Homebrew Game Development and The Extra Lives of Consoles

An in-depth look into the rise and development of homebrew titles for a range of platforms.

The games industry moves fast, with release schedules flying by in a blur and hardware constantly changing and updating. But outside the official world of licences and publishing deals, hundreds of games every year find a new home on consoles which have since been abandoned by their manufacturers. This is the hobbyist’s playground of homebrew gaming.

The first book by freelance journalist and game developer Robin Wilde, Homebrew Game Development and The Extra Lives of Consoles is the first comprehensive history of the unlicensed and unofficial world of homebrew video games. It explores the methods, enthusiasm and motivations behind the developers who are defying technical limitations and turning nostalgia into brand new gaming experiences for retro consoles.

Featuring exclusive interviews with developers behind homebrew hits and Kickstarter successes, as well as others working in the industry, the book dives into what makes the homebrew world tick, and explores some of the best, most innovative, and strangest titles gracing long-retired consoles.

As well as providing unique insight into obscure titles, Homebrew Game Development and The Extra Lives of Consoles explores the ongoing developments in this cottage industry, which are opening it up to more and more aspiring developers. Homebrew is an exciting new frontier for game development, and this book opens the door both for readers who were already interested but didn’t know where to start, and gamers who never knew this world existed.

Robin Wilde is a freelance writer, graphic designer and independent game developer who has written for a range of gaming publications including Nintendojo, Wireframe and Fanbyte. He grew up as a die-hard GameCube fan in the UK, and now lives and works in the Pacific Northwest. When he's not gaming, he can be found on Twitter at @TheWildeRobin or on his portfolio at robinwilde.me.