|Listed in category:
Have one to sell?

Control Freak: My Epic Adventure Making Video Games by Bleszinski, Cliff

by Bleszinski, Cliff | HC | VeryGood
US $6.63
ApproximatelyC $9.15
Condition:
Very Good
Former library book; May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ... Read moreabout condition
7 available1 sold
Other people bought this. 1 has already sold.
Breathe easy. Free shipping and returns.
Shipping:
Free Economy Shipping.
Estimated between Thu, Aug 21 and Wed, Aug 27 to 94104
Estimated delivery dates - opens in a new window or tab include seller's handling time, origin ZIP Code, destination ZIP Code and time of acceptance and will depend on shipping service selected and receipt of cleared paymentcleared payment - opens in a new window or tab. Delivery times may vary, especially during peak periods.
Located in: Aurora, Illinois, United States
Returns:
30 days return. Seller pays for return shipping.
Payments:
     Diners Club

Shop with confidence

eBay Money Back Guarantee
Get the item you ordered or your money back. Learn moreeBay Money Back Guarantee - opens new window or tab
Seller assumes all responsibility for this listing.
eBay item number:376069360326
Last updated on Aug 15, 2025 01:37:01 EDTView all revisionsView all revisions

Item specifics

Condition
Very Good
A book that does not look new and has been read but is in excellent condition. No obvious damage to the cover, with the dust jacket (if applicable) included for hard covers. No missing or damaged pages, no creases or tears, and no underlining/highlighting of text or writing in the margins. May be very minimal identifying marks on the inside cover. Very minimal wear and tear. See the seller’s listing for full details and description of any imperfections. See all condition definitionsopens in a new window or tab
Seller Notes
“Former library book; May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ...
Binding
Hardcover
Weight
1 lbs
Product Group
Book
IsTextBook
No
ISBN
9781982149147

About this product

Product Identifiers

Publisher
Simon & Schuster
ISBN-10
1982149140
ISBN-13
9781982149147
eBay Product ID (ePID)
15057266559

Product Key Features

Book Title
Control Freak : My Epic Adventure Making Video Games
Number of Pages
320 Pages
Language
English
Topic
Personal Memoirs, Entertainment & Performing Arts, Video & Electronic
Publication Year
2022
Illustrator
Yes
Genre
Games & Activities, Biography & Autobiography
Author
Cliff Bleszinski
Format
Hardcover

