Power Unlimited started in June
1993 as a new label of the
Verenigde Nederlandse Uitgeverijen (VNU) under publisher Matt Heffels. Because the VNU's other labels were primarily business and educational publications, a video gaming magazine was considered a major risk, as it lacked an established audience. This meant that
freelance editors Bjørn Bruinsma (who wrote more than 80% of the first issue and was responsible for initial production, advertising, and negotiations with video game importers), , Michael Schaeffer, Ben de Dood, David Lemereis, and Adam Eeuwens created the first issues in Bruinsma's living room until the concept proved viable. The staff received their own office at the VNU after six months and an
editor-in-chief (Edwin Ammerlaan) and executive editor (Ed Wiggemans) were appointed after a year. In the years that followed,
PU grew into the largest
video game magazine in the
Benelux.
Power Unlimited expanded to other activities when it co-organized the events at the annual of the
Hobby Computer Club, and since 2003 several former editors have hosted
Gamekings. This video game show aired on Dutch and
Flemish television for 15 years and became a
web show in 2017.
PU also introduced its own annual
video game awards ceremony, the
Power Unlimited Game Awards, which in 2005–06 became the in collaboration with television channel
TMF. From November 2007,
Power Unlimited was published by
HUB Uitgevers, which had gained the rights to the magazine and several other publications after the VNU was absorbed into
Nielsen Holdings. In August 2013, HUB Uitgevers filed for bankruptcy and
PU was acquired the following month by the newly formed Reshift Digital. In January 2017, Jan Meijroos stepped down as editor of
Power Unlimited. He indicated he would have liked to publish a closing blog post on the magazine's website, "but apparently, a different decision was made".
PU also fielded an
esports team in 2017–18 called
Team Power Unlimited, consisting of
Rocket League players. In 2018, the magazine reduced its annual circulation from 12 to 11 issues by skipping a month in the summer. In 2021, the annual circulation was again reduced by one issue, and in 2025 by another two issues, bringing the total number of issues to eight from that year on. To celebrate the magazine's 30th anniversary in 2023, special issues of
Power Unlimited were published and activities were organized. For example, a compilation book on thirty years of
video game history was published and an exhibition on thirty years of
PU and video game history was organized at the
Netherlands Institute for Sound and Vision. On 14 January 2026, it was announced that Reshift Digital had sold the
Power Unlimited brand. This meant that the new owner would manage the magazine's website without the editorial team, while Reshift Digital was given a license to continue publishing the physical magazine under its old name. The new owner of
PU is a
Maltese gambling company, which is expected to populate the website with
AI-generated articles and
gambling advertisements. In February, the former editors of the online magazine launched the website
ID.nl, where they focus on technology and lifestyle topics in combination with shopping advice. The following month, Simon Zijlemans, editor-in-chief of
Power Unlimited, announced the release of the first physical magazine following the acquisition via the website. ==Features==