The Video Game Library Newsletter - Vol. #044
Final Fantasy Tactics gets a book, Game Boy's legacy in Spain, and a Katamari Look & Find book!
Welcome back to The Video Game Library Newsletter!
I’ll be honest, my reading has taken a bit of a hit lately thanks to a stack of games and a very busy few weeks. The good news is that I’ve got a vacation coming up, and I’m very much looking forward to using that time to catch up on some reading. So, with that said, a little housekeeping before we dive in:
Next week marks one year of these newsletters and four years of TheVideoGameLibrary.org. That’s a milestone worth celebrating. After that, I’ll be away for a few weeks, leaving the site in the capable hands of my incredible group of volunteers, who will be keeping things running while I’m gone. Once I’m back in late April, look out for Season 2 of the newsletter, and I’ll do my best to round up any books that appeared during the break.
As for this week, there’s still plenty to be excited about. M.J. Gallagher’s upcoming Final Fantasy Tactics books lead the way, but that’s just the start. Between some fantastic French releases, Japanese magazines, and a double hit from Udon Entertainment, it’s another packed week of reveals, announcements, and exciting additions to the library.
Be sure to share your most anticipated reads in the comments below or over in our Discord. Now, let’s get started!
📰 News & Highlights
Don’t often start with a “Book Cover” reveal as headline news, but if you’ve been reading these newsletters, you’ll know how much of a fan I am of M. J. Gallagher’s work. Myths & Traditions That Inspired Final Fantasy Tactics is scheduled to launch on Kickstarter on April 5th, and this week, we got the cover design by Cael Lyons.
A double-whammy of Udon Entertainment news this week, starting with Mega Man X #2, the next comic issue in their newest Mega Man run. X's hunt for Mavericks has lead him to the Weapons Factory, and right into the clutches of Flame Mammoth! Will X's new armor parts be enough to take down the pyromaniac pachyderm?
And some great news that a (very expected) English version of The Art of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 will be heading our way thanks to Udon in partnership with Pix’n Love. I still haven’t stopped thinking about this game since finishing it last year, and am very keen to add this one to our shelves.
From the folks over at Dark Horse Books, we saw the release of Cyberpunk 2077 Library Edition Volume 2. A compilation of previously released comics like the first installment, Volume 2 collects Cyberpunk 2077: XOXO #1–#4, Cyberpunk 2077: Kickdown #1–#4, and Cyberpunk 2077: Psycho Squad #1–#4, and features a cover gallery and expanded sketchbook section!
Marvel Rivals continues to get the literary treatment, with the latest release, Marvel Rivals: Timestream Adventure. Serving as a prologue to the game, reader’s can join Psylocke, Mantis, Jeff the Land Shark and many other characters as they escape from the Collector’s Museum.
Titan Comics makes an appearance this week with the release of their Dark Souls: Mother of Mourning #3. For some reason I have such a hard time finding reliable information on the release dates for this run, so I’ll be glad once these are all out and I don’t have to worry about it anymore. In the meantime, more Dark Souls comics is always a good thing.
The legacy of Plants vs. Zombies continues this week with the latest Zomnibus! At nearly 250 pages, Plants vs. Zombies: Zomnibus Vol. 4 collects some other graphic novel compilations including Plants vs Zombies: Rumble at Lake Gumbo, Plants vs Zombies: War and Peas and Plants vs Zombies: Dino-Might.
EDGE #422 released this week, with a deep dive into Remedy’s new Control: Resonant and 2 gorgeous covers. Also inside, an interview with Bennett Foddy talking through his journey from philosophy to the challenging slopes of Baby Steps, how IO Interactive deviated from the stealth of Hitman for the squad-based shooting of Freedom Fighters, and how can videogame developers get closer to delivering decent proposals for virtual romance?
Also from EDGE Magazine, a brand new book called Playmakers: The Inside Stories of 30 Iconic Videogames, From Pong to Baldur’s Gate 3 has released. This 200+ page hardcover lifts the lid on some of the world's most revered studios and speaks with many of the industry's most celebrated designers, offering unrivalled insight into 30 influential, acclaimed and bestselling games that helped shape the medium.
Shenmue III is getting a few collector’s bundles in the form of Shenmue III Enhanced Special Edition and Shenmue III Enhanced Collector’s Edition. While both come with a bunch of really cool collectibles, the books of note are the Shenmue III Enhanced Art Book and the The Making of Shenmue III Enhanced. Bummer that you need to grab both editions to round out your bookshelves, but they do look really cool.
