Welcome,
After recently listening to a new podcast about game development titled Humans Who Make Games with Adam Conover (see podcast section), I thought it would be a good idea to open a thread sharing our favorite pieces of media about game development.
I created this thread to provide a space for us to build a comprehensive, ongoing compilation of great podcasts, documentaries, books and articles about game development, so that people who want to become more knowledgeable about the topic can jump in here. I also think it is important to learn more about process and the immense difficulties it takes to create the games we so often love to talk about. Especially the fact that actual human beings put their time and effort into these games to me is essential. After learning more about the process, I became much more forgiving and grateful to video game developers. Since this is my first thread of this kind, I will be very thankful of suggestions! I will try to update this thread frequently with new media and suggestions by the community!
Thread updated: 10 May 2019
Podcasts:
Tone Control – Conversations with game developers by Steve Gaynor (Fullbright)
Episodes: 28 (2013-2018)
Summary: Host Steve Gaynor, creator of Gone Home and Tacoma, get's together with prominent figures from the gaming world to talk about game development, creativity and challenges that arise while creating video games. Guests include among others: Jake Rodkin & Sean Vanaman (Campo Santo), Neil Druckmann (Naughty Dog), Jonathan Blow (creator of Braid and The Witness), Davey Wreden (creator of The Stanley Parable and Beginner's Guide), Bennett Foddy (creator of QWOP and Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy), and Nina Freeman (Fullbright).
Links:
Website
iTunes
RSS
The AIAS Game Maker's Notebook by Ted Price (Insomniac Games)
Episodes: 26 (2017-)
Summary: "The AIAS Game Maker's Notebook is a podcast featuring a series of in-depth, one-on-one conversations between game makers. Each episode is hosted by a fellow game maker and provides a thoughtful, intimate perspective on the business and craft of interactive entertainment that will explore the tenants of D.I.C.E.; Design, Innovate, Communicate, and Entertain. Season One is hosted by Ted Price, Board Member of the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences and Founder & CEO of Insomniac Games." Guests include among others: Jenova Chen (Thatgamecompany), Brendan Greene, aka PLAYERUNKNOWN (creative director and lead designer for PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds), Hermen Hulst (Guerrilla Games), Christina Norman (Riot Games), Todd Howard (Bethesda Game Studios), Jeff Kaplan (Blizzard Entertainment), Cory Barlog (Santa Monica Studio) and Ashraf Ismail (game director of Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, Assassin's Creed Origins).
Links:
Website
Spotify
iTunes
RSS
Google Play
YouTube
Humans who make games by Adam Conover (creator of Adam Ruins Everything)
Episodes: 9 (2019-)
Summary: Comedian Adam Conover gets together with developers to talk about game development, the stories behind the games they created and his experiences with video games. Guests included: Edmund McMillen (Super Meat Boy, The Binding of Isaac), Derek Yu (Spelunky), Christine Love (Digital: A Love Story, Analogue: A Hate Story, Ladykiller in a Bind) and Jason Rohrer (Passage, The Castle Doctrine, One Hour One Life). Episode 7 focuses on Game Workers Unite, an organization dedicated to advocating for workers' rights in the games industry.
Links
Website
iTunes
RSS
YouTube
IGN Unfiltered by Ryan Mccaffrey (IGN)
Episodes: 39 (2015-)
Summary: A long-form interview show by Ryan McCaffrey of IGN with the goal to get a new perspective on game developers are and where they came from. Guests include among others: Tim Schafer (Double Fine), Vince Zampella (Respawn Entertainment), Ed Boon (creator of Mortal Kombat), Craig Duncan (Rare Studio), Josef Fares (Writer/Director of Brothers and A Way Out) and Mike Wang (NBA 2K Gameplay Director).
Links:
Website
iTunes
RSS
YouTube
8-4 Play hosted by Mark MacDonald
Episodes: 234 (2010-)
Summary: A podcast by video game localization company 8-4 about video games and Japan. They often include anecdotes about their work in the podcast as well as invite developers on their show to talk about their games.
