Future
Product brand
UnclaimedA British multinational media group built around specialist magazines, digital publishing, comparison services, video production, and advertising-led content brands.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
Future plc is a British multinational media company whose portfolio spans specialist magazines, websites, digital communities, video, events-related media, affiliate commerce, and price-comparison services. It was founded in 1985 by Chris Anderson in Somerton, Somerset, initially publishing Amstrad Action. The company became known for serving enthusiast audiences in areas such as computing, video games, music, photography, technology, home entertainment, cycling, automotive subjects, and creative software. One of its early differentiators was the inclusion of free software on magazine cover discs, an approach that helped make specialist print products more useful to technically oriented readers. Future expanded internationally during the 1990s. It established the business that became Future US after acquiring GP Publications in 1994. That year, Pearson acquired the company for £52.7 million, but Anderson subsequently bought it back in 1998 for £142 million. Future floated on the London Stock Exchange in 1999. Anderson left the company in 2001, after which the group continued to develop a portfolio of specialist editorial brands and official publications associated with major games-console manufacturers. During the early 2010s, Future faced the structural pressures affecting magazine publishing, including declining print economics, changing advertising patterns, and the migration of readers to digital platforms. A profit warning in 2011 was followed by the departures of the chief executive and finance director and by restructuring. The group reduced its dependence on United States print publishing, closed its US-based print publications in 2014, and sold several print categories, including sport, craft, and automotive titles. Zillah Byng-Thorne became chief executive in 2014 and led a prolonged transformation toward a predominantly digital model. The company later pursued an acquisition-led strategy to build scale in high-value specialist audiences and digital commerce. Major transactions included the purchase of Purch's consumer brands in 2018, adding technology properties such as Tom's Guide, Tom's Hardware, and Laptop Magazine; the acquisition of NewBay Media's publishing portfolio; the purchase of Mobile Nations in 2019, bringing Android Central, iMore, Windows Central, and related properties; the acquisition of SmartBrief; and the purchase of Barcroft Studios, subsequently developed as Future Studios. Future also acquired TI Media in 2020, including brands such as Country Life, Marie Claire in the United Kingdom, and a broad collection of consumer magazines, followed by GoCo, the owner of the Gocompare.com comparison platform, and Dennis Publishing in 2021. Its portfolio has consequently combined editorial authority with commercial services. Technology and entertainment brands such as TechRadar, PC Gamer, GamesRadar+, Tom's Guide, Tom's Hardware, Android Central, Windows Central, MusicRadar, and CinemaBlend attract audiences through reviews, news, guides, and buying advice. Other properties address photography, creative work, home interests, cycling, television, and lifestyle. Marketforce, acquired through the TI Media transaction, provides sales, marketing, and distribution capabilities, while Future Studios extends the group into video and other audiovisual formats. Future has continued to rationalize its portfolio as audience behavior and publishing economics have changed. It sold its shooting magazines in 2023 and announced the closure of several US trade titles in 2024. A number of UK consumer magazines also closed in 2024, including Play, All About Space, Total 911, and 3D World; Total Film ended monthly publication after 27 years. Leadership changed again when Byng-Thorne left in April 2023 and Jon Steinberg became chief executive, followed by Kevin Li Ying taking over on 31 March 2025. Future remains an active, London-listed media group focused on specialist content, digital reach, commerce-oriented publishing, and selected consumer services.
History
Future was established in 1985 by Chris Anderson as Future Publishing in Somerton, Somerset. Its first magazine was Amstrad Action, aimed at users of Amstrad home computers. The company developed an early magazine innovation by distributing free software on cover discs, strengthening the practical value of its technology-oriented publications. In 1994, Future acquired GP Publications and established the business that became Future US. Pearson bought Future that year for £52.7 million, but Anderson bought the company back in 1998 for £142 million. Future was listed on the London Stock Exchange in 1999. Anderson left in 2001, while the company continued to expand its specialist publishing portfolio. Future became particularly prominent in games publishing and produced official magazines associated with Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony consoles. Its print operations later came under pressure from digital competition. A profit warning in 2011 led to senior management changes and restructuring. The company cut UK jobs, closed its US print publications in 2014, and sold sport, craft, and automotive titles. Zillah Byng-Thorne became chief executive in April 2014 and led the company's digital transition. The next phase was defined by acquisitions. In 2018, Future bought Purch's consumer brands for approximately $132.5 million, adding technology sites and buying-advice properties. It also acquired What Hi-Fi?, FourFourTwo, Practical Caravan, Practical Motorhome, and NewBay Media assets. In 2019, it bought Mobile Nations, Procycling and Cyclingnews.com, SmartBrief, and Barcroft Studios. The Barcroft purchase created the basis for Future Studios and expanded the group into video. Future acquired TI Media in 2020 for £140 million, adding 41 brands and the Marketforce sales, marketing, and distribution business. It agreed to acquire GoCo, including Gocompare.com, for £594 million, expanding into comparison services. In 2021, it bought Dennis Publishing and its 12 magazines for £300 million. These transactions gave Future a broad combination of specialist websites, magazines, communities, advertising inventory, affiliate-commerce content, distribution infrastructure, and consumer services. The group subsequently continued to reshape its portfolio. Byng-Thorne left the chief executive role in April 2023 and Jon Steinberg succeeded her. Future sold its shooting magazines that year. In 2024, it announced the closure of Broadcasting & Cable and Multichannel News in the United States and closed or discontinued several UK consumer titles, including Play, All About Space, Total 911, 3D World, and the monthly edition of Total Film. Kevin Li Ying became chief executive on 31 March 2025. Future's continuing identity is that of a listed specialist-media group combining editorial brands with digital reach, commerce, video, comparison services, and publishing operations.
