Read-Only Memory
Read-Only Memory is a British publisher, founded in 2012 and now an imprint of Thames & Hudson, that produces limited-edition and standard visual books on videogames and worldbuilding for collectors, developers, and design enthusiasts worldwide via direct-to-consumer e-commerce.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Read-Only Memory does
Read-Only Memory is a British publisher founded in 2012 by Darren Wall that produces highly visual, archival-grade books on videogames and worldbuilding. Since 2023 it has operated as an imprint of Thames & Hudson Limited, retaining its founder as Editor-in-Chief while gaining access to the parent's global publishing infrastructure. The catalog divides into a Catalogue line of original retrospective volumes (including Sega Mega Drive/Genesis: Ultimate Works, WipEout: Futurism, Sega Dreamcast: Collected Works, Indie Game Works, and the upcoming PlayStation: The First 30 Years) and a Selects line of curated licensed and Japanese-language art books (Casa Brutus, Persona 3 Reload: Official Design Works, Game Pixel Art Masters, The Art of Tohl Narita).
The company's product is fundamentally physical: limited print runs (typically 500-1,994 copies) with premium production values including screen-printed slipcases, silver grid-case binding, and giclée prints, alongside standard editions priced $35-$105 and deluxe editions priced up to $325. Production is anchored in exclusive content partnerships with Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sega, and other IP holders, which provide access to unpublished R&D prototypes, concept sketches, and developer interview material that competitors cannot legally replicate. Distribution runs entirely through direct-to-consumer e-commerce on a Shopify storefront, with worldwide tracked-courier delivery dispatched from EP Global Group's Stevenage distribution center and 70+ countries supported via multi-currency checkout.
The revenue model is straightforward one-time purchase across three streams: standard book sales, pre-order campaigns (with payment taken at order placement and future delivery dates), and gift cards. Marketing relies on the Shopify-hosted product catalog, an email newsletter, and organic social channels (Instagram, Bluesky, LinkedIn). The primary customer segments are videogame and limited-edition book collectors, with secondary audiences among game developers, visual arts enthusiasts, and gaming historians. Geographic reach is global subject to shipping restrictions on a small number of sanctioned jurisdictions.
Read-Only Memory firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Read-Only Memory
- Legal name
- Thames & Hudson Limited
- Website
- https://readonlymemory.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Read-Only Memory is a British publisher, founded in 2012 and now an imprint of Thames & Hudson, that produces limited-edition and standard visual books on videogames and worldbuilding for collectors, developers, and design enthusiasts worldwide via direct-to-consumer e-commerce.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Read-Only Memory industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialty Book Publishing
- NAICS
- Book Publishers (513130), Book Publishers (51313)
- SIC
- Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Genre & Category Publishing (Romance, Mystery/Thriller, Sci‑Fi/Fantasy, etc.) (MPAJAAAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Humor, Gift & Specialty Format Books (Journals, Coloring, etc.) (MPAJAAAN)
Keywords
Where Read-Only Memory is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Read-Only Memory business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Direct Book Sales: Sale of limited edition and standard edition visual books on videogames and worldbuilding directly through the e-commerce website. Products are sold in multiple editions (Standard, Deluxe, Limited) at different price points.
- Pre-order Campaigns: Customers can pre-order upcoming titles before release. Payment is taken at time of order placement with estimated delivery dates provided.
- Gift Cards: Sale of gift cards for the Read-Only Memory store
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Edition books ranging from $35-$105 |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Deluxe/Limited Edition books ranging from $70-$325 |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Selects Collection titles at $35-$120 |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | PlayStation: The First 30 Years at $125 (Standard) and $325 (Deluxe) |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Read-Only Memory product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Read-Only Memory publishes highly visual, large-format books on videogames and worldbuilding, including console retrospectives, oral histories, design works, and curated third-party art publications. The company sells directly to consumers through its own e-commerce site in Standard, Deluxe, and Limited editions (often numbered runs of 500–1,994 copies), produced in collaboration with major gaming companies such as Sony PlayStation and Sega.
Product overview
Read-Only Memory is a British book publisher founded in 2012 (now an imprint of Thames & Hudson) that produces highly visual, authoritative books on videogames and worldbuilding. The company publishes two main collections: the Catalogue featuring comprehensive retrospective books on gaming history (including Sega Mega Drive/Genesis: Ultimate Works, WipEout: Futurism, Sega Dreamcast: Collected Works, and Indie Game Works), and the Selects line featuring Japanese-language publications and licensed art books (including Persona 3 Reload: Official Design Works, Casa Brutus Extra Issue: Super Mario Bros. and Design, Game Pixel Art Masters, and The Art of Tohl Narita). The portfolio also includes standalone titles covering music games (Guitar Hero oral history), arcade typography, indie game culture (LAN Party), urban exploration photography (Project UrbEx), and science fiction graphic novels (HUXLEY). Products are primarily sold through limited edition releases with distinctive production values, shipped worldwide via tracked courier services.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- PlayStation: The First 30 Years Definitive visual chronicle of Sony's PlayStation console spanning 30 years, featuring unprecedented access to R&D prototypes, concept sketches, and development models across 400 large-format pages. Photography by Benedict Redgrove, art direction by Michael C Place and design by Nicole Motby of Studio.Build.
