How it all started

In the nostalgic days when video games were boxed treasures, one couldn’t help but marvel at the stunning artwork that greeted enthusiasts upon opening them. These illustrations were not just packaging; they were gateways into the worlds contained within the cartridges and disks. Especially during the 8-bit era, such artwork played a pivotal role in shaping the player’s imagination of the game’s aesthetics and atmosphere. The disparity between the vibrant cover art and the pixelated in-game graphics was stark, with the packaging of the Atari 2600 serving as a prime example of this contrast.

In those golden years, finding a poster inside your game box—commonplace during the Amiga, Atari ST, and MS-DOS era—felt like striking gold. My own walls were adorned with framed posters of games like Turrican II, complete with autographs from Factor 5, and Masterblazer from the prolific German studio Rainbow Arts. These posters were my initial gateway into the captivating world of gaming-related artwork. Back then, little thought was given to the artists behind these mesmerizing illustrations. It was only recently that I began exploring this subject in depth, and I was astounded to discover how many original works had been “lost”—not in the sense that they are gone forever, but rather that high-quality scans of these originals are scarce.

It’s disheartening that efforts to preserve such artwork are almost exclusively limited to Japan, where companies actively maintain their cultural heritage. This realization sparked an idea: what if we could revive these forgotten classics and their accompanying visuals? From this seed grew PosterPlay, a concept dedicated to resurrecting and celebrating these iconic pieces of gaming history.

PosterPlay isn’t just about purchases; it’s designed as a visual compendium for enthusiasts to explore and enjoy. As you browse through our collections, I hope you experience as much joy as we did in curating them. Welcome to a revived era of gaming art, where nostalgia meets modern admiration and preservation.

Tom Schmidt
Founder PosterPlay