Playtype resurrect Publish Gothic as a personality-packed sans serif with 54 individual styles

Publish Gothic was originally designed by Copenhagen-based foundry Playtype for Danish newspaper DAGEN, all the way back in 2001. The publication only existed for a mere 41 days though, meaning the typeface went almost straight back into the drawer. Despite that unfortunate situation, Playtype kept Publish Gothic in the back of their minds, always feeling its timeless character could lead to its resuscitation.

And here it is, seeing the light of day two decades later as a personality-packed sans serif inspired by the quirks and charm of those from the 19th century. Updated and refined for the modern-day, the Publish Gothic family includes a total of 54 individual styles, divided into three distinctive widths: Condensed, Normal and Expanded. As a result, the typeface is extremely versatile; making it just as suitable for characterful headline messaging as it is for functional body copy. In addition to its huge range of weights and widths, a number of stylistic sets allow the typeface to be personalised further to fit the required application.

For the launch of Publish Gothic, Playtype partnered up with the Weekly World News, a historic publication known for posting outlandish fictional stories between 1979 and 2007. The result of the collaboration sees Publish Gothic presented in a selection of Playtype’s favourite headlines from the iconic publication; connecting the typeface back to its shortlived newspaper origins.

Publish Gothic Condensed

Publish Gothic

Publish Gothic Expanded