The Ultimate History of Video Games by Steven L. Kent

With all the whiz, bang, pop, and shimmer of a glowing arcade, volume 1 of The Ultimate History of Video Games reveals everything you ever wanted to know and more about the unforgettable games that changed the world, the visionaries who made them, and the fanatics who played them. “For industry insiders and game players alike, this book is a must-have.”-Mark Turmell, designer for Midway Games and creator of NBA Jam, NFL Blitz, and WrestleMania Gripping and comprehensive, The Ultimate History of Video Games: Volume 2 explores the origins of modern consoles and of the franchises-from Grand Theft Auto and Halo to Call of Duty and Guitar Hero-that would define gaming in the new millennium.The definitive behind-the-scenes history of the dawn of video games and their rise into a multibillion-dollar business how “lateral thinking with withered technology” put Nintendo back on top.the day the head of Sega of America told the creator of Sonic the Hedgehog to “f**k off”.the cutthroat environment at Microsoft as rival teams created console systems.

And then, to the shock of the world, Bill Gates announced the development of the one console to beat them all-even if Microsoft had to burn a few billion dollars to do it. The PlayStation 2, Nintendo GameCube, and Sega Dreamcast all made radically different bets on what gamers would want. In boardrooms on both sides of the Pacific, engineers and executives began, with enormous budgets and total secrecy, to plan the next evolution of home consoles. But by the end of the decade, they would face new, more powerful competitors. The home console boom of the ’90s turned hobby companies like Nintendo and Sega into Hollywood-studio-sized business titans. In volume 2, he narrates gaming’s entrance into the twenty-first century, as Nintendo, Sega, Sony, and Microsoft battle to capture the global market. In volume 1 of The Ultimate History of Video Games, he chronicled the industry’s first thirty years. Kent has been playing video games since Pong and writing about the industry since the Nintendo Entertainment System.

Making a blockbuster once cost millions of dollars now it can cost hundreds of millions, but with a $160 billion market worldwide, the biggest players are willing to bet the bank.

You won’t want to put this one down.”-Eddie Adlum, publisher, RePlay MagazineĪs video games evolve, only the fittest companies survive. “A zippy read through a truly deep research job. The definitive behind-the-scenes history of video games’ explosion into the twenty-first century and the war for industry power

The Ultimate History of Video Games by Steven L. Kent