- Indie Game Works Visually driven survey of fifty games that defined the indie game movement over fifteen years, focusing on titles with distinctive art direction and featuring contributions from developers and art directors.
- Sega Mega Drive/Genesis: Ultimate Works Expanded retrospective of Sega's 16-bit console featuring original artworks, concept illustrations, game development materials, pixel graphics, developer interviews, and a complete guide to first-party hardware.
- Sega Mega Drive/Genesis: Ultimate Works Deluxe Edition Limited to 500 copies; enhanced retrospective featuring a screen-printed acrylic slipcase, silver grid-case design, and giclée print of Hitoshi Yoneda's Phantasy Star IV Japanese box artwork.
- The Oral History of Guitar Hero, Rock Band and the Music Game Boom Inside story of the music game phenomenon documenting the rise and fall of Guitar Hero and Rock Band through first-hand interviews with key developers at Harmonix.
- WipEout: Futurism Exploration of the creation, aesthetics, and enduring legacy of the anti-gravity racing series, featuring rarely seen concept art and detailed oral history from Psygnosis and The Designers Republic.
- Sega Dreamcast: Collected Works Definitive history of the Dreamcast console produced in collaboration with Sega, featuring never-before-published materials and editorial by New Yorker writer Simon Parkin.
- Arcade Game Typography Definitive survey of 70s, 80s, and early 90s arcade game pixel typography featuring 250 pixel typefaces gathered by author Toshi Omagari.
- LAN Party Photographic time capsule of grassroots PC gaming culture documenting late-90s and early-2000s multiplayer meetups, curated by Y2K internet culture specialist merritt k.
- Project UrbEx Photographic adventure through abandoned buildings captured by Ikumi Nakamura, featuring derelict shipyards, military bases, cooling towers, haunted hotels, and mystical islands.
- Waneella: Decade First monograph from pixel artist Waneella charting ten years of atmospheric pixel art scenes, presented chronologically with annotated case studies.
- Japansoft: An Oral History Interview-led exploration of Japan's formative videogame years told by developers who shaped them, featuring voices from Sega, Enix, Capcom, Hudson Soft, and Nihon Falcom.
- HUXLEY Collected hardback volume of Ben Mauro's epic sci-fi graphic novel set on a post-apocalyptic world ruled by AI, featuring all six issues plus a behind-the-scenes section.
- Casa Brutus Extra Issue: Super Mario Bros. and Design Extra issue of Casa Brutus exploring the origins, design evolution, and cultural impact of Super Mario Bros. on its 40th anniversary, featuring an interview with Shigeru Miyamoto.
- Persona 3 Reload: Official Design Works Comprehensive collection of artwork created for Persona 3 Reload and Episode Aigis, featuring never-before-published artwork and exclusive interviews.
- Game Pixel Art Masters: Professionals in Pixel Art Japanese-language collection exploring the techniques and creative philosophies of seven legendary pixel artists behind Final Fantasy, Galaxian, Mappy, and more.
- The Art of Tohl Narita Definitive collection of artwork from the visionary artist behind Ultraman's monster designs, featuring 515 artworks spanning his career.
- Read-Only Memory Gift Card Digital voucher gift cards available for purchase on the website for use against any Read-Only Memory product.
Companies that use Read-Only Memory
Customer profileSegments5 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Read-Only Memory technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Read-Only Memory partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- Thames & HudsonflagshipAfter more than a decade as an independent venture, Read-Only Memory became an imprint of Thames & Hudson, the world's leading illustrated book publisher. The company retains its independent spirit and remains helmed by its founder Darren Wall while gaining access to Thames & Hudson's global publishing resources and distribution network.
- EP Global GroupcoreUK distribution partner that processes and fulfills all Read-Only Memory orders. Located at Cavendish House, Cavendish Road, Stevenage, Herts SG1 2EQ. Handles order processing, packaging, and shipping for all products dispatched from the UK.
- ShopifycoreE-commerce platform powering Read-Only Memory's online store. Shopify processes payments, manages the online checkout experience, and provides infrastructure for the Services. All credit card details are held by Shopify.
