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

Blake J. Harris

May 2014 · HarperAudio · Narrated by Fred Berman

About this audiobook

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.

Ratings and reviews

Misleading title, awful content. First of all, this is not a non-fiction book, it's more like a movie script. The author makes dialogues up, inciting drama and setting up catch phrases at every step. You'll notice because nobody speaks like the main characters in real life. Also, this is not about what most of 90s kids know as the "Console Wars". It's focused on the US almost exclusively, and I'd say that roughly three quarters of the book are about Sega of America, while the remaining quarter narrate how stupid Sega of Japan directives were, and how awful and tyrannical Nintendo is. There's no Japanese perspective on any chapter of the story, which is surprising given that both Sega and Nintendo are Japanese companies. The most you'll get are some paragraphs summarizing Nintendo arrival to the US, and a bit about Sega game designers. If you are one of those who followed these battles between Nintendo and Sega, you may remember how some videogame journalists would unashamedly praise whatever one company would do, while bashing everything the other would release. Well, if you enjoyed those fanboy hit pieces, then you'll enjoy this book. If not, just go for something else. Anything. Seriously.

Excellent book and very well narrated.. Don't mind the negative reviews. The book shines a light on Nintendo's monopoly in the late eighties/ early 90's along with their anti consumer and borderline illegal business practices which has some Nintendo fanboys butthurt. They are a very sensitive bunch. Anybody who loves video games should get this without hesitation.

Really enjoyed this book. I do agree with some others comments about the lack of Japan coverage in lieu of the American perspective but it did bring back lots of memories as a kid growing up during this time and participating in endless debates with my friends in which was the best console. A more apt title for this would be "The Rise and Fall of Sega". It was interesting to hear the stories and struggles occurring in these corporations all while this was going on. Well paced too, there were only 1 or 2 parts where I felt it dragged on a bit but otherwise excellent.

About the author

Blake J. Harris is the bestselling author of History of the Future and Console Wars, which is now a CBS All Access feature film by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. He has written for ESPN, IGN, Fast Company, The Huffington Post, /Film and The AV Club. He is also a regular guest on Paul Scheer’s How Did This Get Made? podcast, where every week he interviews some the biggest names responsible for some of the worst movies ever made. Harris lives in New York with his wife.