TRIGGER HAPPY - VIDEOGAMES AND THE ENTERTAINMENT REVOLUTION

An overdue look at the past, present, and future of videogaming, Trigger Happy is the definitive examination of a rapidly spreading cultural phenomenon. Like a form of twenty-first-century rock, videogames epitomize the aesthetic of a generation. Like rock 'n' roll, they've transcended their original constituency and saturated the culture at large; 60 percent of gamers are eighteen or over, and Hollywood gambles huge budgets on film adaptions of videogame heroes. What started out as a game is now big business. Gaming is the fastest-growing industry in America, and game engineers are paid top dollar for their designs. Videogames may go down as the most innovative form of entertainment in the new century, and Steven Poole analyzes their "inner life" with the passion and knowledge of an experienced gamer and the insight of an astute journalist.