Heading over to France, Pierre Lovati’s long awaited La Saga Final Fantasy VII Rebirth was released. Following up to his 2023 “Remake” book, invites readers to explore this second chapter of the trilogy, from verdant grasslands to iconic cities, tracing the narrative choices and character development. A journey into the heart of the unexpected, between legacy and rebirth, to understand how the game reinvents a legend without ever betraying it.
And for Nintendo fans, Le livre d’histoires d’Harmonie (the French translation of Rosalina’s Storybook) launched thanks to Soleil Manga. This one will no doubt be getting translations in all sorts of languages over the next year.
Dragon Quest also made a few appearances for French readers this week, with both Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai - The Hero Avan and the Dark Lord of Hellfire #6 and Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai #14. Both continue to get translations all across Europe, with these French editions thanks to DELCOURT.
Heading to Spain, Gamepress has released their latest tome. Memories de Game Boy is a 200+ page love-letter to Nintendo’s iconic handheld. Through anecdotes, reflections, and a deep love for the 8-bit, monochrome classic, the authors reconstruct in these pages what Game Boy meant to an entire generation.
The first issue of Revista LOOP is now out (digitally), with physical copies on pre-order. Titled LOOP#Religión: Del caos al credo. Ritos y leyendas it’s a 236-page issue that explores how religion, myth, folklore, superstition, and faith shape video games, with contributions from more than fifty writers and illustrators.
The hit Italian coloring magazine, Pokémon Colora has released its 6th volume this week. These have been coming out every 2 months thanks to Panini’s magazine imprint Panini Magazines. They suggest for ages 6 and up, so they’re great for kids!
Polish gaming magazine, CD-Action has released its latest issue this week with CD-Action 02/2026. Its a celebration of the Top 30 FPS games ever released, with a really cool cover. All of these deserve to be on the list. But which ones should be the Top 5? Comment below!
CD-Action has also announced CD-Action Retro #10, slated to release on Apr. 29. This issue reflects on 30 years of Tomb Raider, the legacy of Vooodoo cards, and a dive into the Polish RPGs of yesteryear.
Nearly 10 years after its original Japanese publication, Russian readers can now finally enjoy the NieR: Automata World Guide Vol. 1 which released as Путеводитель по миру NieR: Automata. Результаты исследования руин города this week. Explore the world of NieR: Automata through maps, character biographies, short stories, concept art, commentary, and more!
Pokémon Scarlet & Violet is back in the headlines - this time with Volume 2 of the Chinese translation, 寶可夢SPECIAL 朱‧紫(02). Like others that we’ve seen, this volume actually collects both Volume 3 and Volume 4 that we saw here in North America.
Heading over to Japan, we have a really cool box set from Namco’s Valkyrie series. This 40th Anniversary Official Complete Works is a four-book boxed set collecting rare development documents, artwork, interviews, and historical materials from the Valkyrie game series, including previously unpublished content.
You can’t look at this cover without humming the theme in your head… We’ve known about Katamari Damacy: Find the Prince for a while, and this week, the TV Game Magazine special hit shelves. Played a lot of Katamari with my sister when it first came out, and have a soft spot for it. Definitely gonna try to get my hands on this one.
The hit Japanese franchise Ride Kamens got the Ride Kamens Official Memorial Book this week, filled with illustrations, short stories and settings materials. Admittedly I thought this was an old Kamen Rider anime reboot, but apparently it’s a mobile game. For all the fans of the series, sounds like this is a must-have for the collection.
And in other Japanese news, Urban Myth Dissolution Center - The Novelization Vol. 2 released this week from Shueisha and Matsuzawa Kureha. This is the final chapter, with the first being released just last month.
As usual, we’ll kick off the Japanese magazine section with the latest Famitsu Weekly, because I am consistently in love with the covers. 週刊ファミ通 2026年4月2日号 No.1940 features a 39-page special on Pokémon feat. Hatsune Miku Project VOLTAGE (PokéMiku). It also marks the 30th anniversary of Resident Evil with a retrospective on the series’ major incidents and the history of Raccoon City, offering added context for Resident Evil Requiem. Also included is a launch feature on Crimson Desert, covering its open world, cinematic story, battle system, developer interview, and writer impressions, along with a special poster.
Japan’s Minecraft craze continues on with Switchマイクラ都市計画シリーズVol.02. This is the second volume of Socym’s Minecraft City Planning series, with the first being released way back in September 2024. This volume focuses on building a working theme park (called “Microland”) win the game.
