Immerse yourself in 45 spectacularly imagined virtual cities, from Arkham City to Whiterun, in this beautifully illustrated unofficial guide.

 

Inspired by the atlases of old, and fueled by a deep love and appreciation for the fascinating cities of video gaming, Virtual Cities [order it here] is the first book of its kind. It is a richly illustrated atlas and exploration of video game cities. An attempt to understand, re-imagine, and present the most important civic spaces of gaming. A celebration of the creativity, ingenuity and imagination poured into gaming's virtual cities, and also an invitation to appreciate them, dwell in them, and let their flows embrace you.

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The book was published on November 10, 2020 and is available for purchase.

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The 45 cities included in the book (presented here in no particular order) are the following:

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The City, Thief: The Dark Project
London, Fallen London
Dunwall, Dishonored
City 17, Half-Life 2
New Vegas, Fallout: New Vegas
Citadel, Mass Effect series
Hong Kong, Shadowrun: Hong Kong
Midgar, Final Fantasy VII
Lizard Breath, It Came From The Desert
New Orleans, Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers
Silent Hill, Silent Hill
Kamurocho, Yakuza 0
Wan Chai, Shenmue II
Steelport, Saints Row: The Third
London, Assassin's Creed Syndicate
Antescher, Ant Attack
Rubacava, Grim Fandango
Whiterun, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Sigil, Planescape: Torment
Anytown, 0°N 0°W
Anor Londo, Dark Souls
Seaside Valley, Bus Simulator 18
Dun Darach, Dun Darach
Novigrad, The Witcher III: Wild Hunt
Rockvil, A Mind Forever Voyaging
Mega Primus, X-COM: Apocalypse
Orgrimmar, World of Warcraft
Terrapolis, B.A.T.
Olympic City, Need For Speed Underground
Pripyat, STALKER: Call of Pripyat
Metro City, Final Fight
Raccoon City, Resident Evil 2
New Bretagne, Lamplight City
New York City, Deus Ex
Yharnam, Bloodborne
Clock Town, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
Fourside, Earthbound
Woodtick, Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge
New Donk City, Super Mario Odyssey
Tarsonis City, Starcraft series
Gotham City, Batman: Arkham Knight
Neketaka, Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire
Milton, The Long Dark
Propast, Europolis, Dreamfall Chapters
Union City, Beneath A Steel Sky

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Here's how Countryman Press describe the atlas: 

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"Spanning decades of digital history, this is the ultimate travel guide and atlas of the gamer imagination. Readers are invited readers to share his vision of dozens of different gaming franchises like never before: discover Dimopoulos’s Half-Life 2’s City 17, Yakuza 0’s Kamurocho, Fallout’s New Vegas, Super Mario Odyssey’s New Donk City, and many more. Each chapter of this virtual travel guide consists of deep dives into the history and lore of these cities from an in-universe perspective. Illustrated with original color ink drawings and—of course—gorgeous and detailed maps, readers can explore the nostalgic games of their youth as well as modern hits. Sidebars based on the author’s research tell behind-the-scenes anecdotes and reveal the real-world stories that inspired these iconic virtual settings. With a combination of stylish original maps, illustrations, and insightful commentary and analysis, this is a must-have for video game devotees, world-building fans, and game design experts."

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