Following the first appearance of arcade video games in 1971 and home video game systems in 1972, the commercial video game market was exuberant with fast-paced innovation and profit. New games, gaming systems, and technologies flooded into the market until around 1983, when sales of home game systems dropped, thousands of arcades closed, and major video game makers suffered steep losses or left the market altogether. In Before the Crash: Early Video Game History, editor Mark J. P. Wolf assembles essays that examine the fleeting golden age of video games, an era sometimes overlooked for older games’ lack of availability or their perceived "primitiveness" when compared to contemporary video games.

In twelve chapters, contributors consider much of what was going on during the pre-crash era: arcade games, home game consoles, home computer games, handheld games, and even early online games. The technologies of early video games are investigated, as well as the cultural context of the early period―from aesthetic, economic, industrial, and legal perspectives. Since the video game industry and culture got their start and found their form in this era, these years shaped much of what video games would come to be. This volume of early history, then, not only helps readers to understand the pre-crash era, but also reveals much about the present state of the industry.

Before the Crash will give readers a thorough overview of the early days of video games along with a sense of the optimism, enthusiasm, and excitement of those times. Students and teachers of media studies will enjoy this compelling volume.

About the Author

Mark J. P. Wolf is a professor in the Communication Department at Concordia University Wisconsin. His books include Abstracting Reality: Art, Communication, and Cognition in the Digital Age; The Medium of the Video Game; Virtual Morality: Morals, Ethics, and New Media; The Video Game Theory Reader; Myst and Riven: The World of the D’ni; The Video Game Explosion: A History from PONG to PlayStation and Beyond; The Video Game Theory Reader 2; and the forthcoming two-volume Encyclopedia of Video Games. He is also founder of the Landmark Video Game book series and the Video Game Studies Scholarly Interest Group within the Society of Cinema and Media Studies.

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.

Store Description

Expect Exemplary Service With Our ?Customer-First Philosophy? OUR STAFF IS CONTINUOUSLY GLOVED & MASKED WHEN PACKING YOUR BOOK ORDER. *** ALL OF OUR BOOKS ARE IN STOCK & AVAILABLE FOR IMMEDIATE SHIPMENT. *** SPECIALTY: ART BOOKS *** We offer one of the world?s largest selections of rare and in stock art and design books including artists and subjects from all periods and all regions comprising all related fields: Art, Architecture, Photography, Monographs, Limited Editions, Catalogues Raisonn�s, art history survey texts and scarce auction and exhibition catalogues from galleries and museums and publishers worldwide. *** BOOKS FROM ALL FIELDS: We offer a broad range of publications including scholarly reference works and textbooks in all areas of medicine (including the history of medicine) ranging from psychiatry, genetics, neurology, dermatology, OBG, surgery, psychology; as well as publications in all areas of the sciences and humanities and the arts, such as: philosophy, history, economics, politics, physics, chemistry, computers, biology and medicine, along with music, literature, and painting. *** COLLECTIONS IN ALL AREAS OF THE ARTS: We welcome inquiries about our vast collections under Amazon headings including: paintings, watercolors,drawings, etchings, lithographs, autographs, letters, rare documents and artist albums. *** INQUIRIES WELCOME SHIPPING UPGRADE: DOMESTIC USA FREE COURIER SERVICE: FedEx / Courier Free Upgrade for customers in the US where applicable.*** EUROZONE & OTHER CUSTOMERS OUTSIDE THE US: Free or Discounted FedEx or USPS Priority Shipping Upgrade available for shipments to customers outside the US. Please inquire for details on this offer. Customer responible for all VAT

Visit Seller's Storefront

Seller's business information

Bernard W. Schlesinger Foundation, Incorporated
278 Route 52, Liberty, NY, 12754, U.S.A.

Sale & Shipping Terms

Terms of Sale

Expect Exemplary Service With Our ?Customer-First Philosophy?

ALL OF OUR BOOKS ARE IN STOCK & AVAILABLE FOR IMMEDIATE SHIPMENT. ***

SPECIALTY: ART BOOKS *** We offer one of the world?s largest selections of rare and in stock art and design books including artists and subjects from all periods and all regions comprising all related fields: Art, Architecture, Photography, Monographs, Limited Editions, Catalogues Raisonn�s, art history survey texts and scarce auction and exhibition catalogues from ...

More Information

Shipping Terms

SHIPPING UPGRADE:

DOMESTIC USA FREE COURIER SERVICE: FedEx / Courier Free Upgrade for customers in the US where applicable.***

EUROZONE & OTHER CUSTOMERS OUTSIDE THE US: Free or Discounted FedEx or USPS Priority Shipping Upgrade available for shipments to customers outside the US. Please inquire for details on this offer. Customer responible for all VAT.

With our exemplary service and “Customer First” Philosophy, we guarantee careful and personalized attention to every detail: from order fulfillment to extremely careful and protective packaging; we offer an upgrade to courier shipping and insurance with signed-for delivery (see details below). Our search capabilities are unrivaled permitting us to make the claim that we can provide virtually any publications our customers require.

Shipping rates within U.S.A.

Shipping rates within U.S.A.
Order quantity	5 to 14 business days	3 to 6 business days
First item	US$ 3.00	US$ 5.50

Delivery times are set by sellers and vary by carrier and location. Orders passing through Customs may face delays and buyers are responsible for any associated duties or fees. Sellers may contact you regarding additional charges to cover any increased costs to ship your items.