The unOFFICIAL Art Book Pre-Order Thread

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Welcome to the Official CAG Art Book Pre-Order Thread
I am totally ripping off Ionotropic's CE Guide Thread's Wiki format. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery!

Alien: Isolation, The Art of

Author: Andy McVittie (October 7, 2014)
Publisher: Titan Books
Page Count: 176
Amazon $26.56

Assassin's Creed Unity: Abstergo Entertainment: Employee Handbook

Author: Ubisoft (November 4, 2014)
Publisher: Insight Editions
Page Count: 152
Amazon $28.46

Batman: Arkham Trilogy, The Art of

Author: Rocksteady Studios (April 14, 2015)
Publisher: Abrams
Page Count: 320
Amazon $27.51

Book of Life, The Art of

Author: Jorge Gutierrez and Guillermo del Toro (September 30, 2014)
Publisher: Dark Horse Books
Page Count: 184
Amazon $24.91


Breath of Fire: Official Complete Works

Author: Keiji Inufane, Tatsuya Yoshikawa, Capcom (September 9, 2014)
Publisher: Udon Entertainment
Page Count: 192
Amazon $28.06

Destiny, The Art of

Author: Bungie (December 16, 2014)
Publisher: Insight Editions
Page Count: 160
Amazon $32.10 ($45.00 MSRP)


Destiny: The Poster Collection

Author: Insight Editions (October 14, 2014)
Publisher: Insight Editions
Page Count: 40
Amazon $18.62 ($24.99 MSRP)



Devil May Cry: A Divine Comedy

Author: Medhi El Kanafi / Nicolas Courcier (July 22, 2014)
Publisher: Les Edition Pix'N Love
Page Count: 176
Amazon $37.04


Dishonored: The Dunwall Archives

Author: Bethesda Games (November 25, 2014)
Publisher: Dark Horse Books
Page Count: 1
Amazon $28.06


Dragon Age: Inquisition, The Art of
Author: Bioware (October 7, 2014)
Publisher: Dark Horse Books
Page Count: 184
Amazon $28.06


Dragon Age Inquisition: Prima Official Inquisitor Edition

Author: Bungie (November 18, 2014)
Publisher: Prima
Page Count: 368
Amazon $107.99 ($119.99 MSRP)

Evil Within, The Art of
Author: Bethesda Games (October 14, 2014)
Publisher: Dark Horse Books
Page Count: 1
Amazon $28.06


5th Cell, The Art of
Author: Edison Yan (November 11, 2014)
Publisher: Udon Entertainment
Page Count: 168
Amazon $29.99


Gran Turismo 5, Art of

Author: Daniel Wade (November 11, 2014)
Publisher: Ballistic Publishing
Page Count: 256
Amazon $40.95
51eTmiAUyYL._SS500_.jpg

Naughty Dog, The Art of

Author: Naughty Dog Studios (October 14, 2014)
Publisher: Dark Horse Books
Page Count: 184
Amazon $28.06


Resident Evil 6 Artworks

Author: Capcom (October 7, 2014)
Publisher: Udon Entertainment
Page Count: 272
Amazon $31.20


SF25: The Art of Street Fighter

Author: Capcom (August 12, 2014)
Publisher: Udon Entertainment
Page Count: 448
Amazon $40.64

UDON's Art of Capcom: Complete Edition

Author: Alvin Lee, Arnold Tsang, Jeffrey Chamba Cruz, Joe Ng, and Omar Dogan (November 11, 2014)
Publisher: Udon Entertainment
Page Count: 600!
Amazon $53.23

Uncharted Trilogy, The Art of the

Author: Naughty Dog (April 28, 2015)
Publisher: Dark Horse Books
Page Count: 240
Amazon $30.00

Witcher, The World of

Author: CD Projekt Red (March 17, 2015)
Publisher: Dark Horse Books
Page Count: 184
Amazon $27.10
============================
Previously Released Art Book Archive
============================

[CUSTOMSPOILER=Previously Released]


Assassin's Creed III, Art of

Author: Andy McVittie (October 30, 2012)
Page Count: 144
Amazon $19.77
Special Features: Hardcover




