Bitmap Books announces four reprints — pre-orders open October 1
Independent publisher Bitmap Books has confirmed a new wave of reprints for four of its most requested, currently out-of-print titles.
The releases will be available to pre-order directly from the Bitmap Books store on October 1, with orders expected to ship the following week.
What’s returning
Artcade: The Book of Classic Arcade Game Artwork - Extended Edition (originally 2019) is an expanded, 256-page compendium produced by Bitmap Books in association with artist Larry Day.
The “16:9” style volume collects high-quality digital scans of bezel and cabinet art from the 1970s through the 1990s and the Extended Edition adds an interview with Day plus a feature from contributor Escape Pod on art restoration and recreation.
Go Straight: The Ultimate Guide to Side-Scrolling Beat 'Em Ups (originally 2022) is a 450-page tribute by writer and comic creator Dave Cook.
The book profiles roughly 200 beat ’em up titles including Double Dragon, Final Fight, Golden Axe, Vendetta, and Gaia Crusaders, combining glossy imagery, game write-ups, and genre trivia.
The Art of The Box (first published 2023) focuses on the commercial artists who created game box art.
The 560-page volume features interviews with 26 artists — including Bob Wakelin, Steve Hendricks, Ken Macklin, Tom DuBois, Steinar Lund, Marc Ericksen, Julie Bell and Susumu Matsushita — more than 350 full-page images and in excess of 100,000 words of commentary.
The Games of a Lifetime (published February 2025) is a 420-page collection by veteran critic Julian Jaz Rignall that traces five decades of gaming through the titles that defined his career.
The book sold out rapidly after its initial release and includes hundreds of screenshots from platforms ranging from the Atari 400, ZX Spectrum and Amiga to PC Engine, PlayStation, Xbox, PC and PS5.
Logistics and availability
Bitmap Books has scheduled pre-orders for October 1 at 17:00 BST / 18:00 CEST / 12:00 ET / 09:00 PT on its store, with shipping slated the following week.
The publisher notes that all four titles are currently out-of-print, and collectors should be aware that inventory for these reprints can be limited.
Future reprints
Bitmap Books also lists planned reprints for additional volumes, including Sinclair ZX Spectrum: A Visual Compendium and SNES/Super Famicom: A Visual Compendium, further underscoring the publisher’s ongoing focus on platform-focused visual histories and compendia.
Independent publisher Bitmap Books has confirmed a new wave of reprints for four of its most requested, currently out-of-print titles.
The releases will be available to pre-order directly from the Bitmap Books store on October 1, with orders expected to ship the following week.
What’s returning
Artcade: The Book of Classic Arcade Game Artwork - Extended Edition (originally 2019) is an expanded, 256-page compendium produced by Bitmap Books in association with artist Larry Day.
The “16:9” style volume collects high-quality digital scans of bezel and cabinet art from the 1970s through the 1990s and the Extended Edition adds an interview with Day plus a feature from contributor Escape Pod on art restoration and recreation.
Go Straight: The Ultimate Guide to Side-Scrolling Beat 'Em Ups (originally 2022) is a 450-page tribute by writer and comic creator Dave Cook.
The book profiles roughly 200 beat ’em up titles including Double Dragon, Final Fight, Golden Axe, Vendetta, and Gaia Crusaders, combining glossy imagery, game write-ups, and genre trivia.
The Art of The Box (first published 2023) focuses on the commercial artists who created game box art.
The 560-page volume features interviews with 26 artists — including Bob Wakelin, Steve Hendricks, Ken Macklin, Tom DuBois, Steinar Lund, Marc Ericksen, Julie Bell and Susumu Matsushita — more than 350 full-page images and in excess of 100,000 words of commentary.
The Games of a Lifetime (published February 2025) is a 420-page collection by veteran critic Julian Jaz Rignall that traces five decades of gaming through the titles that defined his career.
The book sold out rapidly after its initial release and includes hundreds of screenshots from platforms ranging from the Atari 400, ZX Spectrum and Amiga to PC Engine, PlayStation, Xbox, PC and PS5.
Logistics and availability
Bitmap Books has scheduled pre-orders for October 1 at 17:00 BST / 18:00 CEST / 12:00 ET / 09:00 PT on its store, with shipping slated the following week.
The publisher notes that all four titles are currently out-of-print, and collectors should be aware that inventory for these reprints can be limited.
Future reprints
Bitmap Books also lists planned reprints for additional volumes, including Sinclair ZX Spectrum: A Visual Compendium and SNES/Super Famicom: A Visual Compendium, further underscoring the publisher’s ongoing focus on platform-focused visual histories and compendia.
