"Phoenix" being updated -- and look at these autographs

[RickR]

Leonard Herman is updating his classic gaming book "Phoenix" this year.  Phoenix IV will be available for sale soon, but in the meantime, check out this auction for a prototype copy -- including a page full of amazing autographs. 

 

The following is from Leonard Herman's facebook post:

 

With the final copy of my book due out within the next two months,I have decided to offer this one-of-a-kind "prototype" copy of Phoenix IV: The History of Videogames Only 15 copies were printed in October, 2015, which were distributed to people who helped on the project. The book itself will be published in Summer, 2016, with substantial changes from the prototype copy, including 100 additional pages and photos completely redone, as well as a final edit for typos and factual error.

But this copy is unique as it also contains the autographs of several videogaming pioneers who are mentioned within the pages.

Included are the autographs of
* David Crane: co-founder of Activision and designer of Pitfall!, Freeway, and many other classics.
* Jay Smith: the designer of the Vectrex and Microvision.
* Steve Wright: designer of Atari 2600 Championship Soccer, the first Atari 2600 game to feature
vertical scrolling and the first to be shipped in a 4k-cartridge
* Keith Robinson: Intellivision game designer and founder of Intellivision Productions
* Michael Rideout: winner of Atari Swordquest Earthworld Talisman

* Joe Santuilli and John Hardie: co-founders of National Videogame Museum (although they are mentioned in the book for other reasons.)
* Michael Thomasson: designer of the cover of the final copy of book
* Leonard Herman: author

And as a special bonus, I affixed two labels with signatures.
* Ralph Baer, the father of videogames, who passed away in December, 2014. He had signed a group of labels in September, 2013, to be included with copies of his book that was to be sold at
an exhibition. The photo included here shows him signing the labels.
* Ted Dabney, the co-founder of Atari. He signed a label for this book at my request in May, 2016, and sent it to me via U.S. mail.

This is a one-of-a-kind addition for any collector of videogames, and one that will never be offered again.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/-/272296567721?

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/-/272296567721

 

For those of you who have not yet read Phoenix, it is truly a great book and you'll learn plenty about the history of video games.

 

 

[RickR]

A picture of my old copy of Phoenix (and a few other gaming books).  I'm very much looking forward to getting a copy of the new version once it is available!

 

 

[greenween]

Never heard of this, I'll have to check it out.

[fergojisan]

Leonard is a great guy, he was my first contact for classing gaming collecting. I ordered his book when my wife discovered it in a magazine in 1996, and he directed me to Digital Press and the 2600 Connection, both of which were just fanzines at the time. I am really looking forward to this new edition!