Rise of the Videogame Zinesters is, like the title says, an account of how games are finally a medium for the masses and no longer the exclusive product of big corporations and strict publisher-developer business models. It’s a good thing that this is happening, and it’s great that author Anna Anthropy recognized that this movement needs more people to both document and champion it.

This book, in a mere 208 pages, is

• a short history of games and their makers,

• a declaration of independence,

• a personal narrative,

• a sociopolitical discourse,

• a how-to and resources guide for aspiring game-makers, and

• a light introduction to noteworthy independent games.

It’s a lot of content to cover in a handful of chapters, and realistically, you could fill tens of thousands of pages worth of books just documenting the indie games movement. Anthropy wisely chooses to distribute her focus rather evenly on these topics throughout. The result is a book that feels brief but resonant.

Anthropy’s personal story of game creation is fascinating when she deigns to dive into it. Her despairing account of studying at Southern Methodist University’s Guildhall program is particularly compelling, especially since that program continues to be ranked among the best game development schools but is so clearly disinterested in empowering individuals.

But there’s also a lot that’s left out, such as the work she did in the years immediately after she moved to California. There’s a pretty satisfying account of her first steps into game making, but I’m sure she has even more valuable insight to share as she worked to refine her skills over the past few years.

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