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Press release:
Bitmap Books, Blaze Entertainment and Atari are today very happy to announce that people can now pre-order the “Atari 2600/7800: a visual compendium” book.
Atari® 2600/7800: a visual compendium aims to showcase the very best pixel art, cover art and product design on each system. Spread over 528 pages, it features over 200 classic games, with articles on the leading third-party developers, interviews with key figures in the industry and features on subjects, such as cover art, prototypes and homebrew releases.
This book aims to cover the highs and lows of what was a truly tumultuous period in video game history; an era which laid down the foundations for what has today become one of the world’s most popular forms of entertainment.
Each version of the book comes with a free PDF.
There will be:
Hardback @ £29.99
Softcover @ £24.99
Collector’s Edition @ £49.99 which comes with a set of 5 postcards, bookmark and a pair of A2 blueprint posters (limited to 1,000 units)
Atari’s early tenure as the video game industry’s leading light oversaw seismic change in what was still a very young and evolving sector. Not only was Atari’s Video Computer System/2600 system the first piece of gaming equipment to truly dominate the living room, it also played host to some of the most iconic titles of all time, including Asteroids®, Combat®, Air-Sea Battle, Yars’ Revenge®, Adventure, Missile Command® and many, many more.
At its height, Atari’s name became synonymous with video gaming in the same
way that Nintendo’s would a few years later, but the company – and the industry – fell just as swiftly thanks to the infamous North American video game crash of 1983. Even when faced with this catastrophic event, Atari soldiered on and, the following year, produced the powerful 7800 console – a machine that could easily have returned the firm to its former glory, had its launch in 1984 gone to plan.
Book specifications
528 pages, 170mm x 230mm, 3mm protective board slipcase with lenticular fascia, Lithographic print, Hardback, Sewn binding, Spot varnish cover, Spot varnish dust jacket.
Includes contributions from
Lee Actor, David Akers, Allan Alcorn, Glenn Axworthy, Dona Bailey, Rex Bradford, Nolan Bushnell, Steve Cartwright, Osman Celimli, John Champeau, Samuel Claiborn, David Crane, Bob DeCrescenzo, Joe Decuir, Alex DeMeo, David Dentt, Michael Feinstein, Hal Finney, Will Freeman, Ed Fries, Rob Fulop, Peter Gaston, David Giltinan, Steve Golson, Craig Grannell, Andrew Hayward, Matt Householder, Larry Kaplan, Ray Kassar, Michael Katz, Sam Kennedy, Dan Kitchen, Garry Kitchen, Sam Kjellman, Dennis Koble, Tim Lapetino, Jamie Lendino, Jon Leupp, David Lubar, Doug Macrae, Alan Miller, Laura Nikolich, Chuck Peavey, Julian Rignall, Warren Robinett, Keith Robinson, Perry Rodgers, John Van Ryzin, Greg Sewart, Tom Sloper, Bob Smith, Cliff Spohn, Chris Spry, Dave Staugas, Tony Takoushi, Fred Thompson, Howard Scott Warshaw, Rob Wanenchak, Bob Whitehead, Phil Wiswell, Steve Woita, Robert Workman, Vladimir Zúñiga
Where to order / release date
The book (all editions) is available to pre-order now here
All editions will ship in April 2020
About Bitmap Books
Founded by graphic designer Sam Dyer, Bitmap Books is an award-winning independent publisher of retro gaming books which aims to celebrate the software, hardware, developers, and code shops which laid down the foundations for the billion-dollar industry we know and love today.
About Atari®
Atari®, comprised of Atari SA and its subsidiaries, is a global interactive entertainment and multiplatform licensing group. The true innovator of the video game founded in 1972, Atari owns and/or manages a portfolio of more than 200 games and franchises, including globally known brands such as Asteroids®, Centipede®, Missile Command® and Pong®. From this important portfolio of intellectual properties Atari delivers attractive online games for smartphones, tablets, and other connected devices. Atari also develops and distributes interactive entertainment for Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo game consoles. Atari also leverages its brand and franchises with licensing agreements through other media, derivative products and publishing. For more information: www.atari.com and www.atari-investisseurs.fr. The Atari shares are listed in France on Euronext Paris (Compartment C, ISIN FR0010478248, Ticker ATA) and are eligible for the Nasdaq International Designation program in the United States (OTC Market – Ticker PONGF).
©2020 Atari Interactive, Inc. Atari and the Atari logo are registered trademarks owned by Atari Interactive, Inc. All individual Atari game names and logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Atari Interactive, Inc. or its affiliates.
About Blaze Entertainment
Blaze Entertainment builds on the historic relationships and retro gaming industry experience of the distribution company Blaze Europe, while new management have introduced a team of experienced professionals who have worked previously with the likes of Disney, GAME, Turtle Beach and more. Blaze Entertainment retain the passion for retro gaming that Blaze Europe was founded on, while promising a much more refined product offering, acting as a product developer and manufacturer.
Jonas “O.J” Ek
The Gaming Ground
Twitter: @TheGamingGround
More by Jonas Ek:
Tags: Atari, Atari 2600, Atari 7800, Bitmap Books, Blaze Entertainment, Books, Retro games, Video games