Links:
Patreon: Coming soon
Thread on Resetera
Twitter
Website
Spotify
iTunes
RSS
Books:
Blood, Sweat and Pixels by Jason Schreier (Kotaku)
Release date: 05 September 2017
Summary: "Developing video games—hero's journey or fool's errand? The creative and technical logistics that go into building today's hottest games can be more harrowing and complex than the games themselves, often seeming like an endless maze or a bottomless abyss. In Blood, Sweat, and Pixels, Jason Schreier takes readers on a fascinating odyssey behind the scenes of video game development, where the creator may be a team of 600 overworked underdogs or a solitary geek genius. Exploring the artistic challenges, technical impossibilities, marketplace demands, and Donkey Kong-sized monkey wrenches thrown into the works by corporate, Blood, Sweat, and Pixels reveals how bringing any game to completion is more than Sisyphean—it's nothing short of miraculous." Games included in the book: Diablo III, Destiny, The Witcher 3, Halo Wars, Uncharted 4, Shovel Knight, Star Wars 1313, Pillars of Eternity, Dragon Age: Inquisition and Stardrew Valley.
Links:
Kotaku Article
Amazon.com
Updates for the upcoming book
Spelunky by Derek Yu (Released through Boss Fight Books)
Release date: 29 March 2016
Summary: "When Derek Yu released Spelunky for free in 2008, his roguelike-inspired platformer took the indie game community by storm with its combination of classic platform mechanics, extreme difficulty, and random level generation. Four years later, Spelunky's HD remake went on to become PC Gamer's Game of the Year and earn perfect scores from Polygon and Eurogamer. But how is a "perfect" game made?"
Links:
Website
Amazon.com
Final Fantasy V by Chris Kohler (Released through Boss Fight Books)
Release date: 24 October 2017
Summary: "When Final Fantasy V was released for the Japanese Super Famicom in 1992, the fantasy role-playing game was an instant hit, selling two million copies in the first two months alone. But the game was dubbed "too hardcore" for a Western audience and was and was not released outside Japan. That didn't stop a teenage Chris Kohler from tracking down Final Fantasy V. The young RPG fan got a Japanese copy of the game, used it to teach himself Japanese, and with the help of some internet companions created the first-ever comprehensive English-language FAQ of the game."
Links:
Website
Amazon.com
Directing Video Games: 101 Tips for Creative Leaders by Brian Allgeier (Insomniac Games)
Release date: 06 May 2017
Summary: "What does a video game director actually do? What guiding principles do they follow while leading a team of game creators? Longtime Ratchet & Clank director, Brian Allgeier, boils down his decades of experience into 101 fully illustrated tips."
Links:
Amazon.com
Indie Games: From Dream to Delivery by Don L. Daglow (creator of Neverwinter Nights)
Release date: 18 February 2018
Summary: "A Step-by-Step Master Class for People Who Want to Design & Deliver Indie Games"
Links:
Amazon.com
Significant Zero: Heroes, Villains, and the Fight for Art and Soul in Video Games by Walt Williams (Writer of Spec Ops: The Line & Star Wars Battlefront 2)
Release date: 19 Setember 2017
Summary: "Williams pulls back the curtain on an astonishingly profitable industry that has put its stamp on pop culture and yet is little known to those outside its walls. In his reflective yet comically-observant voice, Williams walks you through his unlikely and at times inglorious rise within one of the world's top gaming companies, exposing an industry abundant in brain power and out-sized egos, but struggling to stay innovative. Significant Zero also provides clear-eyed criticism of the industry's addiction to violence and explains how the role of the narrative designer—the poor soul responsible for harmonizing gameplay with storylines—is crucial for expanding the scope of video games into more immersive and emotional experiences."
Links:
Website
Amazon.com
Power-Up by Chris Kohler (Kotaku)
Release date: 2004 and re-released in 2016 (updated version)
Summary: "Why are Japanese video games a worldwide sensation? This enjoyable and informative survey explores the reasons, starting with how Japanese developers raised the medium to an art form. The book also traces the ways in which the developers' ideas infused popular culture beyond the gaming world."
Links:
Website
Amazon.com
Women in Gaming: 100 Professionals of Play by Meagan Marie (Senior Community Manager at Crystal Dynamics)
Release date: 04 December 2018
Summary: "Women in Gaming: 100 Professionals of Play is a celebration of women's accomplishments in the video game industry, ranging from high-level executives to programmers to pro-gamers. This insightful and celebratory book highlights women who helped establish the industry, women who disrupt it, women who fight to diversify it, and young women who will someday lead it. Featuring household names and unsung heroes, each individual profiled plays an important role in the gaming industry."
Links:
Website
Amazon.com
The Untold History of Japanese Game Developers by John Szczepaniak (added by masaa)
Release date: 04 August 2014
Summary: This book reveals more secrets about the untold history of Japanese game developers than ever before, with 36 interviewees and exclusive archive photos. 3 Volumes in total.