- Sony Interactive Entertainment (PlayStation)flagshipCollaboration with PlayStation for the definitive visual chronicle of Sony's world-changing videogame console marking its 30th anniversary. PlayStation provided unprecedented access to their archive of R&D prototypes, concept sketches, and development models. The publication is produced in direct collaboration with PlayStation and is exclusive to Read-Only Memory.
- SegaflagshipCollaboration with Sega for Sega Dreamcast: Collected Works and Sega Mega Drive/Genesis: Ultimate Works. Products produced in collaboration with Sega featuring never-before-published materials, manufacturing prototypes, and development materials.
- The Designers RepublicminorLegacy creative studio whose work influenced WipEout design. Alumni Michael C Place/Studio.Build contributed to WipEout: Futurism limited edition cover and binding design.
- Studio.BuildcoreDesign studio led by Michael C Place (formerly of The Designers Republic) that contributed to PlayStation: The First 30 Years art direction and design, as well as WipEout: Futurism limited edition.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Read-Only Memory competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Viz Media: Manga and Japanese pop-culture publisher with strong US presence and art-book catalog (Studio Ghibli, Pokémon). Comparable in Japanese-language art-book distribution via ROM's Selects line but with substantially larger scale and IP portfolio.
Direct peers
- Bitmap Books: UK-based independent publisher producing high-end illustrated art and history books on video games (e.g., The CRPG Book, A Guide to Japanese Role-Playing Games). Directly comparable in mission, format, and collector pricing — ROM's closest head-to-head competitor in the gaming coffee-table segment.
- Future Press: Publisher of limited-run, collector-grade gaming books such as the Metal Gear Solid and Xenoblade Chronicles series. Direct peer on premium limited editions and franchise-specific deep dives, often with hundreds-only print runs.
- Third Editions: French publisher producing deeply researched books on individual video game titles and series, sold in multiple language editions. Comparable in depth-of-research, premium production values, and direct-to-consumer collector positioning.
- Udon Entertainment: Publisher of high-quality anime, manga, and video game art books (Street Fighter, Persona, Monster Hunter). Comparable in premium art-book format, anime/Japanese gaming crossover, and collector pricing.
Emerging players
- iam8bit: Collectible-focused publisher of vinyl soundtracks, art prints, and limited physical editions tied to video games. Comparable in limited-run collector aesthetic and gaming culture audience, but centered on audio/merch rather than books.
- Limited Run Games: Specializes in limited physical editions of video games and collector merchandise. Adjacent rather than direct — shares the limited-edition, collector-grade ethos but distributes game software rather than books.
Broad incumbents
- Dark Horse Books: Major US comics and gaming publisher (Legend of Zelda, Horizon, Overwatch art books) with broad catalog across multiple entertainment IP. Larger incumbent with deeper retailer distribution but less specialization in high-end limited collector editions.
- Titan Books: Established UK publisher with strong gaming and pop-culture line including Assassin's Creed, BioShock, and Final Fantasy tie-in titles. Comparable in gaming audience focus but operates across a wider portfolio of licensed and original content.
- Taschen: Global art-book publisher known for oversize illustrated volumes across architecture, design, and pop culture. Comparable in premium production values and collector positioning but operates at vastly larger scale across many categories.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Read-Only Memory social profiles
Digital presenceRead-Only Memory financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Read-Only Memory leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Read-Only Memory funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Read-Only Memory M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Read-Only Memory
What does Read-Only Memory do?
Read-Only Memory publishes highly visual, large-format books on videogames and worldbuilding, including console retrospectives, oral histories, design works, and curated third-party art publications. The company sells directly to consumers through its own e-commerce site in Standard, Deluxe, and Limited editions (often numbered runs of 500–1,994 copies), produced in collaboration with major gaming companies such as Sony PlayStation and Sega.
Is Read-Only Memory a public or private company?
Read-Only Memory is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Read-Only Memory founded?
Read-Only Memory was founded in 2012. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Read-Only Memory based?
Read-Only Memory is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Read-Only Memory make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Direct Book Sales are the primary driver. The others are pre-order Campaigns and gift Cards.
Who are Read-Only Memory's main competitors?
Viz Media is listed as a regional player. Direct peers are Bitmap Books, Future Press, Third Editions and Udon Entertainment. Emerging players are iam8bit and Limited Run Games. Broad incumbents are Dark Horse Books, Titan Books and Taschen.
Does Read-Only Memory have an API?
No public API is recorded for Read-Only Memory.
What industry is Read-Only Memory in?
Read-Only Memory's product category is Specialty Book Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAAAB, Genre & Category Publishing (Romance, Mystery/Thriller, Sci‑Fi/Fantasy, etc.), with a secondary code of MPAJAAAN, Humor, Gift & Specialty Format Books (Journals, Coloring, etc.). Its NAICS code is 513130 and its SIC code is 2731.