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The games we love reveal something true about who we are, and about the world that made them. They Create Worlds is a podcast about the people, technology, and forces that built the video game industry.
Through video game history, the show looks at how culture, business, and technology shaped what we play, tracing the choices and circumstances that led to the games so many people around the world enjoy.
Each episode digs into where games came from, who made them, and why they were made the way they were. Business decisions, technological shifts, and creative choices all shaped what ended up on screen, and the show covers all of it together, not just one piece in isolation.
Hosted by Alex Smith and Jeffrey Daum, They Create Worlds grew out of long conversations about the strange corners of the industry and the patterns that only show up when you look across companies, platforms, and decades. That conversational feel remains, built on careful research, clear structure and editing that makes even the deepest topics easy to listen to.
History turns out to be less settled than it looks. New documents surface, memories conflict, and the clean stories about why things happened the way they did rarely survive contact with the evidence. The show digs into all of that, following the creative and business forces that pushed and pulled on each other, and uncovering the human stories that lie beneath the games so many people around the world enjoy.
New episodes are released twice a month.
Episodes
Feb 15, 2016
Feb 15, 2016
1hr 25 min
TCW Podcast Episode 012 - History of Acclaim - "The Rise"
We go over the rise of Acclaim Entertainment from its inception by two former employees of Activision. We cover Acclaim's rise as they started off as publishers of games from smaller companies, and then branched out into franchising. We discuss the interactions between Acclaim and Nintendo, and how they become one of the first American publishers for Nintendo.
Ghostbusters: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdZmiyPaKkA
Rambo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDTFLNSWm3U
Tiger Heli: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7hOp7S_YiU
Star Voyager: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmqXawykr5Y
3D World Runner: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTbH25YNxE4
World Games: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sv3RJKS2e_E
Atic Atac : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJrS9WYn3X8
Donkey Kong Country: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whp2Y_MjTXs
Secret of Evermore: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdV79VbxWOc
Wizards and Warriors: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SlQ2c1bj54
Mortal Kombat TV Commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzugunqdlnI
New episodes on the 1st and 15th of every month!
TCW Email: tcwpodcast@gmail.com
Twitter: @tcwpodcast
Alex's Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com
Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode - Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download:http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode
Outro Music: RolemMusic - Bacterial Love - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love
Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Feb 1, 2016
Feb 1, 2016
1hr 27 min
TCW Podcast Episode 011 - The Genesis of JRPGs
We go over the Genesis of JRPGs, and discover that their origin is not where we would have expected them to come from. We go over the influences on developers in Japan that lead to the development of Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest. We discuss how western RPGs made their way into Japan via the Apple II, and how RPGs eventually engrained themselves into Japanese society.
Final Fantasy Mystic Quest - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNnpxrZtzy0
Ultima 3 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FvHQI2qSKQ
Wizardry - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-iOZzwIlMA
Xevious - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P24bjcvnxd8
Tower of Druaga - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dN-8LcVfoTc
Hydlide - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pmrxfeozmis
Black Onyx - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=364J35Sk3zM
Dragon Quest 1 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmzHrNVelL0
New episodes on the 1st and 15th of every month!
TCW Email: tcwpodcast@gmail.com
Twitter: @tcwpodcast
Alex's Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com
Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode - Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download:http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode
Outro Music: RolemMusic - Bacterial Love - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love
Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Jan 15, 2016
Jan 15, 2016
1hr 3 min
TCW Podcast Episode 010 - History of Mediagenic Part II
We go into part two of Activision/Mediagenic. We cover the company under Bruce Davis's leadership onto it becoming Activison again under Bobby Kotick.
New episodes on the 1st and 15th of every month!
TCW Email: tcwpodcast@gmail.com
Twitter: @tcwpodcast
Alex's Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com
Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode - Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download:http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode
Outro Music: RolemMusic - Bacterial Love - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love
Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Jan 1, 2016
Jan 1, 2016
40 min
TCW Podcast Episode 009 - History of Mediagenic Part 1
We go over the history of Activision, from the great crash, right up till Bruce Davis takes it over. We cover Activision's varied acquisitions by Jim Levy, and some of the challenges faced by the company during this time. We go over some of their successes, and misses, in reading the evolution of the industry.
Little Computer People
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkTgX1mGmDg
Portal - Activision
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RAj38MwyH4&t=1m6s
Alter Ego
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqjAFb-hv2c
Bard's Tale
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhhuCIlGEPU
New episodes on the 1st and 15th of every month!
