Review of "Atari Age: The Emergence of Video Games in America" by Michael Z. Newman (MIT Press)

Abstract

Newman examines the early period of video games in America when arcades and game rooms emerged in suburban malls around the country, televisions became 'entertainment centers,' and computers and game consoles were one in the same. As an introduction to the politics and economics of early home video games, Atari Age is a good starting point for readers looking to familiarize themselves with the foundational actors and social contexts surrounding the industry in the 1970s and early 1980s.

Keywords

• atari
• gaming
• masculinity
• play
• video games