11 Best Books About Video Games

Love video games and want to read about their history, how they are made and how they became so popular? These 11 books about video games are perfect for you.

If you love gaming and you love to read, there are so many books out there that are perfect for you.

There’s so much to explore when it comes to the games industry: from the history of the hobby and the early days of arcade cabinets and the first home consoles, to deep dives on popular series like Tomb Raider and Pokemon.

Pick up a book and get lost in the incredible, gritty, sometimes painful history of gaming, and come away with a renewed appreciation for your all-time favourite games!

If you’re passionate about the games industry and you want to learn more, here are 11 books about video games that you should check out.

Best Books About Video Games

Blood, Sweat, and Pixels by Jason Schreier

Schreier is a well-respected, influential video game journalist, and he covers some of the biggest events in the industry. He’s well-informed, connected, and understands how the industry works.

If you want a good grounding of how video games are made, as well as some of the major challenges faced by game designers and publishers.

As a player, it’s easy to consume games without ever thinking about how they get made. But actually, as Schreier uncovers, the process of making a game come together is actually pretty miraculous.

This book is an eye-opener: in fact, I’d say it’s a must-read for gamers.

The chapter on the making of the phenomenally successful indie game Stardew Valley is incredible, too.

Lost in a Good Game by Pete Etchell

This book truly explores the emotional connection we have with the games we play.

Etchell explores some of the most popular media talking points around games – violence, addiction, virtual reality, screen time – with an honesty that is refreshing but reassuring.

He truly celebrates the joy that games can bring us, backing up his arguments with data and research.

What makes this book special is the fact that Etchell puts his heart into every page. He uses this book to explore the loss of his father, processing his grief using video games.

Far from being a dry, academic read, this is a personal, passionate book about the importance of gaming in Etchell’s life.

You’ll come away from this read with a renewed appreciation of your hobby, as well as some interesting (and useful!) facts about the psychology of playing games.

Ask Iwata: Words of Wisdom from Satoru Iwata, Nintendo’s Legendary CEO edited by Hobonichi

Getting any kind of insight into how Nintendo took off is a real treat, so these little glimpses of information by the global president and CEO are incredible.

What’s it like to play a game with Shigeru Miyamoto watching over your shoulder?

How does it feel to take huge risks while trying to get everyone in the company on board with your vision?

How do you make sure that everybody working under your management feels valued and included?

As well as these incredibly interesting leadership tips, it’s also a great read for fans of figures like Shigesato Itoi, the creator of the cult classic EarthBound/Mother series.

Iwata clearly had a lot of respect for Itoi, and his reflections and insights into Itoi’s creative process are both touching and fascinating to read.

This would make the perfect gift for a Nintendo fan.

Super Mario: How Nintendo Conquered America by Jeff Ryan

Another must-read for Nintendo fans, this is an in-depth look at how Nintendo went from a humble playing card company to a gaming powerhouse.

Ryan’s research is impeccable, and there are loads of interesting quotes and interviews to enjoy here.

I’d recommend this book to anyone wanting to get a good grounding in the history of video games in general.

If you weren’t around during the home console boom – or if you were too young to really understand it – this is an excellent place to start.

It’s also a great read for seasoned gamers – they’ll still find new nuggets of information here.

Extra Lives: Why Video Games Matter by Tom Bissell

This book stands out for the gorgeous writing: Bissell is a talented writer, and his recollections of how certain games have changed his life are so absorbing it’s hard to stop reading!

More than just a memoir, it also combines some excellent and honest thoughts on the limitations of games, as well as the incredible possibilities.

I’d recommend this to anyone who enjoys an in-depth look at the industry: it’s also the kind of book you can read in small chunks, as each chapter stands alone, like an in-depth essay.

It’s a good one if you’ve been interested in the games industry for a while and you want an interesting perspective on some classic games.

Grand Thieves & Tomb Raiders: How British Video Games Conquered The World by Magnus Anderson and Rebecca Levene

When you think of the games industry, it’s easy to think of key areas like Japan or the US (which currently has the most employees working in the industry).

It’s also easy to overlook the contribution Britain has made to the gaming scene.

This book is a fond and passionate look at those early British gaming pioneers carving a spot for the UK in gaming history.

This is a fun and nostalgic read, perfect for British gamers.

Younger gamers can enjoy learning about the history of the British games industry; older gamers, meanwhile, can enjoy a nostalgic look back at series like Grand Theft Auto and Tomb Raider.

The Art of Point-and-Click Adventure Games by Bitmap Books

Bitmap Books are known for being utterly gorgeous to look at, and this one is no exception.

The Art of Point-and-Click Adventure Games is a good grounding in some of the most influential games in the genre, from the original Kings Quest game and Maniac Mansion, all the way through to newer games like Thimbleweed Park and Tokyo Dark.

It’s the perfect gift for any point-and-click-adventure enthusiast: it’s in-depth, it’s beautiful to look at, and it contains interviews with industry giants that are both fun and informative.

Older gamers will enjoy looking back at the series they love, while newer games can use it as a way to understand the growth of the genre.

Ten Things Video Games Can Teach Us (About Life, Philosophy, and Everything) by Jordan Erica Webber and Daniel Griliopoulous

This isn’t a book for newbies: this is a book for seasoned gamers. It presumes you already have a base knowledge of some of the most popular video games, so it’s not a book I’d recommend for anyone wanting to learn more about how the industry works.

Instead, this is a book of philosophical thought. It throws up some interesting thought experiments and wraps them in examples from video games: if you’ve ever wanted to explore the concept of an identity crisis via BioShock Infinite, this is the book for you.

It would make a good gift for a gamer and could prompt some interesting discussions with your friends!

Replay: The History of Video Games by Tristan Donovan

This is an obvious first point of call if you want to learn more about the industry.

The truth is that the growth of the games industry was a rollercoaster ride: it had some incredible highs and some deep, deep lows. How it developed makes for an exhilarating story, and it’s captured brilliantly by Donovan.

It’s excellently researched, but it’s also funny and interesting to read.

I’d recommend this for young gamers wanting to know how their hobby came about, as well as gaming veterans: there are some fun, insightful little nuggets of information here that you might not have stumbled upon before.

Monster Kids: How Pokemon Taught a Generation to Catch Them All by Daniel Dockery

If you were a kid in the 90s, chances are you – or someone you know – would have caught Pokemon fever.

Even now, Pokemon remains incredibly popular for kids and adults alike. But how, exactly, did this monumentally popular series come about? This book has all the answers.

I’d recommend this for gamers who remember the original Pokemon wave, especially if they were too young to really understand it at the time: discovering how the series was built is a fun ride for a former Pokemon kid.

The Gaming Mind: A New Psychology of Video Games and the Power of Play by Alexander Kriss

Similar to Lost in a Good Game, The Gaming Mind takes an honest look behind the big headlines about gaming. Delving into the facts, it explores some tricky subjects like addiction and violence with honesty, backed up with studies.

What makes this book stand out is the focus on the mind: Kriss is a clinical psychologist and, as such, is mostly interested in how video games impact the mind.

It’s a touching and surprisingly personal look at gaming and the bonds that people make with the games they play. If you’ve ever had a video game that has truly touched your life, this is the book for you.

Whether you love games yourself, or you’re looking for the perfect bookish gift for the gamer in your life, hopefully, you’ve found something that suits you on this list of the best books about video games!

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