Dimensions

Item Height
1.1 in
Item Weight
20 oz
Item Length
9 in
Item Width
6 in

Additional Product Features

Intended Audience
Trade
LCCN
2022-938717
Dewey Edition
23
Reviews
"This book is a fascinating dive into the grind of the games biz. Cliffy started as a fan of mine. And after he put me in his games, I became a fan of his. A solid guy I totally respect."-- ICE-T "Modern game design is a high-stakes game. Cliff Bleszinski had a prime seat at the table, and won. In Control Freak , he gives us a gripping inside history of the games that have swallowed the world--and more than that, a deeply personal look into the mind and heart of a man behind one of gaming's all-time greatest hits. It's fun and heartbreaking and uplifting and real. So read this touching memoir of an eighties childhood and the birth of an artist, from the first person to score 9,990,950 on Super Mario Bros . It's the highest score you can get. You can't get any higher."-- D. B. WEISS, cocreator of Game of Thrones "Cliff Bleszinski's career happened to exactly coincide with the rise of the modern video game industry, which transformed garage-band designers just out of their teens into multimillionaires. This fascinating and often moving book describes what that bizarre trajectory felt like from inside the rocket ship. But it's also about childhood, obsession, fear, and failure. I've known Cliff for fifteen years. Reading this, I realize I barely knew him at all, and I mean that in the best way possible."-- TOM BISSELL, author of Extra Lives and coauthor of The Disaster Artist "An honest, entertaining look at the life and career of one of the video game industry's biggest and brashest personalities. Bleszinski offers a surprisingly candid glimpse into the mind of an iconic designer: the ingenuity, the self-doubt, and the tense creative alchemy that makes video games come to life."-- JASON SCHREIER, New York Times bestselling author of Blood, Sweat, and Pixels and Press Reset "From NES high scores to scrappy nineties shareware to the top of the triple-A heap, Cliff has been plugged in to video game history his whole life, and now we get to see what makes him tick. I loved this book!"-- BRYAN LEE O'MALLEY, New York Times bestselling author of the Scott Pilgrim series and Seconds " Control Freak will win over not just hardcore gamers but those appreciative of a self-deprecating, fun autobiography. Bleszinski's narrative is as animated as the games he played and created, his life story serving as advice for those looking to leave their footprint in any career."-- BOOKLIST "[An] entertaining and candid debut...fascinating."-- PUBLISHERS WEEKLY " Raw and real, [Bleszinski] does not shy away from any topic or censor himself as he shares his troubles with relationships and growth. From his small apartment to his Lamborghini, he shares the ups and downs of working with gaming industry leader Epic. He also provides insight into how major decisions were made in both the games he developed and his own life. Gamers will appreciate the bevy of name-dropping and insider revelations into the evolution of video games and how some popular games, including Unreal and Gears of War , were developed."-- LIBRARY JOURNAL "A behind-the-scenes memoir of the video games industry leavened with insight and self-deprecating humor."-- KIRKUS
Dewey Decimal
794.8092
Synopsis
The designer of Unreal and Gears of War offers an eye-opening personal account of the video game industry as it grew from niche hobby to hundred-billion-dollar enterprise. Video games are dominating the planet. In 2020, they brought in $180 billion dollars globally--nearly $34 billion in the United States alone. So who are the brilliant designers who create these stunning virtual worlds? Cliff Bleszinski--or CliffyB as he is known to gamers--is one of the few who've reached mythical, rock star status. In Control Freak , he gives an unvarnished, all-access tour of the business. Toiling away in his bedroom, Bleszinski created and shipped his first game before graduating high school, and at just seventeen joined a fledgling company called Epic Games. He describes the grueling hours, obscene amounts of Mountain Dew and obsessive focus necessary to achieve his singular creative visions. He details Epic's rise to industry leader, thanks largely to his work on bestselling franchises Unreal and Gears of War (and, later, his input on a little game called Fortnite ), as well as his own awkward ascent from shy, acne-riddled introvert to sports car-driving celebrity rubbing shoulders with Bill Gates. As he writes, "No one is weirder than a nerd with money." While the book is laced with such self-deprecating humor, Bleszinski also bluntly addresses the challenges that have long-faced the gaming community, including sexism and a lack of representation among both designers and the characters they create. Control Freak is a hilarious, thoughtful, and inspiring memoir. Even if you don't play games, you'll walk away from this book recognizing them as a true art form and appreciating the genius of their creators., A legendary video game designer offers a funny, moving and eye-opening personal account of the industry as it grew from a niche hobby to a hundred-billion dollar enterprise.
LC Classification Number
GV1469.34.A97B54

Item description from the seller

About this seller

ThriftBooks

98.9% positive feedback19.8M items sold

Joined Mar 2015
Just Voted on Newsweek - ThriftBooks ranks #1 America's Best Online Shops 2025 in Office, Electronics & Media sector, Media category!!ThriftBooks is a fully independent seller of used books, having ...
See more

Detailed seller ratings

Average for the last 12 months
Accurate description
4.9
Reasonable shipping cost
5.0
Shipping speed
5.0
Communication
4.9

Seller feedback (5,708,540)

All ratings
Positive
Neutral
Negative
  • c***m (426)- Feedback left by buyer.
    Past 6 months
    Verified purchase
    WOW!; I cannot believe this 3 Days to Hawaii! ; AAA+++; Excellent Service; Great Pricing; Fast Delivery-Faster Than Expected to Hawaii!; Shipped 05/05, Mon, Received 05/08, Thu to Hawaii using free shipping; USPS Ground Mail, Book in Excellent Condition--Better Than Described ; TLC Packaging; Excellent Seller Communication, Sends updates . Highly Recommended!, Thank you very much!
  • v***v (2069)- Feedback left by buyer.
    Past month
    Verified purchase
    Although this book was not as described, with no picture of it in the listing, the seller communicated well and quickly gave me a full refund while letting me keep it. The minimal packaging left the book a bit vulnerable (typical for ThriftBooks), but it did arrive safely and timely. As usual, it’s hit or miss with this seller, but often times you can get great values, and their customer service is always very good. Many other sellers with millions of transactions don’t even communicate.
  • 2***j (113)- Feedback left by buyer.
    Past month
    Verified purchase
    I've ordered several items from this vendor now and they've always been what they were advertised as. This was no exception. Both discs were in great shape as well as their jewel cases. Delivery is good, packaging is simple but effective for what you're paying and I haven't had any get damaged. Will keep buying from this vendor because of the results so far and good prices, too.