The Games of a Lifetime

Across its 420 pages, The Games of a Lifetime is a video game time machine that takes you on an incredible journey from the very dawn of the industry, through the decades to the present day. It's essentially video game history from the inside, seen through the eyes of Jaz Rignall, 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 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.