Links:
Amazon.com
Pix 'n Love book series (most of them are in French, some are in English)
(added by masaa)
Summary: "They have well documented books on game history and extensive interviews with developpers. Some of their books have been published in english and one of my most prized one is the book on Gunpei Yokoi, titled: Gunpei Yokoi: The Life & Philosophy of Nintendo's God of Toys. Unfortunately, this one seems to be out of print as of now. "
Links:
Website
Amazon.com
The Making of Karateka: Journals 1982-1985 by Jordan Mechner (added by famikon )
Summary: "In 1982 -- the era of Apple II and Commodore 64 -- 17-year-old college freshman and aspiring game designer Jordan Mechner began keeping a private journal. This first volume is a candid account of the personal, creative and technical struggles that led to his breakthrough success with Karateka, which topped bestseller charts in 1985, and planted the seeds of his next game, Prince of Persia."
Links:
Amazon.com
The Making of Prince of Persia: Journals 1985 - 1993 by Jordan Mechner (added by famikon )
Summary: "Before Prince of Persia was a best-selling video game franchise and a Jerry Bruckheimer movie, it was an Apple II computer game created and programmed by one person, Jordan Mechner. Also available as an ebook, Mechner's candid journals from the time capture his journey from his parents' basement to the forefront of the fast-growing 1980s video game industry… and the creative, technical and personal struggles that brought the prince into being and ultimately into the homes of millions of people worldwide."
Links:
Amazon.com
Documentaries:
Grounded: The making of The Last of Us
Release date: 24 February
Double Fine Adventure! by 2 Player Productions
Release date: 28 January 2014
Summary: "In March 2012, video game legend Tim Schafer made history with the Double Fine Adventure Kickstarter, a crowdfunding campaign that changed the way games are created and funded forever. For three years, a documentary crew captured the once-secretive process of video game development, chronicling the creation of "Broken Age" from a Kickstarter pitch to a finished game and beyond. Along the way, Schafer and his team at Double Fine persevered through production delays, internal strife, financial crises, looming deadlines, sickness, layoffs, and the weighty expectations of a critical public."
Links:
Website
Physical edition
Indie Game: The Movie by James Swirsky & Lisanne Pajot
Release date: 18 May 2012
Summary: "The film is about the struggles of independent game developers Edmund McMillen and Tommy Refenes during the development of Super Meat Boy, Phil Fish during the development of Fez, and also Jonathan Blow, who reflects on the success of Braid."
Links:
Website
Steam
God of War - Raising Kratos by Brandon Akiaten
Release date: 10 May 2019
Summary: "Raising Kratos documents the five-year, herculean effort to reinvent one of the greatest stories in gaming, God of War. Facing an unknown future, Santa Monica Studio took a massive risk, fundamentally changing their beloved franchise and re-establishing their rightful place in video game history. More than just a "making of," this cinematic journey of second chances rooted in family, sacrifice, struggle and doubt follows game director Cory Barlog and those who chase perfection in art and storytelling. Witness the incredible defeats, the unpredictable outcomes and the down-to-the-wire tension on full display in this true-life redemption story."
Links:
YouTube
Noclip video game documentary series
Episodes: 21 (2016-)
Random Trailer:
Summary: "Since September of 2016 Noclip has been creating documentaries about video games created by developers all around the world. Funded entirely by our Patrons, we've been on a mission to create a vault of timeless documentaries to help preserve the story of videos games for generations to come. All of these documentaries are available to watch on YouTube for free."
Games featured:
Year One
Year Two
Year Three
Links:
Patreon
Website
YouTube
GDC Vault
Summary: "GDC Vault is a trove of in-depth design, technical and inspirational talks and slides from the influencers of the game development industry, taken from over 20 years of the worldwide Game Developers Conferences."
Links:
Website
YouTube
Diggin' in The Carts (added by masaa)
Summary: "A mini documentory series produced by Red Bull Music academy. It features a lot of musicians who shaped video game music, including Yoko Shimomura, Nobuo Uematsu, Yuzo Koshiro and more."
Links:
Website
YouTube
Another World - The Making Of with Eric Chahi (added by masaa)
Summary: In-depth look behind the scenes of the developers of Another World.
Links:
YouTube
Branching Paths - A Journey through Japan's indie game scene (added by famikon )
Summary: "Branching Paths is a mosaic of the developers, publishers and people who gravitate to indie games in Japan."
