The best game art books in December 2023, now and coming soon

Best game art book; a mix of game art books
(Image credit: Bitmap Books / Sony Santa Monica / From Software / Square Enix / Studio MDHR)

The best game art books can inspire us to create as well as reveal how a video game is created. While a great resource for artists, a great video game art book can motivate us to improve our own work, and experiment with new approaches and styles.

Some of the best art books on my list below are for new games available on consoles such as PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch, but others focus on retro gaming. If you're keen on discovering the best video games of the 90s we have a feature on that, and take a look at our guide to the best retro consoles

I'm a huge fan of the best game artists, and this extends to box art; in our feature 'What’s the secret to great video game box art?' Lewis Packwood shares his personal favourites, some of the books below focus on box art. You can learn a lot from the books on my list, whether you're a fan, game artist or starting on your video game career.

The best game art books

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In my list below you can find a mix of the best video game art books out now and coming soon (these can be pre-ordered) covering game concept art, advice on creating video game art and retro collections of classic box art.

Best game art books: how we choose

When collating this list of the best video game art books and best books for gamers I've chosen books that have been created by or with input from the game developers involved, this guarantees accuracy and reliable access. 

I've chosen to include game art books that also contain new, unseen or rare art and insights, particularly when looking at retro gaming art books. When it comes to retro game content, it's vital they are sourced responsibly and with accuracy, and I've found those created by Bitmap Books are always excellent.

Best game art books: FAQ

What is a game art book?

The best game art books offer a glimpse behind the curtain of how your favourite video games are made. When buying a good game art book it's best to see of the developer has been involved and are there insights on how and why the art was created. Good video game art books can inspire and educate.

How do I get started in game art?

What software do game artists use?

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Ian Dean
Editor, Digital Arts & 3D

Ian Dean is Editor, Digital Arts & 3D at Creativebloq, and the former editor of many leading magazines. These titles included ImagineFX, 3D World and leading video game title Official PlayStation Magazine. In his early career he wrote for music and film magazines including Uncut and SFX. Ian launched Xbox magazine X360 and edited PlayStation World. For Creative Bloq, Ian combines his experiences to bring the latest news on AI, digital art and video game art and tech, and more to Creative Bloq, and in his spare time he doodles in Procreate, ArtRage, and Rebelle while finding time to play Xbox and PS5. He's also a keen Cricut user and laser cutter fan, and is currently crafting on Glowforge and xTools M1.