I was wondering if anyone knows what the differences are between Steven Kent’s “The First Quarter” and “The Ultimate History of Video Games”. Allegedly, Steven Kent stated the latter book was a rewritten version of The First Quarter and contains extra material. What was added? And was anything removed? Which did you prefer?
I have “Ultimate History” but haven’t read the other. In the acknowledgments to UH he doesn’t mention the first book.
UH surveys the entire video gaming industry from its birth to 2000, with special attention paid to the “Golden Age” arcade machines and consoles - I don’t think there is much, if any, information on computer games or other electronic games (like the old Mattel handhelds).
Another good video game book, one that is far better for nostalgia value (lots of great pictures of forgotten classics) is “High Score” by Rusel DeMaria and Johnny Wilson.
(Hit “submit” too soon).
High Score also has info about electronic games that the Ultimate History doesn’t have, including PC games, rare console systems, etc.
Oh, I forgot to mention that I did read The First Quarter a few years back, and what you described is exactly what I remember from it.
If you like this sort of thing, there’s a new book out by David Kushner, “Masters of Doom,” about the John Carmack, John Romero and the rise of id Software (and subsequent events as well).
I can recommend High Score, have it front of me right now 
Yup, High Score is great!
I’ve read The Ultimate History of Video Games, but not The First Quarter, so I don’t know the differences. The first review of UHOVG on Amazon claims that they’re the exact same book, though. And the title page says ‘originally published as The First Quarter’. If it had updated information, wouldn’t it probably mention that?
I also have High Score, and while they’re both good, interesting reads, I’d also recommend High Score a little more. UHOVG is much dryer, more text-booky. High Score is fun.
I have The First Quarter (which I believe was self-published), but not Ultimate History. I hear Ultimate has an index, which the original did not.
First Quarter ends with a chapter called “And the Cycle Continues,” which chronicles the failure of the Sega Saturn, Nintendo’s new system (not yet named), the failure of the Sega Dreamcast, Pokemon, and the release of PS2 in Japan. In the final section, Kent writes “PlayStation 2 has not yet arrived in the United States, and the launches of Nintendo’s Dolphin and Microsoft’s X-Box are just a year away.” He tells the whereabouts of Bushnell, Lincoln, Lieberman, Hawkins, and Arakawa…“and the cycle continues.” Does Ultimate History go more up-to-date that that?
Ultimate History has an extra chapter, then, called ‘Three Horses and a Pony’, which goes into more detail about the xbox and the PS2, including a report from the 2000 E3 and a look at the PS2 launch games. It also talks about the downfall of the Sega Dreamcast, and the death of Sega chairman Isao Okawa. Then it ends with the same ‘whereabouts’ First Quarter ends with, and a paragraph looking ahead.
Haven’t read Ultimate History yet, but I can highly recommend High Score and The First Quarter. Quarter us more of a traditional history book, whereas High Score is more like a tribute to the games themselves.
And on a related subject, don’t bother with Arcade Fever; it’s okay, but if you’ve got High Score, you don’t need it.