Links:
Website
YouTube Trailer
iTunes
Playism
Steam
Archipel - Japan centric documentaries on YouTube (added by famikon )
Summary: "Archipel is a YouTube channel that shows and expresses various aspects of Japanese culture through documentary-style video content."
Links:
YouTube
Patreon
Twitter
Gameumentary - Telling the stories behind the games we play (Added by machinaea)
Summary: "Gameumentary produces feature-length video game documentaries. We've told the stories of many studios and developers, including Darksiders, Kingdom Come: Deliverance and Divinity: Original Sin."
Links:
YouTube
Pateron
Twitter
Articles & Interviews:
- How Fortnite's success led to months of intense crunch at Epic Games by Colin Campbell (Polygon)
Release date: 23 April 2019
Quick summary: A peak behind the curtain on what it takes to be a developer that works on the most popular game of recent years. In order to satisfy consumer demands the devs felt immense pressure and had to crunch in order for them to deliver.
- How BioWare's Anthem Went Wrong by Jason Schreier (Kotaku)
Release date: 02 April 2019
Quick summary: An in-depth look behind the scenes of Anthem's development. It details the work situation under a major AAA studio.
- Making games for a living means being in constant fear of losing your job by Katie Chironis (Senior Game Designer at Riot Games) via Polygon
Release date: 05 March 2019
Quick summary: Inside look into the reality of what it's like to be a developer trying to survive in the industry. The theme of the article is the constant fear of loosing one's job.
- Inside Rockstar Games' Culture Of Crunch by Jason Schreier (Kotaku)
Release date: 23 October 2018
Quick summary: Great article on the topic of crunch that gives great insight into the culture of Rockstar Games.
- The minds behind Uncharted and Firewatch talk candidly about surviving in the games industry by Amy Hennig and Sean Vanaman (Polygon)
Release date: 12 January 2018
Quick summary: Really interesting conversation between Vanaman and Hennig about various topics related to video games and game development
- Final Fantasy 7: An oral history by Matt Leone (Polygon)
Release date: 09 January 2018 (Physical release 21 September 2018)
Quick summary: "An inside look at the creation and fallout of Square's industry-defining role-playing game, as told by those who were there."
- Iwata Asks by Satoru Iwata (Nintendo)
Quick summary: Incredible inside look behind the scenes into one of gamings' most secretive companies. Very fun and candid interviews.
- Hardcore Gaming 101
Quick summary: They have a good list of interviews, and are a great ressource generally speaking, especially if you're into older games and series (added by masaa).
- Source Gaming
Quick summary: Similiar to Hardcore Gaming 101 but they have a lot more recent interviews. Of note is their translations of Masahiro Sakurai's Famitsu columns (added by masaa).
- Critical Path
Quick summary: They have a lot of short interviews and conversations with tons of renown devs (mainly western ones, but a few Japanese ones also pop up such as Kojima and Inafune) mainly about their hindsights about the game industry and their design decisions (added by masaa).
- Shmuplations
Quick summary: Can't believe I forgot about this one. This also has a large collection of interviews/conversations (290 in total) with Japanese developpers. It's a genuine treasure trove (added by masaa).
- Video Game Densetsu
Quick summary: This tumblr is disorganized and also dead now. It focuses on concept art and planning documents, and has a few biographies. What I find it more interesting for are the old pictures of office spaces and seeing developers at their work stations (addeed by masaa).
Other:
Game Center CX (added by masaa)
Summary: "Slightly out of left field, but I'd also like to recommend Game Center CX. Today, it mostly revolves around a middle-aged man struggling to complete old video games, but back in the first season, it featured interviews with developers (notably a rare appearance of Satoshi Tajiri, the original creator of Pokémon). A few years ago, Iwata also joined on the show to interview the host of the show Arino as part of his Iwata Asks series, but it sort of turned into a double interview. I highly recommend you watch this episode to get a taste of it. Hopefully, some people here who come for the interviews will stay for the let's plays."
After recently listening to a new podcast about game development titled Humans Who Make Games with Adam Conover (see podcast section), I thought it would be a good idea to open a thread sharing our favorite pieces of media about game development.
I created this thread to provide a space for us to build a comprehensive, ongoing compilation of great podcasts, documentaries, books and articles about game development, so that people who want to become more knowledgeable about the topic can jump in here. I also think it is important to learn more about process and the immense difficulties it takes to create the games we so often love to talk about. Especially the fact that actual human beings put their time and effort into these games to me is essential. After learning more about the process, I became much more forgiving and grateful to video game developers. Since this is my first thread of this kind, I will be very thankful of suggestions! I will try to update this thread frequently with new media and suggestions by the community!