- 2025
Kevin Li Ying becomes chief executive
[1]Kevin Li Ying takes over the chief executive position on 31 March.
- 2023
Chief executive transition
[1]Zillah Byng-Thorne leaves the chief executive role and Jon Steinberg takes over.
- 2021
Dennis Publishing joins Future
[1]The acquisition adds 12 magazines and further strengthens Future's consumer publishing portfolio.
- 2020
TI Media and GoCo transactions
[1]Future acquires TI Media and agrees to acquire GoCo, substantially broadening its magazine, distribution, and comparison-services operations.
- 2019
Future expands into mobile communities and video
[1]Mobile Nations, SmartBrief, and Barcroft Studios join the group, with Barcroft becoming the foundation of Future Studios.
- 2018
Purch and major specialist-brand acquisitions
[1]Future acquires Purch's consumer brands and expands its portfolio through additional technology, audio-visual, and specialist publishing assets.
- 2014
Leadership and digital restructuring
[1]Zillah Byng-Thorne becomes chief executive as Future accelerates its transition toward digital publishing.
- 1999
Future floats on the London Stock Exchange
[1]The company becomes a publicly listed business.
- 1998
Chris Anderson buys Future back
[1]Anderson reacquires the company from Pearson after its earlier sale.
- 1994
Expansion into the United States begins
[1]Future acquires GP Publications and develops the business that becomes Future US.
Products and positioning
A scaled specialist-media group combining trusted enthusiast editorial, digital audience platforms, commerce-oriented content, magazines, and adjacent media services.
Technology media
TechRadar
A global technology publication covering consumer electronics, computing, mobile devices, entertainment hardware, software, buying advice, reviews, and product comparisons. It represents Future's combination of service journalism and commerce-oriented digital publishing.
Video-game media
PC Gamer
A specialist gaming brand focused on PC games, hardware, news, reviews, guides, features, and community coverage. It operates across magazine and digital formats and is one of Future's best-known enthusiast properties.
Video-game and entertainment media
GamesRadar+
A digital entertainment publication covering video games, films, television, comics, and related popular culture. Its editorial model combines news, reviews, explainers, features, rankings, and audience-focused guides.
Consumer technology media
Tom's Guide
A consumer technology publication offering product reviews, buying guides, comparisons, how-to content, and news across computing, mobile devices, home technology, and digital services. It entered Future through the acquisition of Purch's consumer brands.
Computer hardware media
Tom's Hardware
A technology publication specializing in computer components, systems, performance testing, hardware news, technical analysis, and advice for enthusiasts and professionals. It formed part of the Purch consumer portfolio acquired by Future.
Mobile technology media
Android Central
A digital publication centered on Android phones, tablets, applications, services, accessories, and the wider mobile ecosystem. The brand joined Future through the 2019 acquisition of Mobile Nations.
Software and technology media
Windows Central
A specialist digital brand covering Microsoft products, Windows, PC hardware, gaming, software, and related services. It combines news, reviews, guides, and analysis for users of Microsoft's ecosystem.
Lifestyle magazine
Marie Claire
A fashion, beauty, culture, and lifestyle publishing brand that entered Future's UK portfolio through TI Media. Its editorial coverage is aimed at a broad consumer audience rather than a narrowly technical enthusiast segment.
Video production · 2019
Future Studios
Future's video division, developed after the acquisition of Barcroft Studios. It produces and develops factual, entertainment, gaming, paranormal, and true-crime programming intended to extend Future's editorial brands into audiovisual media.
Price-comparison service
Gocompare.com
An online price-comparison platform acquired through Future's purchase of GoCo. It broadened the group from content and advertising into a consumer service designed to help users compare products and services.
