The event, and subsequent company of the same name, were created and founded by video game and tech journalist Jon M. Gibson, and film director Amanda White, who is also known for producing the mockumentary I'm Still Here.

Chronicle Books published an official collection of pieces from the inaugural show in April 2005 entitled, iam8bit: Art Inspired by Classic Videogames of the '80s, and was promptly carried in stores like Urban Outfitters, Barnes and Nobles, Giant Robot, and many other museum and boutique shops.

For this DVD, Gibson, as a writer and producer, and director Gabe Swarr also created an original, one-minute animated short, entitled A Really, Really Brief History of Donkey Kong,[6] featuring music by 8 Bit Weapon, which received both critical and fan praise.

[7] Gibson, along with IGN Entertainment Editorial Director Chris Carle, provided a full-length commentary track recounting the cultural and historical significance of the 1980s arcade scene.

[10] Being as faithful to the original 1987 release as possible, the iam8bit crew disassembled hundreds of vintage Nintendo Entertainment System cartridges, magnetized them, and inserted mini "asset" CDs inside, featuring an array of screenshots, character art, etc.

The kit, designed to look like an off-the-shelf pregnancy tester, was sent to select news reporters and members of video game/technology media, and later sold in limited quantities to consumers via the Capcom Store.

Inside of the kit had Tricell-branded protective nitrile gloves, surgical mask, hand sanitizer, and a bio-hazard bag, as well as a two "Advanced Detection & Suppression Technology Discs".

Featured artists include Gary Baseman, James Jean, Tim Biskup, Seen, Luke Chueh, Joe Ledbetter, Jorge R. Gutierrez, Amy Sol, Brandon Bird, Mike Mitchell, and hundreds of others.