Thread updated: 10 May 2019
Podcasts:
Tone Control – Conversations with game developers by Steve Gaynor (Fullbright)
Episodes: 28 (2013-2018)
Summary: Host Steve Gaynor, creator of Gone Home and Tacoma, get's together with prominent figures from the gaming world to talk about game development, creativity and challenges that arise while creating video games. Guests include among others: Jake Rodkin & Sean Vanaman (Campo Santo), Neil Druckmann (Naughty Dog), Jonathan Blow (creator of Braid and The Witness), Davey Wreden (creator of The Stanley Parable and Beginner's Guide), Bennett Foddy (creator of QWOP and Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy), and Nina Freeman (Fullbright).
Links:
Website
iTunes
RSS
The AIAS Game Maker's Notebook by Ted Price (Insomniac Games)
Episodes: 26 (2017-)
Summary: "The AIAS Game Maker's Notebook is a podcast featuring a series of in-depth, one-on-one conversations between game makers. Each episode is hosted by a fellow game maker and provides a thoughtful, intimate perspective on the business and craft of interactive entertainment that will explore the tenants of D.I.C.E.; Design, Innovate, Communicate, and Entertain. Season One is hosted by Ted Price, Board Member of the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences and Founder & CEO of Insomniac Games." Guests include among others: Jenova Chen (Thatgamecompany), Brendan Greene, aka PLAYERUNKNOWN (creative director and lead designer for PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds), Hermen Hulst (Guerrilla Games), Christina Norman (Riot Games), Todd Howard (Bethesda Game Studios), Jeff Kaplan (Blizzard Entertainment), Cory Barlog (Santa Monica Studio) and Ashraf Ismail (game director of Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, Assassin's Creed Origins).
Links:
Website
Spotify
iTunes
RSS
Google Play
YouTube
Humans who make games by Adam Conover (creator of Adam Ruins Everything)
Episodes: 9 (2019-)
Summary: Comedian Adam Conover gets together with developers to talk about game development, the stories behind the games they created and his experiences with video games. Guests included: Edmund McMillen (Super Meat Boy, The Binding of Isaac), Derek Yu (Spelunky), Christine Love (Digital: A Love Story, Analogue: A Hate Story, Ladykiller in a Bind) and Jason Rohrer (Passage, The Castle Doctrine, One Hour One Life). Episode 7 focuses on Game Workers Unite, an organization dedicated to advocating for workers' rights in the games industry.
Links
Website
iTunes
RSS
YouTube
IGN Unfiltered by Ryan Mccaffrey (IGN)
Episodes: 39 (2015-)
Summary: A long-form interview show by Ryan McCaffrey of IGN with the goal to get a new perspective on game developers are and where they came from. Guests include among others: Tim Schafer (Double Fine), Vince Zampella (Respawn Entertainment), Ed Boon (creator of Mortal Kombat), Craig Duncan (Rare Studio), Josef Fares (Writer/Director of Brothers and A Way Out) and Mike Wang (NBA 2K Gameplay Director).
Links:
Website
iTunes
RSS
YouTube
8-4 Play hosted by Mark MacDonald
Episodes: 234 (2010-)
Summary: A podcast by video game localization company 8-4 about video games and Japan. They often include anecdotes about their work in the podcast as well as invite developers on their show to talk about their games.
Links:
Patreon: Coming soon
Thread on Resetera
Website
Spotify
iTunes
RSS
Books:
Blood, Sweat and Pixels by Jason Schreier (Kotaku)
Release date: 05 September 2017
Summary: "Developing video games—hero's journey or fool's errand? The creative and technical logistics that go into building today's hottest games can be more harrowing and complex than the games themselves, often seeming like an endless maze or a bottomless abyss. In Blood, Sweat, and Pixels, Jason Schreier takes readers on a fascinating odyssey behind the scenes of video game development, where the creator may be a team of 600 overworked underdogs or a solitary geek genius. Exploring the artistic challenges, technical impossibilities, marketplace demands, and Donkey Kong-sized monkey wrenches thrown into the works by corporate, Blood, Sweat, and Pixels reveals how bringing any game to completion is more than Sisyphean—it's nothing short of miraculous." Games included in the book: Diablo III, Destiny, The Witcher 3, Halo Wars, Uncharted 4, Shovel Knight, Star Wars 1313, Pillars of Eternity, Dragon Age: Inquisition and Stardrew Valley.
