Mike Diver – författare

‘Superb coffee table book’ – Nintendo Life‘A fun read’ – Retro Gamer Take a trip down memory lane with Retro Gaming, and relive the glory days (and not so glory days) of your old retro tech favourites.Published in paperback to tie-in with 50 years of console gaming, Retro Gaming is packed with all the characters, games, consoles and franchises you used to love – and probably still do. This is a compact, conversational compendium of all-time highs – alongside just a handful of humorous (in hindsight) lows – from decades of arcade, computer, console and handheld hits.From Atari’s early arcade classics and home games consoles of the 1970s, through to classics that keep on giving, such as Halo and Tomb Raider, this book summarizes the significant releases, research and revolutions that have made video games a £100 billion (and rising) industry.Evergreen favourites from Nintendo, SEGA and Sony are present and correct – no collection would be complete without entries for Mario and Sonic, Tetris and Crash Bandicoot. But we also give credit to the less-celebrated but utterly vital titles, characters, controllers and systems that have helped the world of gaming expand and evolve.A guide, a companion and a window onto a joyous past, Retro Gaming is a perfect book to dip in and out of, as mood and your current gaming habits dictate.

Aliens: The Video Games is the first complete history of interactive adventures based on the stunning sci-fi universe of the hit movie series and global multimedia franchise. From intense horror experiences pitting players against unkillable monsters to all-action affairs with armed marines facing off against swarms of acid-for-blood xenomorphs, every official video game version of Aliens is featured.In-depth accounts of each title, from creative processes to critical receptions, are complemented by over 20 all-new interviews with the developers who made these incredibly varied video games.Starting in the early 1980s, Aliens: The Video Games tracks the evolution of Alien games from primitive home computers through every generation of console and onto cutting-edge virtual reality. As well as computer and console games directly based on, or spun out from, the events of the Alien movies and comics, this book explores Predator crossovers, cancelled projects, arcade light-gun shooters, and Alien characters' appearances in other releases.Aliens: The Video Games also covers a range of unlicensed and fan-made games directly based on the movies and related media; games based exclusively on the Predator series; and other experiences wearing unmistakable Alien inspiration proudly on their pixelated sleeves.

THE CON50LE is a comprehensive yet conversational account of 50 years of home video gaming history, leaving no rarely sighted system unturned and providing a chronological account of the evolution of the biggest entertainment medium in the world. From the earliest consoles of the 1970s to the cutting-edge machines of the here and now, a line is drawn from one man’s eureka moment to the multi-billion-dollar global industry of today. All the well-known names and massive-selling consoles are here: the Nintendo Entertainment System, the SEGA Mega Drive, the Atari 2600, the Xbox 360, the PlayStation 2. But there’s plenty of room for hardware that many a gamer won’t have heard of before, from Japan-only releases and home computer conversions to ill-advised experiments with VHS and all manner of micro-console magic. Learn about the creators and their inspirations, the games that made the biggest consoles’ eternal reputations, and the failures and flops along the way. Even the consoles that came and went without notable commercial success left a mark, an imprint, on this compelling history – and THE CON50LE unravels it, explains it, one fascinating machine at a time.

THE CON50LE is a comprehensive yet conversational account of 50 years of home video gaming history, leaving no rarely sighted system unturned and providing a chronological account of the evolution of the biggest entertainment medium in the world. From the earliest consoles of the 1970s to the cutting-edge machines of the here and now, a line is drawn from one man’s eureka moment to the multi-billion-dollar global industry of today. All the well-known names and massive-selling consoles are here: the Nintendo Entertainment System, the SEGA Mega Drive, the Atari 2600, the Xbox 360, the PlayStation 2. But there’s plenty of room for hardware that many a gamer won’t have heard of before, from Japan-only releases and home computer conversions to ill-advised experiments with VHS and all manner of micro-console magic. Learn about the creators and their inspirations, the games that made the biggest consoles’ eternal reputations, and the failures and flops along the way. Even the consoles that came and went without notable commercial success left a mark, an imprint, on this compelling history – and THE CON50LE unravels it, explains it, one fascinating machine at a time.

It’s time to become a Legend.Watched by millions and contested by the best professional gamers in the world, League of Legends is more than a game. Since the very beginnning of eSports, Fnatic have been competing at the highest level. In 2011, they won the World Championships and in 2015 they achieved the impossible: an entire regular season undefeated. In How to be a Professional Gamer, they take you inside the elite world of the sport, and into the world of competitive gaming. Sharing their knowledge, expertise, and strategies, it’s only a matter of time before you’re a world champion, too.Including tips on game strategy, teamwork and mental strength, How to be a Professional Gamer is both a guide for how to improve as a regular gamer, and the story of Fnatic and how they’ve conquered the world of eSports.Are you ready?

Everything you need to know about the exciting new trend of indie gaming…Independently made video games have become some of the most original, ingenious and successful games available on the market today. Matched against giant tech companies and their mammoth-budget franchises, indies, have demonstrated the extraordinary impact that individuals and small teams can have on the direction of the gaming world.Mike Diver takes us behind the scenes to explore this incredible movement, where freedom from major studios has allowed for near-infinite possibilities, revolutionizing gaming mechanics and remoulding genres. Including interviews with legendary developers such as Tim Schafer and David Braben as well as the brains behind newer studios such as The Chinese Room, Hello Games and Simogo, Indie Games introduces us to the personalities, the passion and the practicalities that have transformed an industry.