Videogame Box Works
Hock Wah Yeo

Discover the mesmerizing world of a visionary whose designs transformed videogame boxes into breathtaking works of art. This redesigned and expanded edition features a foreword from Jordan Mencher.

90backers £5,602.16of £50,000 pledged
11% funded

Overview

In an age where digital distribution reigns supreme, the tactile beauty of physical game packaging has all but vanished. Gone are the days when publishers were simultaneously battling for shelf space and consumer’s attention with brightly coloured boxes, additional paper paraphernalia and gigantic marketing posters showcasing the blockbuster hits of the eighties and nineties. Every game on the shelves was designed to shout at passers-by, but perhaps the loudest voices came from the unusually shaped, yet ingenious boxes created by Hock Wah Yeo.

Videogame Box Works is a tribute to the extraordinary craftsmanship behind Hock Wah Yeo's meticulously engineered game boxes and a redesigned and expanded hardback edition of Colpa Press’s ultra-short run 2021 publication. This new tome delves into why Yeo’s boxes were prized artefacts of collectors around the world, but the bane of shelf stockists for over a decade and chronicles his remarkable contributions to the gaming industry between the years of 1988 and 1997, showcasing his innovative designs that added a veil of wonder to games before you even removed the packaging. Each inventive box featured within the pages has brand new commentary from Yeo, explaining the creative process behind his unique constructions.

Hock Wah Yeo’s work in paper engineering is a rare blend of art and mechanics, turning ordinary boxes into experiences that replicated the interactivity of videogames. His legacy is a testament to the playful, inventive period of the latter decades of last century, where every detail had an impact on a game’s success. This book serves not just as a celebration of Yeo’s artistry but also as a nostalgic glimpse into a forgotten time when game packaging was discussed, desired and revered.

Specification

290 × 206mm
144 pages
Hardcover

Printing in 5 colours
Quarter bound
Foil-blocked details

Welcome to the progress area of Videogame Box Works. Check back soon for project development updates.

Estimated delivery
Spring 2026

Name in book changes allowed until 25th June 2025

How it works

If our funding goal is met before GMT this project will commence development. All pledges will be immediately refunded in full if the funding goal is not met.

Estimated delivery

Spring 2026

Shipping

Tracked worldwide

… through the 80s and 90s, [Yeo] created the boldest, most unusual packaging in the game industry

Phil Salvador, The Obscuritory

The Book

Videogame Box Works takes a deep dive into the innovative designs that made Yeo a standout in the gaming industry, featuring dozens of his intricate and off-the-wall box designs with detailed commentary from Yeo himself, the creative processes and techniques that brought each box to life and unfolded and laid out for all to see.
The publication captures a pivotal moment in gaming history – an era when box art and paper engineering thrived, inviting gamers to reach out and engage with their favourite titles – from polygonal box of 3D tank-battler Spectre to the polymorphic case of tactical shooter Ultrabots – that is rarely seen today. The book even includes a foreword by renowned game designer Jordan Mechner, creator of Prince of Persia – recipient of one of Yeo’s incredible paper-engineered designs – setting the stage for a journey through Yeo’s artistic legacy.
Publisher

Read-Only Memory

Profile

Founded in 2012 by Darren Wall, Read-Only Memory publishes beautiful books on videogames and their surrounding subcultures.

Spectre: Redux Limited Edition Model

Our Deluxe Spectre: Redux Limited Edition Model reward tier includes a full-size, die-cut and machine-folded ‘no-glue’ model based on the cutting net for Yeo’s 1993 Spectre VR box, reimagined specially for this book’s publication as a brand new Hock Wah Yeo box artwork.
This exclusive collector’s piece, standing 260mm high when assembled, will be printed on 330gsm matt laminated board and shipped to you securely by courier.

Soon, game publishers realized that Yeo at his most extreme was good for business.

Rhett Jones, Gizmodo.com.au

Our reaction to things should be: ‘What the hell is it?’ Not: ‘Is this product right for me?

Hock Wah Yeo, via It's Nice That
Meet the author

Hock Wah Yeo is a pioneering figure in the realm of paper engineering, renowned for his groundbreaking work in game packaging design. With a career spanning decades, Yeo has crafted an impressive array of box designs that have become cherished artefacts for gamers and collectors alike. His unique approach combined artistry with engineering, transforming ordinary packaging into interactive experiences. When publishers started to play packaging more safely in the mid-nineties, Yeo took his creative talents to the bold new frontier: the Internet, where he began to design cutting-edge websites in lieu of game boxes.

Also available on Volume View all
The Super Shinobi II cover illustration (Japan), 1993

Sega Mega Drive/Genesis
Ultimate Works

2 exclusive editions Limited pre-order

HUXLEY
Ben Mauro

2 exclusive editions Limited pre-order