Avsnitt

  • TCW Podcast Episode 260 - Vivendi Electric Boogaloo

    How does a Canadian liquor company end up owning Universal Studios and, eventually, help create Activision Blizzard? Seagram chased diversification as liquor sales softened, tried to take over Conoco, and instead wound up with a 25% stake in DuPont that generated most of its earnings. Edgar Bronfman Jr. sold that stake to buy MCA from Matsushita, inheriting a mismanaged Universal. He then doubled down on music with a $10.6 billion PolyGram deal just as Napster, the dot com bubble, and changing listening habits blew up the old record business model. With media stocks riding high, the rest of the Bronfman family wanted out, and Jean-Marie Messier at Vivendi stepped in, using Canal+ and an all‑stock transaction to fold Seagram into Vivendi and create Vivendi Universal. On the games side, Havas Interactive and the former CUC and Cendant software assets were combined with Universal’s own games business, including the franchises of Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon, under a new label: Vivendi Universal Games. Then the bubble burst, Vivendi’s debt and deceptive cash accounting caught up with Messier, and he was forced out, leaving his successors to sell assets and manage the fallout. Inside the games group, Blizzard’s success defined the division, culminating in World of Warcraft’s launch and the later decision to combine Vivendi’s games business with Activision. That deal created Activision Blizzard, gave Vivendi a way to tap cash when its telecom business went bad, and set the stage for Activision Blizzard's eventual separation from Vivendi. Vivendi made one last, mostly unsuccessful push into games through moves on Ubisoft and the takeover of Gameloft.

    TCW 064 - Rise and Fall of Infogrames Part 1: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW064-rise-and-fall-of-infogrames-part-1TCW 065 - Rise and Fall of Infogrames Part 2: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW065-the-rise-and-fall-of-infogrames-part-2

    TCW 114 - The Wizards of Sir-Tech: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW114-the-wizards-of-sir-tech

    TCW 115 - The Return of the Sdraziw of Sir Tech: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW115-the-return-of-the-sdraziw-of-sir-tech

    TCW 251 - Virgin Games: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW251-virgin-games

    TCW 184 - A Very Naughty Dog Pt 1: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW184-a-very-naughty-dog-pt-1

    TCW 185 - A Very Naughty Dog Pt 2: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW185-a-very-naughty-dog-pt-2

    Spyro the Dragon (PSX): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrVKjNR0-SE

    Crash Bandicoot (PSX): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HtPF0ers1w

    TCW 162 - Spinnaker Software: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW162-spinnaker-softwareTCW 071 - A Story of Brøderbund: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW071-a-story-of-broderbund

    TCW 072 - The Mysteries of Brøderbund: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW072-the-mysteries-of-broderbundTCW 039 - On-Line Systems: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW039-on-line-systems

    TCW 040 - Sierra On-Line: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW040-sierra-on-line

    TCW 221 - North to Hellgate London: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW221-north-to-hellgate-london

    TCW 249 - New World Computing: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW249-new-world-computing

    TCW 055 - Blizzard Hellfire and the World of Warcraft: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW055-blizzard-hellfire-and-the-world-of-warcraft

    Play Nice: The Rise, Fall, and Future of Blizzard Entertainment: https://www.amazon.com/Play-Nice-Future-Blizzard-Entertainment/dp/1538725428

    Disney's Dreamlight Valley: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOuZFZOVLmc

    New episodes are on the 1st and 15th of every month!

    TCW Email: [email protected]

    BlueSky: @theycreateworlds.bsky.social

    Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theycreateworlds

    Alex's Video Game History Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com

    Alex's book: http://bit.ly/TCWBOOK1

    Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode - Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download: http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode

    Outro Music: RoleMusic - Bacterial Love: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love

    Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

  • TCW Podcast Episode 259 - A Cendant to Vivendi

    CUC International looked like a company that never missed. Quarter after quarter, just barely beating estimates, right up until the moment Henry Silverman got access to their books and found out why. When a new customer signed up, CUC booked a full year of revenue immediately, even though billing was monthly. If that customer left before the year was up, CUC never corrected the books. The money just stayed there. Perfectly functional assets were declared worthless on paper, with the supposed losses paid off using money from merger funds. That same merger money was then counted again as incoming revenue, making the company look larger and more profitable than it was. Over $500 million in income that never existed. Walter Forbes was forced to resign and was eventually convicted of the largest accounting scandal of the time. Cendant realized the software and games division itself had been part of the machinery. They sold it to French media company Havas. That sale landed in the orbit of Vivendi, a sprawling conglomerate that had started as a 19th century French waterworks company. Its CEO Jean-Marie Messier had bigger things in mind. AOL had just merged with Time Warner, and Messier was not going to watch an American walled garden of films, music, and games swallow the market he wanted to own.

    TCW 258 - The Shenanigans of CUC Software: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW258-the-shenanigans-of-cuc-software

    TCW 039 - On-Line Systems: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW039-on-line-systems

    TCW 040 - Sierra On-Line: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW040-sierra-on-line

    TCW 054 - Blizzard: Vikings and Warcraft: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW054-blizzard-vikings-and-warcraftTCW 055 - Blizzard: Hellfire and the World… of WarCraft: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW055-blizzard-hellfire-and-the-world-of-warcraft

    TCW 219 - Diablo 1: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW219-diablo-1TCW 220 - Diablo 2: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW220-diablo-2

    TCW 221 - North to Hellgate London: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW221-north-to-hellgate-london

    TCW 230 - Crafting the World of WarCraft: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW230-crafting-the-world-of-warcraftSpace Jam Website: https://www.spacejam.com/1996/

    The Digital Antiquarian - The End of Sierra as We Knew It - Part 1 - The Acquisition: https://www.filfre.net/2025/04/the-end-of-sierra-as-we-knew-it-part-1-the-acquisition/

    The Digital Antiquarian - The End of Sierra as We Knew It - Part 2 - The Scandal: https://www.filfre.net/2025/04/the-end-of-sierra-as-we-knew-it-part-2-the-scandal/

    The Digital Antiquarian - The End of Sierra as We Knew It - Part 3 - The Dog Days of Oakhurst: https://www.filfre.net/2025/05/the-end-of-sierra-as-we-knew-it-part-3-the-dog-days-of-oakhurst/

    The Digital Antiquarian - The End of Sierra as We Knew It - Part 4 - Chainsaw Monday: https://www.filfre.net/2025/05/the-end-of-sierra-as-we-knew-it-part-4-chainsaw-monday/

    TCW 139 - Tec Toy and Brazil: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW139-tec-toy-and-brazil

    New episodes are on the 1st and 15th of every month!

    TCW Email: [email protected]

    BlueSky: @theycreateworlds.bsky.social

    Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theycreateworlds

    Alex's Video Game History Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com

    Alex's book: http://bit.ly/TCWBOOK1

    Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode - Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download: http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode

    Outro Music: RoleMusic - Bacterial Love: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love

    Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

  • Saknas det avsnitt?

    Klicka här för att uppdatera flödet manuellt.

  • TCW Podcast Episode 258 - The Shenanigans of CUC Software

    Walter Forbes built CUC International from Comp-U-Card, a phone-in discount shopping club that cut out the middleman with a small markup and annual fee, not unlike a proto-Amazon Prime. As computer networks like CompuServe, Prodigy, and GEnie rose, CUC pivoted online and Forbes set his sights on the games business, joining the Sierra On-Line board and buying out Ken Williams and Davidson and Associates for a combined 1.7 billion dollars in stock swaps. Despite promises to Williams that he would not be secondary to a competitor, Bob Davidson of Davidson and Associates ended up running the software division, and when Davidson discovered something troubling enough to dump his stock and left. The cracks were beginning to show. Williams tried to take over, was not given the time of day, and eventually left. Forbes meanwhile pursued a merger with Henry Silverman's HFS, a hospitality giant owning Days Inn, Ramada, Howard Johnson, Century 21, Coldwell Banker, and Avis, forming the new conglomerate Cendant. The true depth of the shenanigans were only starting to show. How could a company consistently just barely beat analyst/market estimates?

