LONDON, UK - FEBRUARY 5, 2025 – Bitmap Books is thrilled to announce the imminent arrival of one of their most iconic video games volumes to date. The Games of a Lifetime, launching February 10 priced at £29.99 (or regional equivalent), showcases a captivating journey across the history of video games. Penned by renowned games industry veteran and lifelong super-hardcore gamer, Julian “Jaz” Rignall, this stunning new volume, complete with Bitmap’s signature quality finish at the turn of every page, transports readers to the most iconic moments in gaming history, with deep dives into the monumental titles that have shaped the industry, as well as Jaz’s illustrious career in video game magazines, leaving an indelible mark on gamers the world over.
Download The Games of a Lifetime press kit here, including Bitmap’s official images.
Across its 420 pages, The Games of a Lifetime is a video game time machine, taking its readers from the very dawn of the industry, through epic milestone decades right up to the present day. Featuring 118 groundbreaking games, including: Space Invaders, Marble Madness, Elite, Bubble Bobble, Tetris, Street Fighter II, World of Warcraft, Horizon Forbidden West, and so much more, this vibrant volume is a must have historical video games bible for gaming enthusiasts and book collectors alike in search of a nostalgic hit.
"The Games of a Lifetime is not an autobiography, and neither is it an encyclopaedia of the best games. It’s basically a nigh-on five-decade-long journey through what were to me the most important gaming events and experiences during that period, starting from Pong through the 8- and 16-bit computer revolutions and the European console renaissance, across the millennium, and all the way to the modern age.” – Julian “Jaz” Rignall
The Games of a Lifetime also includes a bounty of archival photos, amazing box art, vintage arcade flyers, and beautiful hardware and magazine shots. Also featured are specially commissioned illustrations by beloved, prolific game illustrator Wil Overton (Rare, Super Play magazine), who has reimagined classic Mean Machines artworks from Jaz’s era in his own instantly recognisable style.
For more information on The Games of a Lifetime head over to the Bitmap Books website ahead of its February 10 release.
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About the author: Julian “Jaz” Rignall is a hardcore gamer who cut his teeth racking up ludicrously large scores in his local arcades, won the 1983 UK National Arcade Championships, and ended up becoming a journalist/influencer who launched iconic game magazines like ZZAP!64, CVG and Mean Machines, which he wrote for and edited with his customary flair and humour. This was at a time when games magazines had huge influence and importance, which helped put Jaz at the very heart of the nascent UK game business during its most humble beginnings, and continued as the industry exploded into a massive, worldwide entertainment juggernaut. Jaz was also a key factor in bringing Japanese games to Western gamers, reporting on import consoles and games when no-one else was doing that. He would go on to work as a game developer in the US for Virgin Interactive, and then step up as editorial director of IGN, growing the site into a world leader. Today, Jaz works as a game analyst, helping to refine and shape games with vast global audiences.
About Bitmap Books: Founded in 2014 by Sam Dyer, Bitmap Books is a design-led publisher dedicated to producing the highest quality, most visually splendid gaming books ever produced. Renowned for their attention to detail and collaboration with influential outfits, like SEGA, SNK and Atari, as well as industry veterans, including: Mark Cerny, creator of Marble Madness and chief architect of the PlayStation 4 and PS Vita, legendary developer siblings Ste and John Pickford, point-and-click trailblazers Tim Schafer and Ron Gilbert, esteemed SNK producer Yasuyuki Oda, and many more, Bitmap Books celebrates the software, hardware, developers, and studios that shaped the games industry and is committed to preserving and sharing the rich history of video games through exceptional design and storytelling. For more information, please visit: https://www.bitmapbooks.com/pages/our-story
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