TCW Email: tcwpodcast@gmail.com
Twitter: @tcwpodcast
Alex's Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com
Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode - Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download:http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode
Outro Music: RolemMusic - Bacterial Love - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love
Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Dec 15, 2015
Dec 15, 2015
1hr 31 min
TCW Podcast Episode 008 - Birth of the Japanese Game Center
We cover the beginning of the Japanese game center. How games had to change for Japan due to space limitations. You did not see many horizontal table games. With these changes you saw the evolution of Bagatelle to Pachinko. There is the dissolution of the pachinko parlors starting with the cessation of production in 1937, and the closing of the parlors in 1938. After WWII pachinko started to come back as a gambling device to get basic needs. With the rebuilding of Japan games were not viewed as something adults would do, and were targeted at children. We continue on with Juke Boxes and Taito getting them from military bases to restoring them for Japanese use. We go over some of the differences between the Japanese and American arcade industries. We cover how arcades start to spread across Japan. Starting as add-ons to malls, then add-ons to bowling allies that allowed arcades to penetrate the entire culture. We cover the first big video game in japan Breakout! Then we get Space Invaders which becomes a massive hit in Japan!
Bagatelle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPnMcMsttaI
Pachinko Machine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAg_BjYOwwo
Breakout: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hW7Sg5pXAok
Space Invaders: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJTNnpLMVY8
New episodes on the 1st and 15th of every month!
TCW Email: tcwpodcast@gmail.com
Twitter: @tcwpodcast
Alex's Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com
Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode - Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download:http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode
Outro Music: RolemMusic - Bacterial Love - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love
Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Dec 1, 2015
Dec 1, 2015
1hr 24 min
TCW Podcast 007 - History of the Arcade
We cover the history of the arcade going over the many versions it has occupied from the late 1800's to present time. The arcade has changed in form and function quite a few times over the last century.
Popeye Mutoscope "Customers Wanted"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sch2d0SOJZQ
Pink Panther Scale "An Ounce of Pink"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoU1fJAQll4
Coin Target Gun picture (ABT - Challenger)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6R4m3NIf9E
Digger
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8T0e9aafCJQ
Chester Pollard Play Football
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caFq0W_yP-w
Ballyhoo Pinball Tabletop
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGAw4oF5bWA&t=1m21s
Aladdin's Castle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtFGT344h-c
Star Wars Battle Pod
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bob41EQ9ifM
New episodes on the 1st and 15th of every month!
TCW Email: tcwpodcast@gmail.com
Alex's Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com
Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode - Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download:http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode
Outro Music: RolemMusic - Bacterial Love - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love
Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Nov 15, 2015
Nov 15, 2015
1hr 32 min
TCW Podcast Episode 006 - The Early History of Electronic Arts
We discuss the early history of Electronic Arts. The original founders, how it was financed, the origin of the name, and the initial games made. We go over some of the controversies involved with the founding of EA. We also go over the three core tenants of EA. We go over the plethora of people brought in to staff the company.
Demo of VisiCalc - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ii3PDjJCCQ4
TRS 80 Radio Shack - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kT207Jmhq4
Archon - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlPuXT8p2YA
Mule - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uHUckK765I
Pinball Construction Set - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ow0X7IrzzO8
New episodes on the 1st and 15th of every month!
TCW Email: tcwpodcast@gmail.com
Alex's Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com
Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode - Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download:http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode
Outro Music: RolemMusic - Bacterial Love - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love
Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Nov 1, 2015
Nov 1, 2015
1hr 15 min
TCW Podcast Episode 005 - The Untold History of Sega
We discuss the history of SEGA. We go over how the company came to be, and the myriad of names the company was known by. How SEGA started as a distributor, and evolved into making their own coin op-games. We also go over how the coin-op business evolved in the post WW II era. The rivalry between Nintendo and Sega in the console market. We also go over how Nintendo had a stranglehold on the game market in the USA, and Sega beating them out in market share for a year.
Zaibatsu Definition
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zaibatsu
Nintendo Training Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYjgHLFZMa0
Genesis does what Nintendon't
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzUlkw6nh6I
New episodes on the 1st and 15th of every month!
TCW Email: tcwpodcast@gmail.com
Alex's Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com
Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode - Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download:http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode
Outro Music: RolemMusic - Bacterial Love - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love
Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Oct 15, 2015
Oct 15, 2015
1hr 7 min
We discuss the cycles in the video game industry, and the numbering of the generations. We also go over how transitions happen. We go over the market, and technology changes that happen.
Plastic Overlay with Magnavox Odyssey: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2EIsnr_cv4
New episodes on the 1st and 15th of every month!
TCW Email: tcwpodcast@gmail.com
Alex's Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com
Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode - Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download:http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode
Outro Music: RolemMusic - Bacterial Love - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love
Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Oct 1, 2015
Oct 1, 2015
1hr 4 min
TCW Podcast Episode 003 - What makes an industry?
We talk about the three existing industries; arcades, home console, and PC games, and how they merged together to form the "Video Game Industry". How this almost happened in the 80's but was stopped by the video game crash. We also discuss at what point is an industry made, and what has to happen for it to become one.
Atari Game Ad: Vanguard: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsH4uuRT2w8
Zaxxon Commercial by Sega: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0bxTjxqwxg
New episodes on the 1st and 15th of every month!
TCW Email: tcwpodcast@gmail.com
Twitter: @tcwpodcast
Alex's Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com
Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode - Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download:http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode
Outro Music: RolemMusic - Bacterial Love - http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love
Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/