Controversies
2004
Criticism over positive Driver 3 reviews
Future was accused of corruption after two of its magazines, Xbox World and PSM2, published positive reviews of the video game Driver 3. The episode raised questions about editorial independence and review credibility in specialist games publishing.
Brand decisions
2021
Acquisition of Dennis PublishingM&ABackground
Future continued building scale in consumer and specialist magazines.
Action taken
Future acquired Dennis Publishing and its 12 magazines.
Aftermath
The acquisition expanded the group's consumer publishing presence.
Reported acquisition consideration. £300 million (2021)
2020
Acquisition of TI MediaM&ABackground
Future was consolidating consumer publishing and seeking additional scale in magazines, distribution, and marketing.
Action taken
Future acquired TI Media and its portfolio of 41 brands, including the Marketforce sales, marketing, and distribution business.
Aftermath
The deal materially broadened Future's magazine portfolio and operating infrastructure.
Reported acquisition consideration. £140 million (2020)
2020
Acquisition of GoCoM&ABackground
Future sought to diversify beyond editorial publishing into consumer comparison services.
Action taken
Future agreed to acquire GoCo, whose principal consumer property was the Gocompare.com price-comparison website.
Aftermath
The transaction added a comparison-services business to Future's media and commerce portfolio.
Reported takeover value. £594 million (2020)
2019
Acquisition of Mobile NationsM&ABackground
Future aimed to expand its mobile-technology audiences and digital communities.
Action taken
Future acquired Mobile Nations and its portfolio of mobile-focused brands, including Android Central, iMore, Windows Central, and Thrifter.
Aftermath
The deal increased Future's reach among mobile-device users and technology enthusiasts.
Reported acquisition consideration. $115 million (2019)
2018
Acquisition of Purch consumer brandsM&ABackground
Future sought greater scale in technology content, buying advice, and digital audience monetization.
Action taken
Future acquired Purch's consumer brands, including technology properties such as Tom's Guide and Tom's Hardware.
Aftermath
The transaction strengthened Future's technology portfolio and commerce-oriented publishing capabilities.
Reported acquisition consideration. $132.5 million (2018)
2014
Shift United States publishing toward digital operationsStrategyBackground
Future was restructuring as print publishing faced declining economics and audiences increasingly moved online.
Action taken
The company closed all of its US-based print publications and moved selected print-support functions for international brands to the United Kingdom.
Aftermath
The decision accelerated Future's transition toward a predominantly digital publishing model.
Recent events
Reported
Android Central lays off all full-time staff; owner Future says the site will continue[3]
Android Central, a blog focused on the Android ecosystem, laid off its staff on September 30, 2026. Four of the six staffers on its staff page publicly posted about the layoffs, and remaining staffers confirmed all full-time staff were cut. Owner Future confirmed to The Verge that the site will continue publishing, with new posts coming from freelance contributors, and said it would share further information about the site's future in due course.
Reported
Future announces Aperture audience data platform[4]
Future plc announced the launch of Aperture, an audience data platform that lets advertisers access Future's first-party audience data across its media brands.
Reported
Future announces acquisition of Marie Claire US[5]
Future announced its acquisition of Marie Claire US. Under a new license agreement, Future will produce the US edition in addition to Marie Claire UK.
- Unconfirmed
Reported
Future acquires Mozo[6]
Future acquired Mozo, an Australian personal finance comparison site. Future said the acquisition would add a price-comparison revenue stream and expand Mozo’s market reach through access to Future’s audiences and SEO capabilities.
Reported
Future completes acquisition of TI Media[7]
Future plc announced that it had completed its acquisition of UK-based publisher TI Media, a transaction first announced on 30 October 2019.
Reported
Future remains top US technology news source for seventh consecutive month[8]
Future plc announced that, according to comScore's US media rankings, it remained the most popular source for technology news and information for the seventh consecutive month.
- Unconfirmed
Future announces acquisition of Barcroft Studios[9]
Future plc announced a deal to acquire 100% of UK-based Barcroft Studios for £23.5 million (US$30 million), through a combination of cash and shares. The article said the sale process was expected to be completed by the end of November; it does not establish completion.
Sources9 sources
- 1Future plcen.wikipedia.org
- 2Future plc official websitefutureplc.com
- 3Android Central 裁撤全部全职员工，母公司Future表示网站将继续运营theverge.com
- 4Future宣布推出Aperture受众数据平台finance.yahoo.com
- 5Future宣布收购Marie Claire USfinanznachrichten.de
- 6Future收购Mozomumbrella.com.au
- 7Future完成对TI Media的收购directorstalkinterviews.com
- 8Future连续第七个月位居美国科技新闻来源榜首finanznachrichten.de
- 9Future宣布收购Barcroft Studiosc21media.net
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