The Making of Prince of Persia

A deep dive into the origins of the epic, bestselling video game, in the creator’s own words.

The creator of one of the most innovative and bestselling video games of all time gives an unvarnished look into the creative process in this one-of-a-kind compilation.

Before Prince of Persia was a best-selling video game franchise and a Disney movie, it was an Apple II computer game created and programmed by one person: Jordan Mechner. Mechner’s candid and revealing journals from the time capture the journey from his parents’ basement to the forefront of the fast-growing 1980s video game industry―and the creative, technical, and personal struggles that brought the Prince into being and, ultimately, into the homes of millions of people worldwide.

Now, on the 30th anniversary of Prince of Persia’s release, Mechner looks back at the journals he kept from 1985 to 1993, offering new insights into the game that established him as a pioneer of cinematic storytelling in the industry. This beautifully illustrated and annotated collector’s edition includes:

• 300 pages of Mechner’s original journals
• Present-day margin notations by Mechner adding explanation, context, and affectionate cartoons of real-life characters
• Archival visuals illustrating the stages of the game’s creation
• Work-in-progress sketches, rotoscoped animation, screenshots, interface design, memos, and more
• A full-color 32-page “Legacy” section in which Mechner and fans share Prince of Persia memories from the past 30 years, including the Ubisoft games and Disney movie

The Making of Prince of Persia is both a tribute to a timeless classic and an indelible look at the creative process that will resonate with retro-gaming fans, game developers, and writers, artists, and creators of all stripes.