Overclocked is a lovingly curated journey through the golden age of GPU (graphic processor unit) box art, rescued from hours of digging through dead Google links, old eBay listings, and defunct forums.
Before sleek, minimalist packaging took over, graphics card boxes were chaotic, garish and unapologetically obnoxious. From the mid-’90s to early 2010s, PC gamers were greeted with a horde of non-brand cybernetic goddesses, mystical wizards, savage ogres, and chrome warriors brandishing giant swords - all promising to unlock the future of gaming. These boxes didn’t just promise better frame rates – they vowed to unleash raw digital chaos.
Overclocked commemorates this time, an age when manufacturers fought for dominance with the most amped-up packaging imaginable, chronicling over 300 retail boxes and 50 adrenaline-charged video card print advertisements from the glory days of gaming magazines.
Lock Books, 160pp, 12cm x 17.5cm, illustrated paperback, 2025