"Crowley's compelling and distinctly literary analysis of acquisition, mystification, and myth during a time of crisis is a must read for anyone interested in the intersection of video games and capital." (Judd Ruggill, Associate Professor, University of Arizona, USA) "Adam Crowley's book represents an important entry into the growing body of video game criticism. He explores, with erudite precision, how the narrative space of video games can serve as an exploration of wealth and financial transactions. Of special note is Crowley's careful analysis of several video game titles, each of which he considers with depth and care against his overall scholarly focus. Video games are an important iteration of storytelling and this book serves as a powerful endorsement that they be taken as serious cultural artifacts." (Amy M. Green, Assistant Professor-in-Residence, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, USA)

This book considers representations of wealth and the wealthy in videogames. The introduction explores the estrangement of wealth from everyday life in the contemporary west, and argues that videogames have contributed to modern life by dramatizing the economic anxieties of our age — in particular, those anxieties that relate to the Global Great Recession. A review of historical titles reveals that such and related efforts draw in significant ways from the literary tradition of sentimental romance, where wealth and the wealthy have long been associated with notions of the underworld or hell. The relevance of this tradition to contemporary titles is explored through a careful analysis of romantic themes and concerns with significance to acts of exchange. The Wealth of Virtual Nations will appeal to students with an interest in narrative theory, game design, literature, economics, and the humanities. It will also be of interest to the videogame industry.