    Comp-U-Card News Brief: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6H5mdSHyNQ

    Credit Card Impression Machines: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/S5c2mA1cnv4

    New Innovations in Credit Cards (1985): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TBD8HTssRA

    The Simpsons - The Truth: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Nc88_ZEfxg

    TCW 039 - On-Line Systems: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW039-on-line-systems

    TCW 040 - Sierra On-Line: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW040-sierra-on-line

    Word Attack (PC-DOS 1983): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJf13H9Wbnk

    Math Blaster (PC-DOS 1983): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKi_g0g8EWQ

    TCW 162 - Spinnaker Software: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW162-spinnaker-software

    TCW 054 - Blizzard: Vikings and Warcraft: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW054-blizzard-vikings-and-warcraft

    TCW 071 - A story of Brøderbund!: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW071-a-story-of-broderbund

    TCW 072 - The MYSTeries of Brøderbund! - : https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW072-the-mysteries-of-broderbund

    New episodes are on the 1st and 15th of every month!

    TCW Email: [email protected]

    BlueSky: @theycreateworlds.bsky.social

    Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theycreateworlds

    Alex's Video Game History Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com

    Alex's book: http://bit.ly/TCWBOOK1

    Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode - Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download: http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode

    Outro Music: RoleMusic - Bacterial Love: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love

    Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

  • TCW Podcast Episode 257 - Nine Atari Games

    The Atari VCS launched with nine games to entice consumers into the new gaming medium, and Combat set the trend of packing multiple "games" into a single cartridge. Featuring a wide array of game modes, Combat holds its own even today and served as the console's official tie-in title. Atari's partnership with Sears, however, rebranded all but one of the launch titles under different names, including Target Fun, released elsewhere as Air-Sea Battle. Many of the launch games carried multiple modes to stretch their value, and even these early titles pulled clever tricks to push past the VCS's five sprite limit. To justify the console's cost to families, Atari aimed squarely at adults with Blackjack while also including the educational game Basic Math. While many of these early titles were forgotten as more advanced games arrived over the course of the Atari VCS's life, their influence on a foundational system cannot be disputed.

    Atari Archive: https://www.atariarchives.org/

    Atari Archive (Youtube): https://www.youtube.com/c/AtariArchive

    Combat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNtI90yiOOU

    Air-Sea Battle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0l0AQ5LuvQM

    Video Olympics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rie4hsUeDuA

    Indy 500: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_POr4OdHhiI

    Street Racer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCSYY1kK9so

    Star Ship: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4zySJ96a4U

    Blackjack: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nvWBin7_Rc

    Basic Math: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lv7T4ya9hcg

    Surround: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhZ1wfGLq1w

    How to do long form Square Roots: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6evC4klO_lI

    TCW 051 - Sons of Pong: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW051

    TCW 201 - Advanced Balls and Paddles Part 1: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW201

    TCW 202 - Advanced Balls and Paddles Part 2: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW202

    TCW 009 - History of Mediagenic Part 1: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW009

    TCW 010 - History of Mediagenic Part 2: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW010

    New episodes are on the 1st and 15th of every month!

    TCW Email: [email protected]

    BlueSky: @theycreateworlds.bsky.social

    Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theycreateworlds

    Alex's Video Game History Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com

    Alex's book: http://bit.ly/TCWBOOK1

    Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode - Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download: http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode

    Outro Music: RoleMusic - Bacterial Love: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love

    Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

  • TCW Podcast Episode 256 - Cinemaware

    Bob Jacob launched Cinemaware to fuse movies and video games on Amiga, hiring journalist Kellyn Beeck to design Defender of the Crown's medieval themes. Programmer John Cutter led in-house development after massive outside studio delays, tapping coder R.J. Michael for an intense programming marathon to barely hit deadline and make Defender the Amiga's killer app. Lone coders followed with Doug Sharp's janky Macintosh hypercard-style King of Chicago and Bill Williams' Sinbad, creator of Mind Walker. Licensed properties piled on, Rocket Ranger, Three Stooges, and Lords of the Rising Sun, plus TV Sports Football that inspired EA Sports' empire. Jacob chased Academy Award glory with a 1927 Wings adaptation you couldn't lose, featuring a story told by WWI pilot journals where downed fliers were memorialized via an end credits roll. With poor Amiga reception in the US, loyalty to the system cost them dearly. Pivots to consoles like obscure View-Master Interactive Vision and failed TurboGrafx-16 prevented a PC shift. Amid financial difficulties, Jacob sold Cinemaware in parts after just five years.

    TCW 082 - An Unlikely Pairing of Siliwood: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW082

    TCW 246 - The History of Commodore Pt 3: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW246

    Kellyn Beeck - Atari Battlezone for the U.S. Army: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ppv5B6Lwcc

    Kellyn Beeck - The Pac-Man Zone: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ClEuynw--YQ

    Kellyn Beeck - Final Story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfW6h1_yrvY

    Commodore Power Play Issue 13 (Page 66 - Who Will Design The Perfect Game? - by Kellyn Beeck): https://archive.org/details/commodore-power-play-13/page/n67/mode/2up

    TCW 094 - Epyx not Epic: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW094

    Defender of the Crown: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1qqoczc0m8

    SDI (Amiga): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLOAkpOKWno

    The King of Chicago (Macintosh): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2Oi6a68MqE

    The King of Chicago (Amiga): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLaDhmIdvcs

    Mind Walker (Amiga): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NygI9u_10VsSinbad and the Throne of the Falcon (Amiga): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flpTfx0jaMw

    The Three Stooges (Amiga): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAu-XvxV3zs

    Rocket Ranger (Amiga): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6vIHcxGyIA

    Lords of the Rising Sun (Amiga): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAfMrJ3rpSw

    TV Sports Football (TurboGrafx 16): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKYCgHhHquM

    TV Sports Basketball (Amiga): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gdIRB-6s_k

    Wings (Amiga): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hL-qtxNgoHU

    Wings (1927 Film): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Jf7Qn1IJsY

    View-Master Interactive Vision (Sesame Street): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7ZciCfgjmg

    View-Master Interactive Vision (Muppets - You're the Director): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i56ym5vZpQU

    View-Master Interactive Vision (Disney Interactive Arcade): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31QN5aT_RHw

    Green Eyed Lady by Sugarloaf: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYbmls7c8EMAspen Interactive Movie Map: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hf6LkqgXPMU

    TCW 042 - Laser Craze: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW042

    Them! (1954 Trailer): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4URRp39XOo

    It Came From the Desert (Amiga): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8LaMMSEs5Q

    It Came From the Desert (Turbo Grafx 16): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVFQXnukUvQ

    New episodes are on the 1st and 15th of every month!

    TCW Email: [email protected]

    BlueSky: @theycreateworlds.bsky.social

    Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theycreateworlds

    Alex's Video Game History Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com

    Alex's book: http://bit.ly/TCWBOOK1

    Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode - Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download: http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode

    Outro Music: RoleMusic - Bacterial Love: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love

    Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

  • TCW Podcast Episode 255 - The Elder Scrolls: Morrowind

    After Arena and Daggerfall's triumphs, Julian LeFay's Battlespire spinoff marked his last hand in the Elder Scrolls universe. Amid conflicts while working on other projects, LeFay left. Ted Peterson had already departed after Daggerfall. This left Bethesda Softworks with none of the original creators for the next Elder Scrolls. Development stalled amid Bethesda turmoil, spawning Redguard which introduced the Pocket Guide to the Empire, an unreliable in-universe narrator that sowed mystery and deep worldbuilding for Tamriel's forged empire. New lead Todd Howard ditched procedural generation for handcrafted openness where everything interacted. Morrowind featured quests like the falling wizard and pantsless Hentus, hiding logical lore amid hundreds of books blending mythology, humor, and misdirection. Morrowind launched on PC and Xbox at a dire hour for Bethesda. It's make-or-break success rescued the studio from probable collapse in a dark time.

