EDITOR'S LETTER

1996 Unfolding

We've just about wrapped up the first year of publishing InQuest, and
it's crazy to see all the changes that the magazine's been through. We've
tried lots of new things - some worked great, some not so great - but
overall the product we deliver is a tremendous group effort. The maga-
zine is put together by a group of people who really care about what
they do as well as the industry in which they are involved. The InQuest
crew, the editors, designers, price guide researchers and game-testers
run themselves ragged trying to outdo themselves with every issue, and
they do. I think you'll agree that with every issue we've progressed and
matured as a magazine.

We had to. 1995 proved to be a turbulent one for the still-infant gam-
ing community, and we've had to adapt. As 1996 unfolds we stand at a
crossroads, wondering where the industry goes from here. Though retail
sales on CCGs may not be as high as they once were, the interest in play-
ing has certainly remained. Magic will continue to be strong, with lots of
new younger players coming aboard. The game is just too well-designed
(and too darn fun!) to fall by the wayside. I also believe that a handful of
really top-notch games will stand out in the sea of lackluster CCGs that
were released, most notably Star Wars, Middle-earth, Rage and OverPower.

Support for the CCG market will also materialize in the form of out-
side-interest games. While sci-fi and fantasy games are cool, expect new
fans to enter the scene with the sports- and video-game-based CCGs
that are slowly popping up. While the video-game-based CCGs like Topps'
Killer Instinct should catch some attention on the shelves, expect the
sports games to really turn some eyes to this hobby. The two biggest
out there now are Donruss' Top of the Order and Red Zone, a baseball
and football game, respectively. While Red Zone plays better than Top of
the Order, they both will draw attention from sports card enthusiasts who
will want to collect a full set of each for their sports card collections.
Hopefully some will take a couple of minutes out, realize how much fun
the games are and play as well as collect, maybe even getting their friends
into it.

It's part of what this hobby needs to do. Diversify, test new genres,
come up with new systems of game play and produce quality products.
That combination will insure that not only will this industry maintain its
energy, enthusiasm and viability, but that it grows, reaching out and
expanding to different marketplaces.

And finally, a belated Happy New Year. Enjoy 1996 and keep on try-
ing new games. I know I will. They send us everything free. Whoo-hooo!

See ya soon,

Gareb S. Shamus
Publisher