Look, I'm already on record as saying "It’s almost impossible to understate the impact WipeOut had on the maturation of video games", I don't think I need to go into it too much more here. From its visuals to its electronic soundtrack the WipeOut series helped define console gaming's shift from the bedroom into the living room, from a medium seen as child's play into something adults could proudly enjoy as well.
(I didn't make those rules, it's a gross oversimplification of the situation, but that was just the popular sentiment at the time! Don't shoot me, I'm just the messenger!)
What I've always loved most about the series, though, and what has proven to be its most enduring legacy, was the work done by British studio The Designers Republic on Wipeout's branding; its team logos, billboards, sponsors, etc. From 1995, it looked like it came from the future, and the kind of future that in 1995 we all thought was the coolest: a slick, millennial, Japanese-inspired one. In 2023, well, it still looks cool as hell, and--fun fact--remains so influential it was a huge touchstone for the logo of the website you're reading right now.
I am very excited, then, to see that Read-Only Memory are about to publish a big, expensive art book detailing the visual history of the games, which covers not only The Designers Republic's iconic work, but that of developers Psygnosis/Sony Liverpool in creating the actual game world/ships as well.
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.
Created by Read-Only Memory and art-directed by The Designers Republic alumni Michael C Place/Studio Build, this book is for those who are well-acquainted with the delights of WipEout and for whom this futuristic, epoch-defining creation is yet to be discovered.
Read-Only were kind enough to send over some illustrations from the book so we could get a better look at it, and you can see those spreads throughout this post. Or that was their plan, anyway; if you also happen to want some lovely new desktop or phone wallpaper, who am I to stop you?
WipeOut: Futurism is available to order now, but won't be shipping until 2024.