Another month, another issue of Nintendo Dream. The May 2026 issue (Vol. 384) features Pokémon Winds and Pokémon Waves, but also looks at Mario Tennis Fever, Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Switch 2 Edition), Pokémon Z-A, Kirby’s Air Rider, and a few other hit titles.
B’s-LOG May 2026 issue hit Japanese shelves this week. This issue leads with an extensive Ensemble Stars!! special on ‘MELLOW DEAR US,’ featuring character and cast content plus behind-the-scenes staff coverage. Additional pages highlight other otome, character, and multimedia game titles, including Paradox Live, FOURe Project, Handsome Laundering, Sins of Kameido, ZERO RISE, Re:cord Noah, Le Mirage Mystique, and more.
And here’s a new one for the Newsletter. Weekly Japanese woman’s lifestyle magazine, An An, has released a Pac-Man special. In celebration of the character’s 45th anniversary, An An #2488’s overall special theme ties into health and wellness, positioning PAC‑MAN’s energy as a fun motif for feeling well and energetic.
Did I miss something cool? Want to see this laid out differently?
Drop it in the comments or swing by our Discord to share it with the community.
Let’s keep this celebration of game-inspired books going strong!
📚 Behind the Shelves
Every week, I take you behind the scenes of The Video Game Library. From surprising discoveries to cataloguing challenges, there’s always something new as we dig deeper into this ever-expanding archive of game-related literature.
As much as I selfishly love seeing more English books make their way into the world, one of the things I’m proudest of is that the site continues to grow as a truly global resource. That means the weeks where we get to spend extra time highlighting books in other languages feel especially rewarding.
In that vein, I want to give a huge shoutout to our newest volunteer from Brazil, João. In his first week, he’s already catalogued nearly 100 books, most of which are Portuguese. From the Old!Gamer Console Collection to GameStudies and Game Development handbooks. Honestly, it’s been incredible to watch him work so quickly and so effectively. We are unbelievably lucky to have him on the team.
Also want to thank volunteer Geneviève for bolstering our French catalogue with some really cool books from the backlog.
The rest of the volunteer team has been just as impressive. Alex shifted gears this week from Devil May Cry to track down some of the missing Roblox Annuals. Fran kept the fantasy guidebook streak alive by diving into EverQuest. Nathanial brought in a little N64 nostalgia with a pair of Wonder Life Specials straight out of Japan. Rex continued spotlighting excellent guidebooks from the point-and-click classics of yesteryear. Stephen, true to form, raced ahead down to Issue #52 of Sonic the Hedgehog. And Tommy rounded things out with another impressive stack of academic books.
A quick reminder: I’m still looking for one final volunteer who can commit time each week to help us catalogue the archive. If that sounds like you, get in touch!
This, as usual, is only a small sample of all the things that have been happening behind the scenes, so take a peek at the site to see everything that’s been added since last week! And while you’re at it, drop your thoughts in the comments below. Your feedback helps shape how we deliver these looks behind the curtain.
💡 Book Spotlights
Every week I like to zoom in on a few standout books from the collection. Sometimes it’s brand new releases, other times it’s older gems that deserve more love.
If you’re looking for deeper dives and not just quick headlines, check out some of these past spotlights:
BOOK SPOTLIGHT - REDO FROM START (USA & JAPAN)
Andrea Pachetti (2025); Microzeit Publishing; Non-Fiction, Game History
"I had originally intended to start with the CRACKER books, but Paul Norman’s eyes….they drew me in."
BOOK SPOTLIGHT - A Brief Legal History of the Video Game (Une Brève Histoire Juridique du Jeu Video)
Geoffray Brunaux (2025); Mare & Martin; Non-Fiction, Game History
"...sets out to recount the history of the video game industry, not through sales numbers or nostalgic releases, but through the courtroom battles that helped define one of the world’s most influential entertainment sectors."
BOOK SPOTLIGHT - The Best Life Adventure Games
Jupiter Hadley (2025); Pen & Sword Books - White Owl; Non-Fiction
"The Best Life Adventure Games isn't just a catalogue. It's a love letter to the art of slow, thoughtful play."
🙏 THANK YOU for Reading
That’s a wrap for this week’s Newsletter. I hope you discovered something new, surprising, or just plain fun.
As always, your feedback helps shape this project - so don’t be shy! Drop a comment below, join the conversation on Discord, or just reply to this newsletter and share your thoughts.
And if you’re enjoying these weekly roundups, please consider supporting The Video Game Library with a paid subscription or forwarding this to a fellow fan. Every little bit helps us keep preserving and celebrating these incredible works - and the passionate people behind them.
Until next week — happy reading,
Dean (Founder, The Video Game Library)