Atelier: Artworks of Arland

Author: Mel Kishida, Gust (May 5, 2013)
Publisher: Udon Entertainment
Page Count: 256
Amazon $28.11


Bayonetta: Eyes of

Author: Sega (July 11, 2013)
Publisher: Udon Entertainment
Page Count: 224
Amazon $31.49
Special Features: DVD




Bioshock Infinite: Art of

Author: Ken Levine (March 12, 2013)
Page Count: 184
Amazon $23.52
Special Features: Hardcover




Blizzard, Art of

Author: Nick Carpenter, Sam Didier, Chris Metzen (December 25, 2012)
Page Count: 352
Amazon $47.25
Special Features: Hardcover




Borderlands 2, Art of

Author: BradyGames (November 5, 2012)
Page Count: 208
Amazon $25.00




Darksiders II, Art of

Author: Joe Madureira, THQ (November 13, 2012)
Publisher: Udon Entertainment
Page Count: 200
Amazon $24.99




Dead Space: Art Of (Clamshell Edition) (January 28, 2013)

Author: Martin Robinson
Publisher: Titan Books
Page Count: 224 (192 Normal + 32 Exclusive)
Limited Time You Get A Chrome Plated Marker Pendant As A Bonus (dead)
EA Store $65.00




Dead Space: Art of (Regular) (January 28, 2013)

Author: Martin Robinson
Publisher: Titan Books
Page Count: 192
Amazon $23.07




Devil Survivor: Official Material Collection (June 11, 2013)

Publisher: Udon Entertainment
Page Count: 176
Amazon $26.57



Eve: Source

Author: CCP Games (March 18, 2014)
Publisher: Dark Horse Books
Page Count: 200
Amazon $29.22
Final Fantasy, The Sky: Art of

Author: Yoshitaka Amano (October 30, 2012)
Page Count: 800
Book Depository (US) $104.99
Special Features: Hardcover, Boxed Set




Final Fantasy (Slipcase Edition), The Sky: Art of

Author: Yoshitaka Amano (July 2, 2013)
Page Count: 576
Amazon $56.69
Special Features: Hardcover, Slipcase Edition


Growlanser Art Works
Author: Satoshi Urushihara (March 12, 2013)
Publisher: Udon Entertainment
Page Count: 176
Amazon $24.99




Halo 4, Awakening: Art of

Author: Paul Davies (November 6, 2012)
Page Count: 192
Amazon $23.07
Special Features: Hardcover


Heroes and Heroines: Japanese Video Game + Animation Illustration

Editor: Yoshiyuki Oba (October 2, 2012)
Publisher: PIE International
Page Count: 208
Amazon $16.74



Kingdom Hearts, The Artwork of

Author: Shiro Amano (October 29, 2013)
Publisher: Yen Press
Page Count: 272
Amazon $21.16


The Last of Us, The Art of

Author: Naughty Dog Studios (July 16, 2013)
Publisher: Dark Horse
Page Count: 184
Amazon $26.03
Special Features: Hardcover



Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia

Author: Shigeru Miyamoto, Eiji Aonuma, Akira Himekawa (January 29, 2013)
Page Count: 272
Amazon $20.99
Special Features: Hardcover


Mario Goodies Collection
Author: Naughty Dog Studios (May 28, 2014)
Publisher: Les Editions Pix'N Love
Page Count: 256
Amazon $26.88

Remember Me, The Art of

Author: Various (May 28, 2013)
Publisher: Dark Horse
Page Count: 184
Amazon $26.39
Special Features: Hardcover



Sengoku Basara Samurai Heroes: Official Complete Works

Author: Capcom (November 6, 2012)
Publisher: Udon Entertainment
Page Count: 152
Amazon $24.99


Shining Hearts: Collection of Visual Materials

Author: Tony Taka, Sega (October 9, 2012)
Publisher: Udon Entertainment
Page Count: 192
Amazon $24.99




