A new book explores the legacy of the cult ’90s video game WipEout, which has gone on to be famed for its innovative electronic music soundtrack.
WipEout Futurism: The Graphic Archives offers a definitive illustrated history of the game, covering its soundtrack, overall concept and the graphic design across 320 pages.
A synopsis for the book by publisher Thames & Hudson reads: “WipEout crashed onto the scene in 1995, shifting games into the cultural fast lane with its unique 3D visual designs. It propelled a wondrous hit of anti-gravity, hyperspeed racing into the heart of the freshly released PlayStation console and, over time, the series – developed by Psygnosis, later known as Studio Liverpool – grew into a cult phenomenon amongst graphic designers and gamers alike.
“With its club-land branding – devised by cutting-edge Sheffield agency The Designers Republic, and its on-the-pulse collaborations with electronic artists, from The Chemical Brothers to Kraftwerk, WipEout was not only a racing game – it was a vehicle for art.
“‘WipEout Futurism’ chronicles the iconic game’s vision, struggles and achievements – from first conception to future plans, in a distinctive union of trailblazing artwork and graphic design. The extraordinary, and rarely seen, concept art created for the game is beautifully reproduced throughout the book, while The Designers Republic’s peerless vision for an alternative future – with its roots planted in the rich earth of sci-fi iconography – weaves its way throughout the pages, making this publication a densely packed expansion to the beloved series.”
You can find out more about the book, and purchase a copy, here.
Read DJ Mag’s piece on the relationship between electronic music and video games, published earlier this year, here.
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