Video games have been part of popular culture for decades, evolving from niche entertainment into a global industry spanning generations, genres, and platforms. Despite rapid technological shifts, changing consumer habits, and even the near-fatal North American Video Game Crash of the early 1980s, the medium has continued to expand. Today, the industry stands as one of the dominant forces in modern entertainment, with analysts forecasting an astonishing $268 billion USD in revenue by 2026.
That long and varied history is the focus of Video Games in 100 Objects, a new hardcover volume from Insight Editions that distills fifty years of gaming into a carefully curated collection of artifacts. Spanning 176 richly illustrated pages, the book presents consoles, cartridges, arcade cabinets, controllers, and memorabilia as cultural touchstones, treating each object as a lens through which to understand the evolution of play, technology, and design.
The project brings together a knowledgeable group of gaming writers and historians, including Joe Funk, Dan Hsu, Dean Takahashi, John Davison, Van Burnham, and Josh Harmon. Each entry balances historical context with personal insight, offering readers both factual grounding and the nostalgia that has long defined the hobby.
From early arcade experiences such as Pong to the rise of contemporary home consoles, Video Games in 100 Objects traces how video games moved from novelty to mainstream cultural force. Along the way, it highlights key moments in design innovation, shifting player expectations, and the objects that helped define entire generations of players.
Designed for longtime enthusiasts as well as newcomers interested in gaming history, the book functions equally well as a reference work and a visual celebration of the medium. Video Games in 100 Objects is available for pre-order through Insight Editions for $50 USD and is scheduled to begin shipping on March 3, 2026.
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