Interview: Mike Diver chronicles the history of Alien video games
In an interview, author Mike Diver discusses his upcoming book 'Aliens: The Video Games,' which covers the entire history of Alien-themed games. He shares his early exposure to the franchise and his research process, including tracking down developers of overlooked titles. The book is set for release on Aug. 30.
Diver's book compiles 24 fresh interviews with developers spanning the franchise's four-decade gaming history, from the ZX Spectrum original to modern titles. His research involved tracking down retired programmers and producers from long-disbanded studios, though some planned conversations fell through, including one with comic artist Dave Dorman tied to a cancelled CD-i project.
The author's personal connection to the series began in childhood, when he encountered chestburster imagery in a friend's father's film-stills book before ever watching the movies. His prior career covering games like Alien: Isolation gave him industry access, though Sega ultimately blocked an interview with Isolation's director, possibly due to the upcoming sequel.
This book could appeal to both nostalgic gamers and franchise completists, offering a structured historical record of a series often dismissed as inconsistent. By preserving interviews with overlooked developers, it may help document an era of licensed games that is rapidly fading from memory. It could also influence how future retrospectives approach cult gaming properties, though its impact will likely remain niche rather than mainstream.