Sonic the Hedgehog, History of

Author: Marc Petronille, William Audureau, Sega (October 9, 2012)
Publisher: Udon Entertainment
Page Count: 300
Amazon $23.09
Special Features: Hardcover


Takehito Harada Art Works

Author: Takehito Harada (April 9, 2013)
Publisher: Udon Entertainment
Page Count: 208
Amazon $24.99
Features:
All four Disgaea titles, as well as Prinny 1 & 2, Makai Kingdom, and Phantom Brave




Tomb Raider: Art of Survival

Author: BradyGames (March 18, 2013)
Publisher: BradyGames
Page Count: 272
Amazon $26


Transformers, Art of Fall of Cybertron

Author: Mark Bellomo (October 23, 2012)
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Page Count: 200
Amazon $23.09
Special Features: Hardcover


Valkyria Chronicles 3: Complete Artworks

Author: Raita Honjou (March 26, 2013)
Publisher: Udon Entertainment
Page Count: 256
Amazon $29.69


[/CUSTOMSPOILER]

[CUSTOMSPOILER=Possibly Cancelled?]


Assassin's Creed: Art ( R )evolution

Editor: Debora Ferrari (October 2, 2012)
Page Count: 176
Amazon $19.46
Special Features: Hardcover





ICO and Shadow of the Colossus, Art of

Editor: Ronnie Gramazio (October 15, 2013)
Publisher: Ballistic Publishing
Page Count: 240
Amazon $40.95

League of Legends, Art of

Editor: Ronnie Gramazio (July 16, 2013)
Publisher: Ballistic Publishing
Page Count: 240
Amazon $40.95

Portal 2, Art of (currently MIA)

Author: Andy McVittie (November 13, 2012)
Page Count: 184
Amazon $23.09
[URL="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/art-of-portal-2-valve/1111297457%22%22%5DB&N"]http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/art-of-portal-2-valve/1111297457%22%22%5DB&N[/url]"][/url]http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/art-of-portal-2-valve/1111297457""]B&N[/url][/URL]$23.12
Special Features: Hardcover

Twisted Metal, Art of

Editor: Ronnie Gramazio (May 14, 2013)
Publisher: Ballistic Publishing
Page Count: 240
Amazon $40.95
[/CUSTOMSPOILER]

 
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Yeah, I got sucked in to the DS Animal Crossing game, and after that one, I had to swear off the series, as I can't afford to get sucked down the rabbit hole again. LOL

Game looks great, as I've watched my son play it a few times, as well as watching YT clips, since my son is always drawn to those. A guide like this is key, and while I'm not planning to start playing the game, I'll be happy to ready the guide and see what I'm missing out on.
Do you think the UK exclusive recent books for the Metal Slug series & also the Oddworld book will eventually come to the US. Or should I import? They’re both rather pricey, but I love the art of those particular games so I’m considering importing both.
 
Do you think the UK exclusive recent books for the Metal Slug series & also the Oddworld book will eventually come to the US. Or should I import? They’re both rather pricey, but I love the art of those particular games so I’m considering importing both.
I actually passed on that Oddworld book at the time it was offered, as my funds were tight at the time, and I never went back to see if I could get it after the fact. As for the Metal Slug book, yeah, it's killer, and if you can find the CE, spend the extra and get that version(it's super cool!). In the past, a few Bitmap books have been on Amazon, but I don't believe it was by official channels, but so long as it was discounted, who cares about that right?

In recent times, I haven't seen newer books offered, but I wasn't really looking either, as I always support these books when first offered, by pre-order, or through Kickstarter, etc. I would think the Oddworld book may be sight specific as well, since that was a higher end art book, and most of those don't get Amazon releases(or at least that I ever noticed).

 
Damn. Might have to bite the bullet & just import em then....
Well, the good news is that the really popular books from most of these places have gotten reprints, especially when they sell out over a smaller period of time(3-6 months). The more expensive and rare books that take ages to sell out, are normally that ones that are gone for good after being sold out, so plan accordingly.

