Trial of the Space Invaders

The Case that Changed Video Games
From award-winning journalist and historian Simon Parkin: The gripping untold story of how the court battle that defined the birth of video games

In the autumn of 1988, in a New York City courtroom, two video game industry giants faced off: Magnavox laid claim to gaming's past, with an iron grip on patents that encompassed the very concept of video games; Nintendo, a rising creative and commercial superpower, was determined to claim gaming's future.

The case contested the earliest origins of video games. According to the patents, Ralph Baer, a refugee from Nazi Germany and subsequent employee of an American defence contractor, was the sole inventor of the 1966 'Television Gaming Display' from which an entire industry sprang. But in the early 1960s, on the other side of the country, brilliant young engineers at Stanford were caught up in galactic battle, fighting fierce bouts of a thrilling new game called Spacewar.

For Nintendo, whose Super Mario Bros. were sweeping the world, the patents couldn't stand. They were crippling innovation in a rapidly expanding industry and costing them millions; moreover they had evidence to suggest the patents had been fraudulently obtained. This is the case that defined modern gaming but its outcome has remained swathed in mystery. In Trial of the Space Invaders, Simon Parkin takes us on a thrilling journey from the birth of a new artform to its turning point, exposing a deal that reshaped our culture.

UK Delivery:

• Free delivery on all orders of £10 or more.
• £1.49 delivery fee on orders below £10.
• UK orders are shipped via Royal Mail 2nd Class.

International Delivery:

• Flat rate delivery charges vary by country.

Dispatch and Delivery Times:

• All orders are shipped from our warehouse in Northampton, UK within 48 hours of receipt during working hours.
• UK mainland orders typically arrive within 3-5 working days via Royal Mail 2nd Class.
• International estimated delivery times:
• Europe & Channel Islands: 7 to 10 working days
• USA: 7 to 15 working days
• Rest of the World: 9 to 21 working days

View our full delivery infomation here.