The definitive behind-the-scenes history of video games’ explosion into the twenty-first century and the war for industry power
“A zippy read through a truly deep research job. You won’t want to put this one down.”—Eddie Adlum, publisher, RePlay Magazine
As video games evolve, only the fittest companies survive. 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.
Steven L. Kent has been playing video games since Pong and writing about the industry since the Nintendo Entertainment System. In volume 1 of The Ultimate History of Video Games, he chronicled the industry’s first thirty years. 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.
The home console boom of the ’90s turned hobby companies like Nintendo and Sega into Hollywood-studio-sized business titans. But by the end of the decade, they would face new, more powerful competitors. 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. The PlayStation 2, Nintendo GameCube, and Sega Dreamcast all made radically different bets on what gamers would want. 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. In this book, you will learn about
• the cutthroat environment at Microsoft as rival teams created console systems
• the day the head of Sega of America told the creator of Sonic the Hedgehog to “f**k off”
• how “lateral thinking with withered technology” put Nintendo back on top
• and much more!
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 Ultimate History of Video Games Vol. 2 is the companion to the first volume of Steven L. Kent's exhaustive retrospective look at electronic gaming. Due out 24th Aug 2021 from Penguin Random House on their Crown imprint, it's 592 (!) pages and will be available in paperback and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately; it makes it so easy to find information with the search function.
I have been playing computer games (literally) since Pong was big. I spent hundreds of hours playing Zork and Rogue and to tell the truth, I haven't slowed down much in my middle age. I eventually (via MUDs MUCKs and MOOs) settled on MMORPGs and have spent the last 20 years mostly in NWN, Everquest, and, today, in World of Warcraft. This entire book was such a blast to read and flip through. It's -exhaustively- researched and annotated. It's full of minutiae and trivia (in a good way). There were stories and anecdotes by the truckload.
The author's style of writing is easy to read and not at all dry or boring. He renders the information in an accessible way without being preachy or overly academic. The chapter notes will provide eager readers a wealth of sources for further reading and research. Interactive footnotes provide context and background without interrupting the narrative flow.
Five stars. This is a master-work and worthy of a place in the gamer's home library (along with the first volume). It would be a superlative selection for school or public library acquisition as well.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
