3rd Edition
The Video Games Textbook History • Business • Technology
List of Abbreviations
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Introduction
CHAPTER 1 ■ The First Video Games
CHAPTER 2 ■ Behind the Technology
CHAPTER 3 ■ The Atari Age of Home Consoles
CHAPTER 4 ■ PC Gaming Begins
CHAPTER 5 ■ Nintendo Leads the 8-Bit Revolution
CHAPTER 6 ■ Sega Starts the 16-Bit Wars
CHAPTER 7 ■ Sex and Violence Take Center Stage
CHAPTER 8 ■ Sony Dominates the 3D Era
CHAPTER 9 ■ Video Games Become Big Business
CHAPTER 10 ■ Microsoft Enters the Sixth Generation
CHAPTER 11 ■ The Rise of PC Gaming and VR
CHAPTER 12 ■ The Seventh Generation is Set in Motion
CHAPTER 13 ■ Military, Science, and Education Get Into the Game
CHAPTER 14 ■ Mobile and Indie Change the Game
CHAPTER 15 ■ The Eighth Generation and Beyond
INDEX
Biography
Dr. Brian J. Wardyga brings over four decades of gaming passion to The Video Games Textbook, having begun his journey in the early 1980s with the Atari VCS. His personal collection spans nearly every major gaming system since, giving him firsthand insight into the medium’s evolution. That experience, combined with more than 20 years in media production and higher education, helped shape this comprehensive and visually rich textbook—highlighting the consoles, accessories, advertisements, and box art that defined each gaming generation.
A full-time faculty member at Lasell University since 2004, Dr. Wardyga pioneered courses specifically focused on gaming, including Understanding Video Games, Video Games & Culture, and Life Skills & Video Games. His long-standing role as advisor to the Lasell University Video Games Club has further deepened his connection to gaming culture and education. His unique combination of gaming enthusiasm, academic rigor, and media production expertise enables him to present video game history and culture in a way that resonates with both students and fellow gaming enthusiasts.