    The Elder Scrolls Legend - Battlespire: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bk9uKElPCJQ

    Pensacola Wings of Gold (S1E1): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDVuiLIKLAE

    The Elder Scrolls Adventures - Redguard: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7-Hup8Pqms

    The Terminator - Skynet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WD4ZLkbnDCA

    Pocket Guide to the Empire (1st Edition): https://i.4pcdn.org/tg/1393284074508.pdfRCW 144 - Ascension into the Black Gate: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW144

    The-Spolier.com: https://the-spoiler.com/RPG/New.World.Computing/Might..magic.6.htmlMight & Magic VI - Solution by J Pike: https://rpggamers.com/walkthrough/might-magic-vi-mandate-of-heavenMight & Magic VI - Solution by Mike Marcelais: https://rpggamers.com/walkthrough/might-and-magic-vi-solution

    Morrowind - A Falling Wizard: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWVKMMxCgY4

    Morrowind - Hentus Needs Pants: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSSv1mcI_GM

    The Elder Scrolls - Morrowind: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVFyDmd9RsAMorrowind Map: https://en.uesp.net/maps/mwmap/mwmap.html

    New episodes are on the 1st and 15th of every month!

    TCW Email: [email protected]

    BlueSky: @theycreateworlds.bsky.social

    Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theycreateworlds

    Alex's Video Game History Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com

    Alex's book: http://bit.ly/TCWBOOK1

    Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode - Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download: http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode

    Outro Music: RoleMusic - Bacterial Love: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love

    Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

  • TCW Podcast Episode 254 - The Elder Scrolls: Arena & Daggerfall

    Bethesda Softworks, founded in 1985 by Christopher Weaver with sports titles like Gridiron and Wayne Gretzky Hockey along with licenses like The Terminator, pivoted to RPGs. Demo scene legend Julian LeFay hired Vijay Lakshman as designer and buffer to management so LeFay could focus on games. Together they birthed The Elder Scrolls: Arena, a gladiator combat simulator that morphed, nine months into a 13-month development cycle, into a first-person 3D epic inspired by Ultima Underworld. Arena evolved from a combat management game to a full RPG with a procedurally generated world, unique races like Argonians and Khajiit, and a plot to topple the wizard Tharn. With the second game, LeFay, challenged by Sandy Petersen's claim that CRPGs could never match tabletop RPGs, made Daggerfall a massive world the size of Great Britain: 15,000 cities, towns, and dungeons; 44 regions; 100 factions; skill leveling based on what players actually did; and reputation grinds to unlock quests and plot. Ted Peterson, who took over lead design after Lakshman left, wove a complex plot with gray themes, diverse motivations, and moral quandaries into a simulator packed with layered systems rather than pure RPG simplicity. It sold out the initial run, hit 700,000 units, and became Bethesda's best game yet, bringing fresh air to a fallow RPG era!

    TCW 156 - Madden for Some Football: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW156

    Gridiron (Amiga): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0q7sc_T3FU

    Wayne Gretzky Hockey (NES): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1Apj9IRcpQ

    Tell Me Your Name (Russia Heat): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYpcZ2NfMYU

    (Explicit) Sodan & Magician 42 - TechTech (Amiga): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mB5CujcTN8A

    Terminator 2029 (PC/DOS): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-PBi-N1hQo

    Flesh+Blood (Trailer): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVyLe-k16gw

    Jason And The Argonauts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qq4requMqvY

    Khajit/Khajiit Has Wares: https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/khajiit-khajiit-has-wares

    Ultima Underworld: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ee4PUcpGSn8

    The Elder Scrolls: Arena (Box Art): https://bigboxcollection.com/TESArena.3DBox

    The Elder Scrolls: Arena: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjEn6ETA7EM

    What Do You Do With a B.A. in English? (Avenue Q): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYenQEjvlD0

    Walk Across the Entire Map in Dragonfall Unity (Timelapse 512x): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xTvdK88cww

    The Elder Scrolls: Daggerfall: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpX5y6jiafg

    New episodes are on the 1st and 15th of every month!