 
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The Oddworld book was published by Indie by Design. It’s available on their website. I doubt it’ll show up on Amazon (their previous title never did afaik).

https://indie-by-design.myshopify.com/collections/all

Go read reviews of it before you buy. A lot of backers were not happy with the end product (the artwork is great but the presentation is mediocre)

 
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Go read reviews of it before you buy. A lot of backers were not happy with the end product (the artwork is great but the presentation is mediocre)
As always, good to know, as not all of these types of books are created equal, and it mostly falls to fans of each genre to give the best views on the finished product. I only ever get these higher end art/guide books when I'm a super fan, and while I'm a fan of Oddworld games and it's art style, I'm just not a buyer at the current asking price.

 
Read Only Memory is having a special: 15% off all their books and prints with the code ROMSPRING - good until May 31.

Their books are very high quality, and so is their shipping. Can't recommend them enough.
Yeah, I've had a few of their books, and just recently got the Sega Pop-Up one, which I actually need to open and check out, just been so busy with life, just haven't had the time. I'm sorry to say I seemed to have missed out on their "Arcade Game Typography" book, as it looks really cool, but is now sold out. I normally get emails from them for new products, but I guess this one fell through the cracks, so I'll check the secondary market I guess?

EDIT: As luck would have it, there was a paperback version, and it's up on Amazon for $27.99, so just added to my wish list and should hopefully order it soon. Great reviews to boot, so I'll for sure be grabbing a copy ASAP!

 
Disappointed that the Breath of Fire price never dropped. Wonder if I should cancel and see if it gets a discount later.
 
Target has a buy 2 get 1 free on video games, movies and books.  They have more game guides and art books then I would expect.  It works on preorders for most of the biggest releases coming up too.  Last of us 2, Ghost of Tsushima, cyberpunk art books.  Mostly all matching Amazon price, then you can add the buy 2 get 1 on top of that.  7 Hayao Miyazaki artbooks for an average of $14 each with deal.  Some others before discount: cyberpunk 2077 hardcover guide, $35.  Art of death stranding, $25.  Breath of the wild creating a champion hero’s edition, $57.  Eyes of Bayonetta 2, $32.  Art of mana, $26.  Art of Mario odyssey, $32.  Dark stalkers complete works, $32.  A few evangelion art books, lots more.  I didn’t double check prices but all around that before B2G1 discount.

 
Target has a buy 2 get 1 free on video games, movies and books. They have more game guides and art books then I would expect. It works on preorders for most of the biggest releases coming up too. Last of us 2, Ghost of Tsushima, cyberpunk art books. Mostly all matching Amazon price, then you can add the buy 2 get 1 on top of that. 7 Hayao Miyazaki artbooks for an average of $14 each with deal. Some others before discount: cyberpunk 2077 hardcover guide, $35. Art of death stranding, $25. Breath of the wild creating a champion hero’s edition, $57. Eyes of Bayonetta 2, $32. Art of mana, $26. Art of Mario odyssey, $32. Dark stalkers complete works, $32. A few evangelion art books, lots more. I didn’t double check prices but all around that before B2G1 discount.
Just an FYI. Target is horrible with packing books. I don’t know if I’ve ever gotten a hardcover book from them without a damaged corner. It’s a great deal if you aren’t super picky about your books, but just be aware
 
Good to know.  Can’t be any worse than Amazon, or any place that’s not a specialty retailer anymore.  A box too big or too small with one bubble square lazily thrown in on top to slide all around is pretty much all that I expect anymore.  Thanks Amazon, I think they set the trend on that and lowered everyone’s standards.

 
You can get breath of fire complete works hard cover for a decent price with the target deal B2G1. $45 before the discount if you find 2 more.
Thank you, I ended up pre-ordering when it was $35, just hoped it would go into the 20s before shipping, but that's alright. Probably the last art book I should order for awhile
 
Good to know. Can’t be any worse than Amazon, or any place that’s not a specialty retailer anymore. A box too big or too small with one bubble square lazily thrown in on top to slide all around is pretty much all that I expect anymore. Thanks Amazon, I think they set the trend on that and lowered everyone’s standards.
Remember when Amazon always shrink wrapped the book or game to an inner cardboard piece the size of the outer box so it never touched the box or moved during shipping? Items always arrived mint. I miss the old Amazon, not to mention prime items always arrived in two days from order date.

