: Writer who eventually left to enter law school.</li> <li>Chuck Osborn: A native of <a href="/facts/Austin%2c_Texas/xpVP4t98">Austin, Texas</a>. Chuck went on to work for <i>PC Gamer</i>.</li> <li>Matt Holmes: associate editor.</li> <li>Eric Smith: Asst. Art Director, then Art Director after Kyle departed.</li> <li>Dan Egger: A junior editor for the magazine.</li> <li>Carrie Shepherd: The managing editor for the publication.</li> <li>Quinton Doroquez aka "Q": Original Art Director who designed the layout for the magazine.</li> <li>Kyle LeBoeuf: Asst. Art Director, then Art Director after Quinton departed.</li> <li>Erik Piller: Marketing Manager / Webmaster.</li> <li>Caroline Simpson-Bint: Publisher.</li> <li>Caitlyn Meeks: CD-ROM designer, also worked for <i>PC Gamer</i>.</li></ul> <p>There were more editors and artists that followed. </p> <h2 id="characters">Characters</h2> <ul><li>"Hector the Scarecrow" - Crafted from a coatrack and gas mask. Hector was dangled from the sprinkler system to appear more lifelike and eventually made a fire inspector very angry. Hector appeared in six issues.</li> <li>"Gia DeCarlo" - An intern who worked at the magazine.</li> <li>"Limey the Lima Bean" - Says "Screw you" to everyone.</li> <li>"Quake Guy" - Frequent hero of Ed Lee Comic Strips.</li> <li>"Laura"</li> <li>"Future Guy" - Future Guy lived one year in the future and knew a year in advance that <i>PCXL</i> was going to get canned.</li></ul> <h2 id="easter-eggs">Easter Eggs</h2> <p>There was a game reviewed in the magazine that never existed... and was completely fabricated including screenshots, developer interviews, company website and a developer company front. </p><p>The small legal print found in the first few pages of the later magazines had hidden messages and swearing. </p> <h2 id="pc-gamerversus-pcxlmatches"><i>PC Gamer</i> Versus <i>PCXL</i> matches</h2> <p>Every night, the staffs of <i>PC Gamer</i> and <i>PCXL</i> would challenge each other to massive team on team <i><a href="/facts/Tom_Clancy%2527s_Rainbow_Six_(video_game)/8TR8TuhU">Rainbow Six</a></i> battles.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> <ul><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20000303021926/http://www.pcxl.com/">PCXL.com (ARCHIVED)</a></li> <li><a href="https://arstechnica.com/etc/games/2000/gars-06102000-2.html">Interview with former associate editor Matt Holmes</a></li> <li><a href="https://arstechnica.com/etc/games/2000/gars-05282000.html">Ars Technica homage to <i>PC Accelerator</i></a></li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>"Imagine Media Launches PC Accelerator Magazine". The Write News. August 25, 1998. Retrieved November 27, 2015. <a href="http://www.writenews.com/imagine-media-launches-pc-accelerator-magazine-82519982" target="_blank">http://www.writenews.com/imagine-media-launches-pc-accelerator-magazine-82519982</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>"PC Accelerator Issue 01 (September 1998)". Retromags. July 29, 2018. Retrieved May 25, 2020. <a href="https://www.retromags.com/files/category/189-pc-accelerator/" target="_blank">https://www.retromags.com/files/category/189-pc-accelerator/</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>"Imagine Media Launches PC Accelerator Magazine". The Write News. August 25, 1998. Retrieved November 27, 2015. <a href="http://www.writenews.com/imagine-media-launches-pc-accelerator-magazine-82519982" target="_blank">http://www.writenews.com/imagine-media-launches-pc-accelerator-magazine-82519982</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>"PC Accelerator Closes its Doors". GameSpot. April 19, 2000. Retrieved March 3, 2016. <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/pc-accelerator-closes-its-doors/1100-2565478/" target="_blank">http://www.gamespot.com/articles/pc-accelerator-closes-its-doors/1100-2565478/</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>"The Big Solutions Group: Who We Are". The Big Solutions Group. Retrieved September 21, 2008. <a href="http://www.bigsolutionsgroup.com/who.html" target="_blank">http://www.bigsolutionsgroup.com/who.html</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>PCXL : Games, Gear, Girls, Gadgets From the Makers of PCGamer: Editors of PC XL Magazine: Books. Future Network Usa. September 15, 2007. Retrieved September 21, 2008. <a href="https://www.amazon.com/PCXL-Games-Gadgets-Makers-PCGamer/dp/B000VM0F20" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/PCXL-Games-Gadgets-Makers-PCGamer/dp/B000VM0F20</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>"IGN: Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Review". IGN. Archived from the original on February 17, 2002. Retrieved September 21, 2008. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20020217223423/http://pc.ign.com/articles/153/153836p1.html" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20020217223423/http://pc.ign.com/articles/153/153836p1.html</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>