The Ultimate History of Video Games, Volume 1

From Pong to Pokemon and Beyond . . . The Story Behind the Craze That Touched Our Lives and Changed the World

By: Steven L. Kent

Narrated by: Dan Woren

The definitive behind-the-scenes history of the dawn of video games and their rise into a multibillion-dollar business

“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

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. Starting in arcades then moving to televisions and handheld devices, the video game invasion has entranced kids and the young at heart for nearly fifty years. And gaming historian Steven L. Kent has been there to record the craze from the very beginning.

The Ultimate History: Volume 1 tells the incredible tale of how this backroom novelty transformed into a cultural phenomenon. Through meticulous research and personal interviews with hundreds of industry luminaries, Kent chronicles firsthand accounts of how yesterday’s games like Space Invaders, Centipede, and Pac-Man helped create an arcade culture that defined a generation, and how today’s empires like Sony, Nintendo, and Electronic Arts have galvanized a multibillion-dollar industry and a new generation of games. In this audiobook, you’ll discover:

• The video game that saved Nintendo from bankruptcy
• The serendipitous story of Pac-Man’s design
• The misstep that helped topple Atari’s $2-billion-a-year empire
• The coin shortage caused by Space Invaders
• The fascinating reasons behind the rise, fall, and rebirth of Sega
• And much more!

Entertaining, addictive, and as mesmerizing as the games it chronicles, this book is a must-have for anyone who’s ever touched a joystick.

©2010 Steven L. Kent (P)2022 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“A major triumph.”—Next Generation

“If anyone knows game history, it’s Steve Kent.”—Dave Theurer, creator of Tempest, Missile Command, and I, Robot

“This is the best video game history book I’ve ever come across.”—John Romero, founder of Ion Storm

Truly remarkable

This is an incredibly engaging and in-depth look at the history of video games. I believe this is a must have for anyone interested in this topic. I absolutely loved it!

Loved this

To my Big surprise i loved this book, more than any other book on videogame history

Not so bad history of video games volume 1

Super interesting and enjoyable. This was a pretty deep dive into the minds of the forefathers of what gaming is today, and what it might become in the future. It’s interesting to learn that a lot of the decisions behind these influential companies where purely business related but through luck, timing, and what the market wanted were propelled into era defining moments in gaming history. Worth a listen if your interested in that kind of thing, for sure.

so much I didn't know

my first game system was the NES and it was delightful learning about it's predecessors.
what I found most interesting was learning the corporate dealings, like the origins of playstation. I've played games my whole life, but never paid attention to the people behind the curtain. this book gave me interesting context to one of my favorite hobbies

Great history of Gaming up to 2000

Great detail of an incredible industry! If you grew up in the 80s or 90s, this is a must read!

Back to the foundations of Gaming

In my opinion, it was an excellent way to revisit some of the ‘even before my time’ foundational days of gaming. It took me back to games I played and gave me a background two ones I never knew existed. For me it was a bit too much on the business side of things, but still overall great read.

Very good

Very informative and interesting. Helped me learn a lot. I suggest this book to others.

Long Live Gaming

Very interesting history of gaming that I never knew! The console wars of the 90s was the most entertaining part! Sega still rocks!

A wonderful history

Read this in high school and loved it. Am enjoying revisiting it. Odd pronunciation of random names and words. Yama oochi Hole oh gram. Strange.

just awesome

If you're remotely interested in video games you'll love this book. Especially if you've been gaming since the 80's like me or even further back.