The Video Games Textbook takes the history of video games to the next level. Coverage includes every major video game console, handheld system, and game-changing personal computer, as well as a look at the business, technology, and people behind the games.
Chapters feature objectives and key terms, illustrative timelines, color images and graphs, in addition to the technical specifications and key titles for each platform. Every chapter is a journey into a different segment of gaming, where readers emerge with a clear picture of how video games evolved, why the platforms succeeded or failed, and the impact they had on the industry and culture. Written to capture the attention and interest of students from around the world, this newly revised Third Edition also serves as a go-to handbook for any video game enthusiast.
This edition introduces new content in each chapter, including coverage of adaptive gaming technology, cloud gaming, influential industry professionals, hardware innovations, and significant gaming milestones—from classic systems to PlayStation 5 Pro, Nintendo Switch 2, and the latest Xbox platforms. Also included for download is a practical document providing directions and links to play many of the video games mentioned throughout the textbook, which can be found at www.routledge.com/9781032972596
Comprehensive Instructor Resources
Educators will benefit from an extensive suite of teaching materials, including:
- A customizable syllabus template with a curated list of supplementary videos to enhance classroom instruction
- A completely updated test bank specifically designed for this third edition, featuring new questions that reflect the latest content
- These instructor resources, found at www.routledge.com/9781032972596, ensure seamless integration of the textbook into any gaming curriculum while providing students with engaging, hands-on learning experiences.
The Video Games Textbook takes the history of video games to the next level. Coverage includes every major video game console, handheld system, and game-changing personal computer, as well as a look at the business, technology, and people behind the games.
Introduction, CHAPTER 1 The First Video Games, CHAPTER 2 Behind the
Technology, CHAPTER 3 The Atari Age of Home Consoles, CHAPTER 4 PC Gaming
Begins, CHAPTER 5 Nintendo Leads the 8-Bit Revolution, CHAPTER 6 Sega
Starts the 16-Bit Wars, CHAPTER 7 Sex and Violence Take Center Stage,
CHAPTER 8 Sony Dominates the 3D Era, CHAPTER 9 Video Games Become Big
Business, CHAPTER 10 Microsoft Enters the Sixth Generation, CHAPTER 11
The Rise of PC Gaming and VR, CHAPTER 12 The Seventh Generation is Set in
Motion, CHAPTER 13 Military, Science, and Education Get into the Game,
CHAPTER 14 Mobile and Indie Change the Game, CHAPTER 15 The Eighth
Generation and Beyond
Dr. Brian J. Wardyga brings over four decades of gaming passion to The Video Games Textbook, having begun his journey in the early 1980s with the Atari VCS. His personal collection spans nearly every major gaming system since, giving him firsthand insight into the mediums evolution. That experience, combined with more than 20 years in media production and higher education, helped shape this comprehensive and visually rich textbookhighlighting the consoles, accessories, advertisements, and box art that defined each gaming generation.
A full-time faculty member at Lasell University since 2004, Dr. Wardyga pioneered courses specifically focused on gaming, including Understanding Video Games, Video Games & Culture, and Life Skills & Video Games. His long-standing role as advisor to the Lasell University Video Games Club has further deepened his connection to gaming culture and education. His unique combination of gaming enthusiasm, academic rigor, and media production expertise enables him to present video game history and culture in a way that resonates with both students and fellow gaming enthusiasts.
