Console Wars

Named a "Best Book of the Year" by NPR, Slate, Publishers Weekly, and Goodreads It was a once-in-a-lifetime battle that pitted brother against brother, kid against adult, Sonic against Mario, and the United States against Japan. . . . In 1990, Nintendo had a virtual monopoly on the videogame industry. Sega was a faltering arcade company with big aspirations and even bigger personalities. But all that would change with the arrival of former Mattel executive Tom Kalinske. His unconventional tactics, combined with the blood, sweat, and bold ideas of his renegade employees, completely transformed Sega and led to a ruthless David-and-Goliath showdown with Nintendo. But Sega's success would create many new enemies and make Nintendo stronger than ever. Blake J. Harris brings into focus the warriors, the strategies, and the battles and explores how they transformed popular culture forever. Ultimately, Console Wars is 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, give birth to a sixty-billion-dollar industry.

Blake J. Harris is the bestselling author of Console Wars and The History of the Future. He is also the writer and producer of several high profile documentaries, including Serling, Console Wars, and Game Stop: Rise of the Players. He has written for ESPN, IGN, Fast Company and The AV Club. He lives in Colorado with his wife and two cats.