Links:
Kotaku Article
Amazon.com
Updates for the upcoming book
Spelunky by Derek Yu (Released through Boss Fight Books)
Release date: 29 March 2016
Summary: "When Derek Yu released Spelunky for free in 2008, his roguelike-inspired platformer took the indie game community by storm with its combination of classic platform mechanics, extreme difficulty, and random level generation. Four years later, Spelunky's HD remake went on to become PC Gamer's Game of the Year and earn perfect scores from Polygon and Eurogamer. But how is a "perfect" game made?"
Links:
Website
Amazon.com
Final Fantasy V by Chris Kohler (Released through Boss Fight Books)
Release date: 24 October 2017
Summary: "When Final Fantasy V was released for the Japanese Super Famicom in 1992, the fantasy role-playing game was an instant hit, selling two million copies in the first two months alone. But the game was dubbed "too hardcore" for a Western audience and was and was not released outside Japan. That didn't stop a teenage Chris Kohler from tracking down Final Fantasy V. The young RPG fan got a Japanese copy of the game, used it to teach himself Japanese, and with the help of some internet companions created the first-ever comprehensive English-language FAQ of the game."
Links:
Website
Amazon.com
Directing Video Games: 101 Tips for Creative Leaders by Brian Allgeier (Insomniac Games)
Release date: 06 May 2017
Summary: "What does a video game director actually do? What guiding principles do they follow while leading a team of game creators? Longtime Ratchet & Clank director, Brian Allgeier, boils down his decades of experience into 101 fully illustrated tips."
Links:
Amazon.com
Indie Games: From Dream to Delivery by Don L. Daglow (creator of Neverwinter Nights)
Release date: 18 February 2018
Summary: "A Step-by-Step Master Class for People Who Want to Design & Deliver Indie Games"
Links:
Amazon.com
Significant Zero: Heroes, Villains, and the Fight for Art and Soul in Video Games by Walt Williams (Writer of Spec Ops: The Line & Star Wars Battlefront 2)
Release date: 19 Setember 2017
Summary: "Williams pulls back the curtain on an astonishingly profitable industry that has put its stamp on pop culture and yet is little known to those outside its walls. In his reflective yet comically-observant voice, Williams walks you through his unlikely and at times inglorious rise within one of the world's top gaming companies, exposing an industry abundant in brain power and out-sized egos, but struggling to stay innovative. Significant Zero also provides clear-eyed criticism of the industry's addiction to violence and explains how the role of the narrative designer—the poor soul responsible for harmonizing gameplay with storylines—is crucial for expanding the scope of video games into more immersive and emotional experiences."
Links:
Website
Amazon.com
Power-Up by Chris Kohler (Kotaku)
Release date: 2004 and re-released in 2016 (updated version)
Summary: "Why are Japanese video games a worldwide sensation? This enjoyable and informative survey explores the reasons, starting with how Japanese developers raised the medium to an art form. The book also traces the ways in which the developers' ideas infused popular culture beyond the gaming world."
Links:
Website
Amazon.com
Women in Gaming: 100 Professionals of Play by Meagan Marie (Senior Community Manager at Crystal Dynamics)
Release date: 04 December 2018
Summary: "Women in Gaming: 100 Professionals of Play is a celebration of women's accomplishments in the video game industry, ranging from high-level executives to programmers to pro-gamers. This insightful and celebratory book highlights women who helped establish the industry, women who disrupt it, women who fight to diversify it, and young women who will someday lead it. Featuring household names and unsung heroes, each individual profiled plays an important role in the gaming industry."
Links:
Website
Amazon.com
The Untold History of Japanese Game Developers by John Szczepaniak (added by masaa)
Release date: 04 August 2014
Summary: This book reveals more secrets about the untold history of Japanese game developers than ever before, with 36 interviewees and exclusive archive photos. 3 Volumes in total.
