[Images in this story are not suitable for work. -Ed.]
Ray360 wants his fans and critics of Gamer Girls Magazine to know one thing: No models were harmed or exploited in the making of this publication.
In fact, the publisher told GamesBeat that the models had total autonomy in the process. They hired their own photographers to photograph them in whatever clothing and poses they wanted, and Ray360 just did the interviews and put the whole thing together.
Ray360, who declined to give his real name or provide a photo because he said he was in the Witness Protection Program, tells us that he brings 10 years of digital and print publishing experience to the pages of Gamer Girls. His third magazine franchise came under fire from gaming blogs and websites for its alleged misogyny and dishonesty. One such condemnation from Canadian Online Gamers even made it to the top of N4G, a video game news aggregator that ranks stories from around the gaming universe on a temperature scale according to views, comments, and other factors. However, Ray360 believes that future issues will quiet the objections of serious video game fans.
Digital and print versions of the first issue launched May 3. It featured photo spreads and interviews with five models. These interview questions ranged from general background information and word association to questions on the model’s perfect man and favorite superhero.
Each interview also includes a “stats” section, which lists the model’s height; bust, waist, and hip measurements; and a score of her “swag level” and sex drive on a scale of 1-10. The models also teach readers about Gamer Girl Magazine‘s five essentials to gaming: technique, coordination, control, styling, and playtime.
The first installment also features a review of the Amazon Fire TV media player to the right of one of the interview pages.
We spoke to Ray360 on the phone and asked him about the response his magazine received, the gaming history of its models, and the future of the Gamer Girls.
Above: The coordination gaming essential.
GamesBeat: What is Gamer Girls Magazine?
Ray360: Gamer Girls Magazine is just another editorial/pictorial magazine that I created. We came up with the concept for it about six months ago. We wanted to feature girls that were playing video games and girls that were into cosplay.
The first issue didn’t really get the whole concept executed the way I wanted it to. I felt like — since it had been six months — I just wanted to get it out there and see how the public would react to it. And it’s definitely been a good reaction.
Gamer Girls is doing great internationally. We have print orders going out to places like Sweden, Germany, Poland, and Italy.
It seems like people all over are really interested in this magazine. It’s still kind of crazy to me that so many people are interested in what it is.
GamesBeat: Why did you create Gamer Girls? Why did you feel like it was something people wanted?
Ray360: This was actually supposed to be just one issue in Cred: Xtra [one of Ray360’s other magazines]. We always come up with different themes to get the talent excited about dressing up.
About four months ago, we came up with the idea to do something with video games because a lot of the girls I know that model do like video games. We put a few ads out there, and the response was overwhelming. I got hundreds of emails from women who wanted to be featured in the gaming issue.
Once we started putting it together, I realized this idea was too big for just one issue. I see this as an entirely new idea that can expand into cosplay, include the characters in video games, as well as getting more in-depth with gaming.
GamesBeat: So you knew a lot of models that play video games? How did the selection process work? Can women apply for future issues?
Ray 360: For the very first issue, a lot of the photographers that I knew in the business actually sent in pictures based on the specifications we had for the magazine. That’s how we selected the five girls in the first issue.
Then, it’s so funny — after the mag came out, I got literally hundreds of emails from women who are gamers and want to be featured in this publication. They can contact us through the Gamer Girls website and send submissions in.
As far as what we’re going to be looking for in the future, you know — just sexy girls that are actual gamers and like to have fun.
GamesBeat: On that note, what kinds of games did the models play?