Games People Play.
Supercade was founded by author and creative director Van Burnham with the publication of her book Supercade: A Visual History of the Videogame Age 1971-1984 (MIT Press) and has since grown to include entertainment, publishing, and retail divisions informed and inspired by games.

The first book to illustrate and document the history, legacy, and visual language of the video arcade and console game phenomenon, Supercade fueled the classic gaming renaissance that has since consumed mainstream culture. It paid tribute to the technology, games, and visionaries of one of the most influential periods in the history of computer science... one that profoundly shaped the modern technological landscape and swept a generation into the future.

In 2008, Van established the Supercade Collection in hopes of preserving all of the games featured in the pages of Supercade and now stewards one of the most significant private collections of vintage video arcade and console games in the world with a mission of keeping them playable in their original form for future generations to experience and enjoy.

Van recently curated the games component of BEYOND THE STREETS and is currently producing the ARCADIA series of capsule exhibitions in partnership with Soho House.

Supercade has also consulted on exhibitions at the Strong Museum of Play, Museum of the Moving Image, and the recreation of FLYNN'S ARCADE at Disney's California Adventure. Games from the collection have also been featured in Time magazine and on The Big Bang Theory.

Based in Los Angeles, the collection includes a stunning selection of rare, obscure, and iconic games from the 70s and 80s, including some that are the only known surviving examples. Van is a passionate advocate for the preservation of historic games and is dedicated to elevating the medium as an art form. Supercade also frequently contributes to community and charity events, and is committed to making these games accessible to those who will benefit most. We have hosted graduate students from USC’s Interactive Media & Games Division, as well as award-winning game designers and developers to research the history of games in our private arcade.

Van is a former production director and contributing editor for Wired and has written about interactive entertainment for myriad publications including Official US Playstation MagazineElectric Playground, and Future's Retro Gamer.

IMAGE: DAN MCCOY/RAINBOW 
"The only legitimate use of a computer is to play games"
—Eugene Jarvis