Read Only Memory – serie

The definitive illustrated history of the cult videogame – a heart-thumping fusion of groundbreaking graphic design, architectural futurism, electronic music and high-speed racing. WipEout crashed onto the scene in 1995, shifting games into the cultural fast lane with its unique 3D visual designs. It propelled a wondrous hit of anti-gravity, hyperspeed racing into the heart of the freshly released PlayStation console and, over time, the series – developed by Psygnosis, later known as Studio Liverpool – grew into a cult phenomenon amongst graphic designers and gamers alike. With its club-land branding – devised by cutting-edge Sheffield agency The Designers Republic, and its on-the-pulse collaborations with electronic artists, from The Chemical Brothers to Kraftwerk, WipEout was not only a racing game – it was a vehicle for art. WipEout Futurism chronicles the iconic game’s vision, struggles and achievements – from first conception to future plans, in a distinctive union of trailblazing artwork and graphic design. The extraordinary, and rarely seen, concept art created for the game is beautifully reproduced throughout the book, while The Designers Republic’s peerless vision for an alternative future – with its roots planted in the rich earth of sci-fi iconography – weaves its way throughout the pages, making this publication a densely packed expansion to the beloved series.

A thrilling photographic adventure around an offbeat selection of the world’s abandoned buildings, captured by one of the videogame industry’s most beloved creatives. Urban exploration is a way of life for those who choose it as their passion. The secrets and mysteries that disused places incite can be intoxicating and inspiring. As Nakamura has said herself, ‘I love breaking boundaries and making people say “WOW”. As artists, we use our imagination to see the INVISIBLE. Project UrbEx documents a multitude of abandoned spaces, placing them into thematic sections – from lost hotels and ex-military sites to factories, laboratories and hospitals. A bright Pantone orange ink is used throughout for the text and chapter openers – popping on the page to reflect Nakamura’s sense of fun, vibrance and imagination. With a foreword by videogame-designer-turned-photographer Liam Wong, the book also features sections of Nakamura’s personal travel diary, printed on pages with a narrower width, in a rich Pantone black. She has also created, and in some cases specially commissioned, exclusive manga drawings to illustrate her words – bringing her much-loved sense of humour to the forefront of the narrative and displaying her keen interest in exploring many mediums of creativity.