Links:
Amazon.com
Pix 'n Love book series (most of them are in French, some are in English)
(added by masaa)
Summary: "They have well documented books on game history and extensive interviews with developpers. Some of their books have been published in english and one of my most prized one is the book on Gunpei Yokoi, titled: Gunpei Yokoi: The Life & Philosophy of Nintendo's God of Toys. Unfortunately, this one seems to be out of print as of now. "
Links:
Website
Amazon.com
The Making of Karateka: Journals 1982-1985 by Jordan Mechner (added by famikon )
Summary: "In 1982 -- the era of Apple II and Commodore 64 -- 17-year-old college freshman and aspiring game designer Jordan Mechner began keeping a private journal. This first volume is a candid account of the personal, creative and technical struggles that led to his breakthrough success with Karateka, which topped bestseller charts in 1985, and planted the seeds of his next game, Prince of Persia."
Links:
Amazon.com
The Making of Prince of Persia: Journals 1985 - 1993 by Jordan Mechner (added by famikon )
Summary: "Before Prince of Persia was a best-selling video game franchise and a Jerry Bruckheimer movie, it was an Apple II computer game created and programmed by one person, Jordan Mechner. Also available as an ebook, Mechner's candid journals from the time capture his journey from his parents' basement to the forefront of the fast-growing 1980s video game industry… and the creative, technical and personal struggles that brought the prince into being and ultimately into the homes of millions of people worldwide."
Links:
Amazon.com
Documentaries:
Grounded: The making of The Last of Us
Release date: 24 February
Double Fine Adventure! by 2 Player Productions
Release date: 28 January 2014
Summary: "In March 2012, video game legend Tim Schafer made history with the Double Fine Adventure Kickstarter, a crowdfunding campaign that changed the way games are created and funded forever. For three years, a documentary crew captured the once-secretive process of video game development, chronicling the creation of "Broken Age" from a Kickstarter pitch to a finished game and beyond. Along the way, Schafer and his team at Double Fine persevered through production delays, internal strife, financial crises, looming deadlines, sickness, layoffs, and the weighty expectations of a critical public."
Links:
Website
Physical edition
Indie Game: The Movie by James Swirsky & Lisanne Pajot
Release date: 18 May 2012
Summary: "The film is about the struggles of independent game developers Edmund McMillen and Tommy Refenes during the development of Super Meat Boy, Phil Fish during the development of Fez, and also Jonathan Blow, who reflects on the success of Braid."
Links:
Website
Steam
God of War - Raising Kratos by Brandon Akiaten
Release date: 10 May 2019
Summary: "Raising Kratos documents the five-year, herculean effort to reinvent one of the greatest stories in gaming, God of War. Facing an unknown future, Santa Monica Studio took a massive risk, fundamentally changing their beloved franchise and re-establishing their rightful place in video game history. More than just a "making of," this cinematic journey of second chances rooted in family, sacrifice, struggle and doubt follows game director Cory Barlog and those who chase perfection in art and storytelling. Witness the incredible defeats, the unpredictable outcomes and the down-to-the-wire tension on full display in this true-life redemption story."
Links:
YouTube
Noclip video game documentary series
Episodes: 21 (2016-)
Random Trailer:
Summary: "Since September of 2016 Noclip has been creating documentaries about video games created by developers all around the world. Funded entirely by our Patrons, we've been on a mission to create a vault of timeless documentaries to help preserve the story of videos games for generations to come. All of these documentaries are available to watch on YouTube for free."
Games featured:
Year One
- Rocket League - October 2016
- DOOM (2016) - September 2016
- Profile: John Romero - January 2017
- Rediscovering Mystery - February 2017
- Frog Fractions - March 2017
- Spelunky - April 2017
- The Witness - April 2017
- FINAL FANTASY XIV - June 2017
Year Two
- The Witcher Series - October 2017
- Profile: PLAYERUNKNOWN - November 2017
- GTA Online - December 2017
- Horizon Zero Dawn - December 2017
- Warframe - March 2018
- History of Bethesda Game Studios - June 2018
- Fallout 76 - June 2018
- GOG & Games Preservation - July 2018
- Dream Daddy / Game Grumps - September 2018
Year Three
- Fallout Shelter - October 2018
- STAY FREE: The Team Spooky Story - December 2018
- Unforeseen Consequences: A Half-Life Documentary - December 2018
- Hades: Developing Hell - Episode One - December 2018
- The Elder Scrolls Blades - 2019
- Ablegamers Doc - 2019
Links:
Patreon
Website
YouTube
GDC Vault
Summary: "GDC Vault is a trove of in-depth design, technical and inspirational talks and slides from the influencers of the game development industry, taken from over 20 years of the worldwide Game Developers Conferences."