    TCW Email: [email protected]

    BlueSky: @theycreateworlds.bsky.social

    Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theycreateworlds

    Alex's Video Game History Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com

    Alex's book: http://bit.ly/TCWBOOK1

    Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode - Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download: http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode

    Outro Music: RoleMusic - Bacterial Love: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love

    Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

  • TCW Podcast Episode 253 - Masanobu Endō

    Masanobu Endō is one of Japan's most important game designers, yet remains relatively unknown in the West. Starting from an uncertain role at Namco, he first made his mark by turning Dig Dug play notes into an official strategy booklet, then shifted into programming work where he learned from Namco's maze games, including Pac-Man. Assigned as a programmer on Xevious, he stepped into the lead role when the original planner left, pushing for a coherent world where every enemy and structure had a purpose in a larger mythology. The secrets, patterns, and hidden elements he built into Xevious encouraged dedicated players to map routes, chase glitches, and hunt for new techniques in a way that feels very similar to how modern communities approach speedrunning and score optimization today. Endō then expanded these ideas in The Tower of Druaga, fusing Dungeons and Dragons style dungeon crawling with Babylonian and Sumerian myth, cryptic treasure requirements, and a real ending instead of an endless loop. The result helped shape how Japanese designers approached action adventure, including early thinking around what would become "The Legend of Zelda."

    A Super Basic Summary of Gundam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16tDMkmZKiA

    Blockade (Gremlin 1976): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUacA8Dj3BY

    Atari Football (Atari Arcade): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_ZOtqMWHoU

    Battlezone (Atari Arcade): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdfKy4c7yuc

    TCW 029 - 50 Years of Namco: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/50-years-of-namco/

    TCW 116 - The Atari Games You Are Looking For: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-atari-games-you-are-looking-for/

    Dig Dug (Atari): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8ZD7VCiBes

    Pole Position (Atari/Namco): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeYZGtwydIA

    Learn Assembly in 10 minutes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6S5KRJv-7RU

    Scramble (Arcade): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2p08J-AK-BE

    Galga (Stupidly Explained): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pE2SbPgzd0

    Space Runaway Ideon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYI251fFCAY

    The Nazca Lines (SciShow): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EILw-mKefewThe Nazca Lines Part 1 (Astonishing Legends): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYIUJuFj9h8

    The Nazca Lines Part 2 (Astonishing Legends): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1F9UMJcSCRgXevious (Arcade): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Stjrz3CM8R4

    Haruomi Hosono - Video Game Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fO7qAggk6-I&list=PL4NXUZspQ7Bxi8nsNylZBWBK392FgMlATXevious (Famicom): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_bS_SAzknk

    Dungeons & Dragons ET: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hJdhL1Ni_w

    Pac Man Ghosts: https://www.reddit.com/r/FanTheories/comments/1136hi/pac_man_post_from_rgaming_i_thought_it_belonged/

    Tower of Druaga (Arcade): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCCGIP4SifE

    New episodes are on the 1st and 15th of every month!

    TCW Email: [email protected]

    Twitter: @tcwpodcast

    Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theycreateworlds

    Alex's Video Game History Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com

    Alex's book, published Dec 2019, is available at CRC Press and at major on-line retailers: http://bit.ly/TCWBOOK1

    Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode - Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download: http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode

    Outro Music: RoleMusic - Bacterial Love: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love

    Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

  • TCW Podcast Episode 252 - A Guitar Hero

    The rise and fall of the Guitar Hero franchise and the rhythm game craze of the mid to late 2000s. Red Octane got its start making Dance Dance Revolution pads, but a partnership with Harmonix Music Systems, a studio building technology that let people interact with music without learning an instrument, led to the creation of Guitar Hero. Major retailers refused to carry it until Best Buy set up in-store demo units that sent sales skyrocketing, and Red Octane could barely keep up with demand. The franchise's success drew corporate attention: Activision acquired Red Octane, MTV Networks acquired Harmonix, and a lingering dispute between Activision and Viacom over the Star Trek license split the partnership in two, giving Activision Guitar Hero and Harmonix Rock Band. Both landed blockbuster bands from Aerosmith to the Beatles, but an endless flood of sequels and add-ons saturated the market, and what once felt like a cultural phenomenon burned out almost as fast as it arrived.

