Console Wars: Sega Vs Nintendo - and the Battle that Defined a Generation - Softcover

Harris, Blake

Softcover

ISBN 10: 178239527X ISBN 13: 9781782395270

Publisher: Atlantic Books, 2014

Synopsis

Sonic versus Super Mario. This gripping behind-the-scenes business thriller describes how small scrappy Sega took on the giant Nintendo and won, in the process revolutionizing the video game industry. It is a must-read for anyone who loved Ben Mezrich's Accidental Millionaires and Michael Lewis's Moneyball.
In 1990 Nintendo had a virtual monopoly on the video game industry. Sega, on the other hand, was a faltering arcade company with big aspirations and even bigger personalities. But that would all change with the arrival of Tom Kalinske, a man who knew nothing about video games and everything about fighting uphill battles. His unconventional tactics, combined with the blood, sweat and bold ideas of his renegade employees, transformed Sega and eventually led to a ruthless David-and-Goliath showdown with rival Nintendo.

The battle was vicious, relentless and highly profitable, eventually sparking a global corporate war that would be fought on several fronts: from living rooms and schoolyards to boardrooms and Congress. It was a once-in-a-lifetime, no-holds-barred conflict that pitted brother against brother, kid against adult, Sonic against Mario, and the US against Japan.

Console Wars is the underdog tale of how Kalinske miraculously turned an industry punchline into a market leader. It's the story of how a humble family man, with an extraordinary imagination and a gift for turning problems into competitive advantages, inspired a team of underdogs to slay a giant and, as a result, birth a $60 billion dollar industry.

About this title

Review:

A riveting story full of colorful characters. While the story is presented as a series of contrasts-Nintendo vs. Sega, Mario vs. Sonic -it's also a fascinating, even illuminating, history of the video game industry as seen through the experiences of two influential companies and a host of participants, ending with the advent of the fifth generation consoles. This is an essential read for any interested in the evolution of video games, and the rise and fall of Sega., Publishers Weekly

[The] book is a highly entertaining behind-the-scenes thriller in which price fixing, psychotically aggressive marketing schemes and, occasionally, genuine innovation all come into play., Kirkus Reviews

I was hooked from the first page. Harris tells the David vs Goliath story of Sega's epic battle against the gaming behemoth Nintendo... Infighting, corporate greed, scrappy genius vs antiquated business models - Console Wars has it all., Ben Mezrich

lt's a rollicking tale, with more ups and downs than one of their 16-bit platformers., Wired

If you're a video-game fan, Blake Harris's behind-the-scenes snapshot of Sega's battle against Nintendo is compelling reading., Shortlist

From the Author:

Blake J. Harris is a writer/director and co-founder of Flying Penguin Pictures, which has produced such films as The Flying Scissors and Such Great Heights. Currently, Harris is co-directing Console Wars, the documentary based on his book, which is being produced by Scott Rudin, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. He is also serving as an executive producer on the feature film adaptation.

About this edition

• Publisher: Atlantic Books
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 178239527X
• ISBN 13: 9781782395270
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 576