Gamer Nation: The rise of Modern Gaming and the Compulsion to Play Again

Ready player one

Author: Eric Geissinger Publisher: Prometheus Books Price: £20 / $25

Release date: Out now

Ten years ago it may have been possible to write a history of gaming covering all the major bases in a reasonably sized paperback book, but that ship has well and truly sailed. Instead, Eric Geissinger – previously credited with making the subject of Bitcoin accessible in Virtual Billions

– eschews the biographical approach, studying gaming more as a cultural phenomenon than as a living, breathing subject.

Consequently, those looking for a compendium of trivia and behind-the-scenes secrets on their favourite console games will be disappointed. While headline grabbers such as Call Of Duty, Grand Theft Auto and Overwatch are granted page time, they are also indicative of the author’s focus on the medium’s wider cultural impact, resulting in more coverage on arcade and mobile gaming, particularly Candy Crush.

While an impartial look at gaming is always appreciated (segments on topics like gaming addiction and some of the more insidious ways in which gaming companies reap profits stand out), it feels like there are gaps everywhere – what’s an examination of gaming without a large section on Gamergate, for instance? It’s smart, if scattershot.

“Geissinger studies gaming as a cultural phenomenon”