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Console Wars: Sega, Nintendo, and the Battle that Defined a Generation

Author:
Blake J. Harris
Read by:
Fred Berman
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Unabridged Audiobook

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Ratings
Book
24
Narrator
14
Release Date
May 13, 2014
Duration
20 hours 44 minutes
Summary
Following the success of The Accidental Billionaires and Moneyball comes Console Wars—a mesmerizing, behind-the-scenes business thriller that chronicles how Sega, a small, scrappy gaming company led by an unlikely visionary and a team of rebels, took on the juggernaut Nintendo and revolutionized the video game industry.

In 1990, Nintendo had a virtual monopoly on the video game industry. Sega, on the other hand, was just a faltering arcade company with big aspirations and even bigger personalities. But that would all change with the arrival of Tom Kalinske, a man who knew nothing about videogames and everything about fighting uphill battles. His unconventional tactics, combined with the blood, sweat and bold ideas of his renegade employees, transformed Sega and eventually led to a ruthless David-and-Goliath showdown with rival Nintendo.

The battle was vicious, relentless, and highly profitable, eventually sparking a global corporate war that would be fought on several fronts: from living rooms and schoolyards to boardrooms and Congress. It was a once-in-a-lifetime, no-holds-barred conflict that pitted brother against brother, kid against adult, Sonic against Mario, and the US against Japan.

Based on over two hundred interviews with former Sega and Nintendo employees, Console Wars is the underdog tale of how Kalinske miraculously turned an industry punchline into a market leader. It’s the story of how a humble family man, with an extraordinary imagination and a gift for turning problems into competitive advantages, inspired a team of underdogs to slay a giant and, as a result, birth a $60 billion dollar industry.
Reviews
Profile Avatar Giovanni C. Nov 2020

Great book

Profile Avatar Geoff L. Jan 2019

The only thing that kept me going was that the story itself was something I was curious to hear. The writing is painfully bad and the narration is so terrible I'm thinking of writing the publisher and requesting them to re-record it with different talent.

Profile Avatar Lamar frisby Jul 2016

Great book and good narration. Gives a behind the scenes look at the video game industry of the 90s. If you grew up and experienced the games, advertisements and characters of the time this is a very interesting look at the marketing strategies and corporate struggles behind it all.

Profile Avatar Sean Yang Nov 2014

Awesome story ! If you wonder the master moves behind the console war, you need to read it. Tom Kalinske is the man!

Console Wars: Sega, Nintendo, and the Battle that Defined a Generation

Console Wars: Sega, Nintendo, and the Battle that Defined a Generation

Author: Blake J. Harris
Read by: Fred Berman
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