 
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Wow, happy I randomly checked this thread... would not have known about this otherwise. I really hope it covers art more from the earlier games (especially the first, where the assets seem to be fairly rare) and not focus more on Half-Genie Hero and Seven Sirens. The style got too generic-cutesy after Pirate's Curse.

I'm glad it's hard cover but also worried because that means Amazon will ship it in a bubble mailer. But I sure am happy that Amazon always makes sure to ship my cheap, easily replaceable items in a box.:whistle2:/

 
What happened? Did they not send out all the backer rewards?
They lied several times to backers, made a total mess of distributing keys for about two months post-release, and the people they had speaking to backers weren't even informed about what platforms were still being supported after they started to cut them. I even tried contacting the devs themselves across several channels when it became apparent the person they had handling backers was incompetent, and never received a reply. I was a fan before that KS, but it definitely opened my eyes about how little they actually care about their consumer base.
 
My main issue with Wayforward was how they just seemed to use KS to not really put their own funds at risk, and the level of service IMO went hand in hand with that broken mentality. I got what I paid for, and I didn't have the issues that others appear to have had, but the lack of care or any level of priority seemed lost on these guys for no other reason than they could(very low risk to them personally).

So while I didn't swear them off after KS, I did decide I wouldn't support their new games until they are at a great discount(50% at least). I'm happy to support this book, as this is mostly UDON who I have been happy with for years, and while WF will get some proceeds, I'm happy to support UDON as well(I want them to do well). If me not buying WF new at retail means they no longer make new games down the road, I'm cool with that, as after that KS, and how they took funds they really didn't need, to only deliver service like they had better things to do, spoke volumes to me.

As for KS in general, I've only had 1 really bad experience, and that was from a company who I had dealt with before through KS, so I had no reason to believe things would go tits up! And while I didn't get specifically what I paid for, I was able to get an outcome that was mutually acceptable to both sides, so all was not lost even in that bad situation(or so it seemed). LOL

 
I worked at Amazon for a few months a few years ago. I was a packer. They put so much emphasis on speed, you don't get any incentive/appreciation/acknowledgement to actually pack shit nicely. It actually slows you down, that's why a lot of packers don't care. I can't remember how often I worked next to people that didn't use a single bubble pack their whole shift.
 
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https://www.amazon.com/dp/1506715745/ref=pd_rhf_ee_p_img_6?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=SZ75CEZ3ABAKDPA9CAHR

final fantasy 15 limited edition artbook preorder $10 off, just $190! Includes a fancier box, an acrylic display (just a print or stand?), and a journal (I’m assuming blank) like Luna and Noctis love journal from the game. Ridiculous.
For 200 dollars, it better come with the rest of the DLC they never made, and a signed letter from Nomura promising to stop injecting his gratuitous fanfiction into Final Fantasy games. Then maybe it'd be worth it.

 
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1506715745/ref=pd_rhf_ee_p_img_6?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=SZ75CEZ3ABAKDPA9CAHR

final fantasy 15 limited edition artbook preorder $10 off, just $190! Includes a fancier box, an acrylic display (just a print or stand?), and a journal (I’m assuming blank) like Luna and Noctis love journal from the game. Ridiculous.
"Cook & Becker" also released a rather expensive art book early on for this title, but it is now sold out across all versions. I thought their book looked amazing, I just wasn't interested in the source materials for this particular franchise. While I'm a huge fan of gaming publications, I also only buy books for games I also have a mild interest in, and my interest in Final Fantasy ended with part 6, and all but died with part 7.

