The Games of a Lifetime

I’m Julian “Jaz” Rignall. I’m a lifelong super-hardcore gamer. I’ve worked in the games industry for decades, a time during which I’ve launched and run some of the most beloved and successful video game magazines and websites, worked in video game development and marketing, and most recently become a video game analyst.

Point being, I’ve witnessed many of the most important video game events and history first-hand, from a kid discovering Pong, gaming my way through the Golden Age of arcades as a national champion, and then entering the video game industry as a teenager and spending decades attending events and visiting developers as both journalist and influencer.

This book is about that journey. But it’s not an autobiography, and neither is it an encyclopaedia of the best games. It’s basically a nigh-on five-decade-long journey through what were to me the most important gaming events and experiences during that period, starting from the previously mentioned Pong through the 8- and 16-bit computer revolutions and the European console renaissance, across the millennium, and all the way to the modern age.

Think of this tome as video game time travel. I’m going to take you back to specific times and places and explain what it felt like to be there. A personal take on history through the eyes of one person who watched it all play out.

Of course, there are plenty of behind-the-scenes titbits, facts, and surprises about what was going on both in my life and in general – and also expect to discover a few little Easter Eggs and some pretty funny anecdotes. But ultimately, this is all about the games.

And holy crap are there some good ones in here. Loads of them. You really don’t want to miss it.

About the book
Across its 420 pages, The Games of a Lifetime is a video game time machine that takes you on an incredible journey from the very dawn of the industry, through the decades to the present day. It’s essentially video game history from the inside, seen through the eyes of Jaz Rignall, a hardcore gamer who cut his teeth racking up ludicrously large scores in his local arcades, won the 1983 UK National Arcade Championships, and ended up becoming a journalist/influencer who launched iconic game magazines like ZZAP!64, CVG and Mean Machines, which he wrote for and edited with his customary flair and humour.

This was at a time when games magazines had huge influence and importance, which helped put Jaz at the very heart of the nascent UK game business during its most humble beginnings, and continued as the industry exploded into a massive, worldwide entertainment juggernaut. Jaz was also key factor in bringing Japanese games to Western gamers, reporting on import consoles and games when no-one else was doing that. He would go on to work as a game developer in the US for Virgin Interactive, and then step up as editorial director of IGN, growing the site into a world leader. Today, Jaz works as a game analyst, helping to refine and shape games with vast global audiences. 

The Games of a Lifetime kicks off with a foreword from the man behind the remarkable Digital Foundry, Richard Leadbetter, who sets out the context of his former colleague’s extraordinary career. Then it’s Jaz’s story all the way, copiously illustrated with hundreds of game screenshots meticulously captured on a multitude of systems, from the Atari 400 to the PlayStation 5, and including pretty much every system you can think of. The ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, NES, PC Engine, arcade machines galore, Amiga, Super Nintendo and many, many more are all here.

The Games of a Lifetime also includes a bounty of archival photos, amazing box art, vintage arcade flyers, and beautiful hardware and magazine shots. Also featured are specially commissioned illustrations by beloved, prolific game illustrator Wil Overton (Rare, Super Play magazine), who has reimagined classic Mean Machines artworks from Jaz’s era in his own instantly recognisable style. 

Of course, Bitmap’s exacting standards are evident on every page, whether in the vivid visual design or the sumptuous production quality. The cover, for example, is printed using special Pantone inks, and features a bespoke illustration by pixel-art specialists Army of Trolls, which is packed with numerous references to Jaz's illustrious career in games – and the history of the medium itself. Simply put, The Games of a Lifetime looks and feels entirely as fabulous as its text demands.