6 Best Video Game Documentaries You Can’t Miss

If you are an ardent video game player, you must be curious to know the behind-the-scenes of your favorite games. The video game industry is currently one of the most lucrative segments in the entertainment market. In fact, this segment is projected to touch US$365.60bn revenue in 2023. 


So, what makes video games so appealing, and how has the market shaped over the years? 


There is a considerable number of fun and interesting documentaries that take you to the unexplored side of the industry. You can check out the reviews to create your bucket list just as you check paper writing services reviews before hiring an essay writer Canada to work on your assignments and help you boost your grades. 

Here’re some of the best video game documentaries. 


6 Must-Watch Video Games Documentaries


High Score

A 2020 Netflix series, High Score, was created by France Costrel and takes you to the classic era of video games in the 1980s and 1990s. The series shows the journey of creation and development of early video games and explores the chronological history and cultural influence of gaming through exclusive interviews with developers, gaming facts, and footage. 

It also touches upon the rise of some cult favorite video games, the entry of Nintendo, and the introduction of adventurous and more complex role-playing games. High Score is narrated by Charles Martinet, the voice of Mario himself. 


Second Skin

The viewers of this documentary are mostly split into two categories: the ones that agree that excessive gaming can affect your life and the rest who think that gaming doesn’t interfere with real life, disagreeing with its conclusion. However, this 2008 American film is worth a watch. 

The movie jumps into the world of Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games and carefully follows a group of gamers whose lives have been transformed by the virtual world of interactive gaming. 

The concept is mind-boggling and forces you to analyze the impact of addiction the virtual gaming world can bring. The film carefully builds on the notion that excess of anything can be harmful. If you need to write a movie analysis on Second Skin for your college assignment, don’t hesitate and get help from a trusted essay writing service EssayHub. Check essay hub reviews to make sure this homework helper is the best for the task. 


Gameloading: Rise of the Indies

Indie games have been the benchmark for innovation, creativity, and experimental gameplay. Once a small-scale segment, indie games have now taken the gaming world by storm and constitute a large chunk of global revenue in the industry. 

Gameloading: Rise of the Indies is a featured documentary directed by Lester Francois and Anna Brady. It dives into the nerd community that comprises independent developers from all backgrounds, ethnicities, and nationalities and explores their passion and dream for the gaming industry. 

The documentary gives you a good understanding of the hard work and dedication these indie developers have put in to change the course of gaming and rose on the charts as solid competition for gaming giants.


GTFO: The Movie

Gaming has been known to be a male-dominant segment. However, many may point out that female gamers have broken into the men-shielded dome, stating the absence of sexism in the industry. This is why Shannon Sun-Higginson came up with this documentary and brought forth the realities of sexism within the video game world. 

Sexism, sexual harassment, and mockery are some common shenanigans in the virtual world of gamers. The movie features various interviews with gamers, developers, and journalists to sketch the status of women in gaming. Her take on this sensitive topic in this documentary is praiseworthy. 


Double Fine Adventure

If you like to follow the journey of a game from its kickstart to finish, Double Fine Adventure is for you. The series takes you to the intimate behind-the-scenes of the developing process of a video game from scratch. You walk through the chronicled development of Broken Age with video game legend Tim Schafer and his team. 

Shot over three years, the series captures the struggles of video game development beautifully. It gives you insider updates through interviews and shares development challenges like production delays, financial crises, layoffs, and design issues. The overall campaign raised $3 million more than projected funds through crowd-funding. 


Nintendo Quest

What can be the best adventure for gaming enthusiasts? Nintendo Quest makes for a great watch for retro game lovers. The adventure begins when Rob McCallum, an executive producer, challenges his best friend Jay Bartlett, a retro game collector, to gather all 678 officially released NES games in North America in 30 days. 

The catch is that Jay cannot buy anything online. So, he has to set off on a journey through Canada and the central US to collect all games through offline retailers, friends, family, and strangers. This fun challenge soon turns into an adventurous trip for Jay, Rob, and their film crew. Many academic writers and the best research paper writing services have also featured Nintendo Quest as one of the best documentaries in the niche. 


Final Thoughts

Once you dive into the world of video game documentaries, your taste in movies will evolve. You will find more interesting documentaries in the genre along the way. But the above movies are great to start with if you want to understand the gaming culture, its background, and its evolution through history. So, enjoy!