Smartbomb: The Quest for Art, Entertainment, and Big Bucks in the Videogame Revolution

The movie business celebrates its creators, but what about the "names" behind Doom, The Sims, Donkey Kong, Grand Theft Auto--the games that spawned a ten-billion-dollar industry whose revenues surpassed the domestic movie box office take five years ago? Videogames are no longer a quirky subculture, but a bona fide mainstream industry revolutionizing the way we teach, learn, communicate. This book delves into the videogame explosion, where computer technology is fused with artistic creativity. From the hackers at MIT in the 1960s to the Ferrari-driving developers of the modern-day industry to professional "cyberathletes," we meet the celebrities of the gaming world. It's a trip through the trade conventions, gaming competitions, and design labs; an up-close and personal look at the egos, the battles, the one-upmanship, and the love of the chase fueling these innovators who are creating the worlds in which we're going to play for the next century.--From publisher description.… (more)