From what I could tell through a little research, this seems to be coming by Dark Horse, and their L.E. gaming books are normally top shelf offerings. I would also recommend anyone interested get in on the pre-ordered ASAP, so you can lock in the lower price that always seems a guarantee at some point in the pre-order period. While most of these books are worth the asking price, I've never bought one full price, EVER(due to early pre-orders locking in lowest price). DH also ships these bigger heavier offerings in there own hardcover book mailer, and that box is normally sent within another bigger box, so damages with these in shipping is very rare.

https://www.cookandbecker.com/en/artwork/2364/the-art-and-design-of-final-fantasy-xv-final-fantasy-xv-square-enix.html

 
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New book from Future Press

The Art & Making of Control - Limited Edition

MSRP $59.99

Holiday 2020

https://www.amazon.com/dp/3869931051/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=the+art+of+control+future+press&qid=1597342936&sr=8-3

August 13, 2020
A BEAUTIFUL, BEHIND THE SCENES LOOK AT THE ART AND CREATION OF REMEDY’S CONTROL
Remedy have long been one of our favorite studios, and they set a new benchmark with Control. Its brilliant third-person combat mechanics and staggering feats of world building add up to what we genuinely think is one of the most outstanding and singular games of recent times.

With both of its expansions now released, Future Press is proud to present The Art and Making of Control—a truly unique, limited edition companion book. We’ve put hundreds of hours into giving Remedy’s award-winning art direction the treatment it deserves—concept art, sketches and renders are beautifully framed across almost 400 pages of in-depth, behind the scenes content. The book will be released holiday 2020 and is available for pre-order now at Amazon.com and can be ordered direct from future-press.com from late August. Pre-orders in other territories will also go live soon.
61RuD8XHdiL.jpg


art_of_control_preview-1.jpg


 
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Can anyone who has the Death Stranding art book let me know how it is. I've been debating picking it up for a while now but curious how the art book is and if it's worth it. Haven't seen it drop below $25
 
it's weird, it seems like Square Enix and Dark Horse are doing guides now. Noticed that for Octopath Traveler as well. Would be cool to pick up for the art, but i probably shouldn't be buying more of these books.
I felt the exact same way as I was checking out on Amazon. I figured, "I have the first volume, so what the hell?" I'm weak.

 
it's weird, it seems like Square Enix and Dark Horse are doing guides now. Noticed that for Octopath Traveler as well. Would be cool to pick up for the art, but i probably shouldn't be buying more of these books.
Yeah, I'm considering skipping Vol. 2 since it's more of a guide. I'll wait for reviews.

Hopefully this means that some of the beefy Ultimania guides will be localized in the future. Those tend to be hundreds of pages longer than your average guide, though, so I'm not sure how realistic that would be. Still, there's one or two I'd love to have officially translated versions of.

 
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Can anyone who has the Death Stranding art book let me know how it is. I've been debating picking it up for a while now but curious how the art book is and if it's worth it. Haven't seen it drop below $25
I haven’t opened mine yet, I don’t until I’m going to read it, but it looks really nice from the outside, gold trim and page edges stand out nicely with black cover. Externally it looks very high quality up there with the best. I’d look up reviews for the internals, but I’ve heard that’s good too.

 
Spoiler alert - Death stranding Art book flip through

https://youtu.be/fGNSDjvwx_k

I missed out on Dark souls 3 design works.
Was watching it and it went out of stock, plz help

Sent from my LM-V600 using Tapatalk
Parka does flip throughs of every book he reviews. You can always check his site: https://www.parkablogs.com/

Udon published Dark Souls 3 Design Works and they've done a lot of reprints lately. You could try contacting them to see if they plan to reprint it before paying absurd second-hand prices. Barnes and Noble carries them as well, so maybe a local store has it in stock (or can order it for you from another location).

 
What is the actual quality of the Prima Persona 5 artbook? Mine is still sealed and I wonder if I should keep it or sell it given that I could get $200-$300 on Amazon for it.

 
Kingdom Hearts Ultimania: The Story Before Kingdom Hearts III will be localized in hardcover by Dark Horse and available June 15, 2021. Preorders are open now; MSRP is $44.99. Here's the press release.

The Japanese original is a Memorial Ultimania (this one, specifically). That said, it should be similar to the Final Fantasy Ultimania Archives that Dark Horse released previously, as opposed to the 500+ page guide books that makes up most of the Ultimania line.

 
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