These days, anyone who’s anyone is into digital gaming. The global gaming industry is positively ballooning in popularity, and it’s close to being valued at $200 billion—pretty impressive for a market that was once relegated to being not much more than a hobby for geeks. It’s no overstatement to say that a significant portion of the world’s population play video games on a regular basis, making them almost as popular as books…almost!
If you’re a fan of both the written word and screen-based adventures, you’ll be pleased to know that there are actually quite a few books out there that will make you a better gamer. Whether you’re in need of a step-by-step guide to becoming a pro gamer, are curious about the history of prominent sectors like eSports, or fancy brushing up your psychological game on the virtual poker table, there are some great reads on the shelf.
Here’s a summary of the four essential books that every gamer should consider diving into.
Game On: How I Became a Nintendo World Championships Finalist by Shannon Webster
Kicking off the list is this easily-digestible gem of a book from a legendary Nintendo Worlds Champion. Even if you’re not the most avid reader on the planet, you should be able to manage its 36 pages within a few sittings.
The book charts Webster’s journey in video games, talking about how he got started playing arcade machines before his big break as a teen Nintendo sensation. While it is light on any actionable advice and inspiring tips for gamers, it is nevertheless a well-written and fascinating story. Webster also drops in a few secrets about the value of certain Nintendo classics here and there.
Mastering Bitcoin: Unlocking Digital Cryptocurrencies by Andreas M. Antonopoulos
When playing at an online casino ripple, players tap into one of the leading decentralized currencies. Ripple, also known as XRP, is a cryptocurrency and digital payment network designed for fast, low-cost international money transfers, which streamlines the casino experience through fast and cost-effective transactions.
The concept of crypto-powered transactions, however, is not limited to Ripple casinos only, as it extends to the casino and iGaming industries as a whole. The gaming landscape is becoming ever-more with blockchain technologies and cryptocurrency. Understanding what’s behind crypto, then, is becoming increasingly important, especially with many mainstream video gaming studios moving into the realm of Play-To-Earn (P2E) and Metaverse gaming.
Andreas Antonopoulos’s Mastering Bitcoin offers a comprehensive guide to the world’s “first” crypto, Bitcoin, and blockchain technology, laying the groundwork for gamers interested in the decentralized sectors. The book takes a deep dive into how these evolutionary technologies work, making it essential reading if you’re curious about the future of gaming and digital ownership.
The great thing about this book is that its actually quite light on the technical jargon front. Antonopoulos has a knack for breaking down complex—and often quite theoretical— concepts into digestible bits, making this a valuable resource for tech-savvy gamers. While the book does focus mostly on Satoshi Nakamoto’s coin, the learning contained within is just as relevant to users of stablecoins and altcoins, and yes, that includes Ripple!
Playing To Win: Becoming The Champion by David Sirlin
Incredibly, this book is almost two decades old but it’s just as valuable today as it was when it was one of only a handful of eSports-focused books in publication. Playing To Win is simply a must for anyone aspiring to become a pro gamer, as it’s jam-packed with everything you could need to know about starting in the discipline and accelerating your career.
Of course, Sirlin is a notable former Street Fighter player, so he really knows his stuff! What’s more, he’s written this book in such a way as to bypass the usual semi-autobiographical recounting of experiences and, instead, focuses on delivering actionable, meaty content to readers.
For instance, there’s a section devoted to selecting the best type of games to play based on your interests and skills, as well as mindset training for pro-level tourneys. And, while Sirlin was a specialist, the advice featured in this time is more general, making it something any gamer can dive into regardless of what they play.
Blood, Sweat, and Pixels: The Triumphant, Turbulent Stories Behind How Video Games Are Made by Jason Schreier
If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to bring your favorite video games to life, Blood, Sweat, and Pixels should be next on your reading list. Jason Schreirer’s fascinating book dives into the surprisingly cutthroat world of video game development, offering a candid, behind-the-scenes look that will be simply irresistible to 99.99% of the gaming population!
Through interviews with leading developers, Schreier reveals the challenges, setbacks, and triumphs involved in creating some of the industry’s biggest hits. If you ever feel like you’re starting to take video games for granted, we guarantee this will be the perfect antidote. This book is a stark reminder that the experiences we can now access at the tap of a screen are actually the result of incredible perseverance by teams of skilled yet seriously underappreciated professionals.
The Biggest Bluff: How I Learned to Pay Attention, Master Myself, and Win by Maria Konnikova
We promised you a book for poker specialists and here it is. In fact, The Biggest Bluff is a book for just about any gamer. Maria Konnikova’s journey from a PhD to the professional poker tables is compelling enough, but she also dives into the psychological aspects of decision-making and risk. In particular, her exploration of how we handle uncertainty and pressure will be relevant to gamers of all kinds.