Links:
Website
YouTube
Diggin' in The Carts (added by masaa)
Summary: "A mini documentory series produced by Red Bull Music academy. It features a lot of musicians who shaped video game music, including Yoko Shimomura, Nobuo Uematsu, Yuzo Koshiro and more."
Links:
Website
YouTube
Another World - The Making Of with Eric Chahi (added by masaa)
Summary: In-depth look behind the scenes of the developers of Another World.
Links:
YouTube
Branching Paths - A Journey through Japan's indie game scene (added by famikon )
Summary: "Branching Paths is a mosaic of the developers, publishers and people who gravitate to indie games in Japan."
Links:
Website
YouTube Trailer
iTunes
Playism
Steam
Archipel - Japan centric documentaries on YouTube (added by famikon )
Summary: "Archipel is a YouTube channel that shows and expresses various aspects of Japanese culture through documentary-style video content."
Links:
YouTube
Patreon
Gameumentary - Telling the stories behind the games we play (Added by machinaea)
Summary: "Gameumentary produces feature-length video game documentaries. We've told the stories of many studios and developers, including Darksiders, Kingdom Come: Deliverance and Divinity: Original Sin."
Links:
YouTube
Pateron
Articles & Interviews:
- How Fortnite's success led to months of intense crunch at Epic Games by Colin Campbell (Polygon)
Release date: 23 April 2019
Quick summary: A peak behind the curtain on what it takes to be a developer that works on the most popular game of recent years. In order to satisfy consumer demands the devs felt immense pressure and had to crunch in order for them to deliver.
- How BioWare's Anthem Went Wrong by Jason Schreier (Kotaku)
Release date: 02 April 2019
Quick summary: An in-depth look behind the scenes of Anthem's development. It details the work situation under a major AAA studio.
- Making games for a living means being in constant fear of losing your job by Katie Chironis (Senior Game Designer at Riot Games) via Polygon
Release date: 05 March 2019
Quick summary: Inside look into the reality of what it's like to be a developer trying to survive in the industry. The theme of the article is the constant fear of loosing one's job.
- Inside Rockstar Games' Culture Of Crunch by Jason Schreier (Kotaku)
Release date: 23 October 2018
Quick summary: Great article on the topic of crunch that gives great insight into the culture of Rockstar Games.
- The minds behind Uncharted and Firewatch talk candidly about surviving in the games industry by Amy Hennig and Sean Vanaman (Polygon)
Release date: 12 January 2018
Quick summary: Really interesting conversation between Vanaman and Hennig about various topics related to video games and game development
- Final Fantasy 7: An oral history by Matt Leone (Polygon)
Release date: 09 January 2018 (Physical release 21 September 2018)
Quick summary: "An inside look at the creation and fallout of Square's industry-defining role-playing game, as told by those who were there."
- Iwata Asks by Satoru Iwata (Nintendo)
Quick summary: Incredible inside look behind the scenes into one of gamings' most secretive companies. Very fun and candid interviews.
- Hardcore Gaming 101
Quick summary: They have a good list of interviews, and are a great ressource generally speaking, especially if you're into older games and series (added by masaa).
- Source Gaming
Quick summary: Similiar to Hardcore Gaming 101 but they have a lot more recent interviews. Of note is their translations of Masahiro Sakurai's Famitsu columns (added by masaa).
- Critical Path
Quick summary: They have a lot of short interviews and conversations with tons of renown devs (mainly western ones, but a few Japanese ones also pop up such as Kojima and Inafune) mainly about their hindsights about the game industry and their design decisions (added by masaa).
- Shmuplations
Quick summary: Can't believe I forgot about this one. This also has a large collection of interviews/conversations (290 in total) with Japanese developpers. It's a genuine treasure trove (added by masaa).
- Video Game Densetsu
Quick summary: This tumblr is disorganized and also dead now. It focuses on concept art and planning documents, and has a few biographies. What I find it more interesting for are the old pictures of office spaces and seeing developers at their work stations (addeed by masaa).
Other:
Game Center CX (added by masaa)
Summary: "Slightly out of left field, but I'd also like to recommend Game Center CX. Today, it mostly revolves around a middle-aged man struggling to complete old video games, but back in the first season, it featured interviews with developers (notably a rare appearance of Satoshi Tajiri, the original creator of Pokémon). A few years ago, Iwata also joined on the show to interview the host of the show Arino as part of his Iwata Asks series, but it sort of turned into a double interview. I highly recommend you watch this episode to get a taste of it. Hopefully, some people here who come for the interviews will stay for the let's plays."
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