To appreciate where gaming is in the modern era then you’ll need to understand the industry’s history. There is some wonderful writing on the subject that covers everything from Nintendo’s evolution into a gaming giant to the advent of coin operated arcade machines. Here’s five of my favourite books on the history of video games.
Hurt Me Plenty: The Ultimate Guide to First-Person Shooters 2003-2010 by Stuart Maine (2025)
Bitmap Books has a history of publishing rich and glossy hardback books about video games and Hurt Me Plenty is no different. This is author (and games designer) Stuart Maine’s second book charting the history of the first-person shooter genre – his first, I’m Too Young to Die, analysed games from 1992 up until 2002. This picks up thereafter, covering the next seven years.
Just like his last book, Maine writes on the subject with a deep passion and authority as he tells the stories behind the making of titles like 2003’s Call of Duty and 2010’s Bioshock 2. It’s a hefty book filled with screenshots and stunning pictures.
Doom Guy: Life in First Person by John Romero (2023)
Without John Romero, the first-person shooter genre would look very different. This autobiography runs through his life and career from writing code for magazines to co-founding ID Software and creating games like Doom and Quake. It’s both heartwarming and hilarious.
The Console Chronicles by various authors (2024)
Published by Lost in Cult, another company that produces stunning books, The Console Chronicles does exactly what its name suggests; it covers the history of video games consoles across the last 50 years. Regardless of whether you grew up with a NES or a PlayStation 3, this hardback dives into the making of almost every gaming system imagineable across its 400 or so pages.
Super Mario: How Nintendo Conquered America by Jeff Ryan (2012)
Jeff Ryan’s 2012 book is a fascinating journey through time alongside one of gaming’s giants. It starts with Nintendo’s initial venture into video games with 1981’s Donkey Kong and explores how a little Italian plumber rocketed the company to global dominance. Ryan manages to write in such a way to keep the reader entertained and thus avoiding fatigue, something I find many history books (even ones on gaming) are unable to do.
Video Game of the Year by Jordan Minor (2023)
Technology journalist Jordan Minor explores the history of video games between 1977 and 2022. He does so by choosing one title from each year, analysing them through essays that investigate the wider zeitgeist and influences of the time. From Pong to Fortnite, Minor’s investigation is a broad stroke that really hammers home just how vast and varied the gaming industry is.
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