Key Takeaways
Created with AI - we're still experimenting, so apologies if it misses the mark
- Critical Hit Books is a new Brazilian publisher dedicated to generating knowledge about game creation, critique, and refinement for a local audience.
- Pedro Zambardas book, The Video Game Crash Phenomenon, explores gaming laws and industry crises in an accessible manner and will soon be available in English via Amazons Print On Demand.
- Critical Hit Books plans to launch the Skill Tree collection, which will address topics like narrative design, game jams, and soundtracks, featuring prominent sector figures such as Thiago Adamo from Game Audio Academy.
- The overall goal of Critical Hit Books is to preserve the history of the Brazilian gaming sector and support its future development by making local knowledge accessible to a global audience.
As someone dedicated to letters, stories, and video games, I recently spoke with Pedro Zambarda from Folha TV and PlayersForLife about the future of Critical Hit Books and our efforts to innovate within Brazil’s gaming content landscape.
Critical Hit Books was founded to challenge the prevailing trend of importing knowledge. We aim to generate knowledge on game creation, critique, and refinement, produced in Brazil, for a Brazilian audience. We believe we have much to offer the world, not just things to learn from abroad.
Zambarda’s The Video Game Crash Phenomenon makes accessible complex topics such as gaming laws and industry crises. An English version will soon be available via Amazon’s Print On Demand, allowing readers in London, Madrid, and elsewhere to learn about Brazil’s gaming scene.
Critical Hit Books will also launch the Skill Tree collection. This series will address potential challenges faced by aspiring game storytellers and professionals from other fields looking to transition into the gaming industry. Titles such as Pedro Giglio’s book on narrative design, Dhara Luna and Padu from Ctrl Alt Jam’s guide to game jams, and others will be included.
We plan to feature prominent figures like Thiago Adamo from the Game Audio Academy to discuss soundtracks. Brazil possesses a wealth of creative talent, and my role as an editor is to ensure this knowledge is preserved and accessible to everyone who can benefit from it.
Preserving and Advancing Brazil’s Game Knowledge through Critical Hit Books & Skill Tree Collection
Critical Hit Books is a new publisher focused on generating knowledge about games in Brazil, reversing the trend of importing external knowledge. Pedro Zambarda’s book, The Video Game Crash Phenomenon, examines the sector’s legal aspects and crises in an accessible manner, with an English version prepared for global release. Critical Hit Books intends to launch a collection named Skill Tree, which will explore themes like narrative design, game jams, and soundtracks. The publisher aims to involve prominent sector figures, such as Thiago Adamo from Game Audio Academy, to contribute their expertise. The overall objective is to preserve the history of the Brazilian gaming sector and support its future development. In the interview, I share my perspective on the gaming editorial scene and provide a preview of upcoming Critical Hit Books publications, though these views are my own, and do not necessarily reflect those of Portal Uai.
In Case You Missed It
Dive into Brazil’s gaming industry with journalist Pedro Zambarda’s captivating exploration, “View All Images from the Book ‘Videogame Crash'” View All Images from the Book ‘Videogame Crash’ Released by PlayersForLife and the Progressive Gaming Network (RPG). Published on June 28, 2025, this insightful piece unveils the political disputes, economic pressures, and censorship attempts that led to a crisis in Brazil’s electronic games industry between 2023 and 2024. Explore how the Games Law (Law 14852), approved during Lula’s government, profoundly impacted the industry while accessing images from the book across various platforms. It’s an intriguing journey you won’t want to miss!