Future Gamer in bed with new Wireplay owners, Gameplay.com

Your favourite weekly email and daily-updated website has just signed an exclusive deal with Gameplay.com, a new company that recently acquired BT's games network Wireplay for around £5.5 million.

This new deal gives Gameplay.com the right to use content from Future Gamer and other Future Publishing magazines (including The Official UK PlayStation Magazine) on its website. In return, we'll carry exclusive ads for their online games shopping operation in Future Gamer and our other games-related websites.

Gameplay.com have also entered into a five-year agreement with Open (BSkyB's Digital TV service) for the inclusion of an interactive Gameplay.com shop as part of Open's interactive television platform. This is the first deal of its kind to happen in the UK.

"Playing computer games is no longer a solo activity. The market is moving rapidly towards a community where users like to talk to each other, play online, exchange tactics, ideas and views on current software titles. Gameplay.com aim to become the one-stop shop in Europe for this expanding community," said Mark Bernstein, Chief Executive Officer of Gameplay.com.

"Does this mean we can go for a beer?" commented Future Gamer's Editor Andy Smith.