    TCW 167 - Activision and Kotick Part 1: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/activision-and-kotick-part-1/

    TCW 168 - Activision and Kotick Part 2: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/activision-and-kotick-part-2/

    TCW 169 - Activision and Kotick Part 3: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/activision-and-kotick-part-3/

    Dance Dance Revolution (PSX): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2IammLWeNE

    TCW 052 - The Many Faces of Konami: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-many-faces-of-konami/Guitar Freaks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-gDC1VXqqM

    PaRappa The Rapper: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3SI4Grases

    Tribe on Conan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLrA00pKRHo

    Bimini Run (Genesis): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-e1QdtG3YOE

    System Shock: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-e1QdtG3YOEThief - The Dark Project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zH_6ER0-voQ

    Simpsons - I can See the Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyNtUpMeBTE

    Frequency (PS2): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Z7n36dozeY

    Amplitude (PS2): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goH4ygJ48_c

    Karaoke Revolution - Drive - Incubus (PS2): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJ-yIxE9-hg

    The NES Hotseat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvws5tOHsEE

    AntiGrav for EyeToy (PS2): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9FheIXFrWc

    Guitar Hero 1 IGN: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQW2MGFY-us

    Guitar Hero 1 (PS2): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slJA7xwDRWk

    Guitar Hero 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQAUCBDU4Qg

    Guitar Hero 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elOxCIpg4rI

    Rock Band: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AavdHq3pemQ

    GH3 - DragonForce - Through the Fire and Flames: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMkjmiVo6jA

    Rock Band - The Beatles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PGF3uAYCW0

    New episodes are on the 1st and 15th of every month!

    TCW Email: [email protected]

    Twitter: @tcwpodcast

    Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theycreateworlds

    Alex's Video Game History Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.comD

    Alex's book, published Dec 2019, is available at CRC Press and at major on-line retailers: http://bit.ly/TCWBOOK1

    Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode - Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download: http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode

    Outro Music: RoleMusic - Bacterial Love: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love

    Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

  • TCW Podcast Episode 251 - Virgin Games

    As a companion piece to our Mastertronic episode, we look at the rise and fall of Virgin Games. Beginning with Richard Branson’s mail-order record business and the success of Virgin Records, the company expanded into games under executive Nick Alexander, whose interest in the industry led to the creation of a Virgin gaming subsidiary. Early successes included the Dan Dare series and computer adaptations of board games. In 1987 Virgin took a stake in Mastertronic, and in 1988 fully acquired the company, gaining both its budget software business and its role in the SEGA Master System launch. From there Virgin Games developed into two distinct arms. In Europe, the company focused on distribution, bringing major publishers and licenses into the region. In the United States, Virgin built on Mastertronic’s development studio, centering on strong talent and overlooked licenses, producing titles such as Spot, Cool Spot, Global Gladiators, and later major Disney games including Aladdin and The Lion King. On PC, the company found success with The 7th Guest and through the acquisition of Westwood Studios, gaining Command and Conquer. Virgin Games also had a hand in publishing Dune and Dune II. In the mid-1990s the Virgin Group began seeking a buyer, leading to Blockbuster’s acquisition of Virgin Interactive, which soon placed the company under Viacom following the Paramount merger. Heavy corporate debt and shifting priorities resulted in the sale of Westwood to Electronic Arts. What remained was largely a European distribution business that later entered an agreement with Interplay and was ultimately acquired by Titus Interactive. After the collapse of the dot-com bubble, mounting debt forced Titus to shutter the company, and in 2005 Virgin Interactive quietly disappeared

    TCW 105 - The Big Voice of Magnavox: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-big-voice-of-magnavox/

    TCW 106 - The Small Voice of Magnavox: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-small-voice-of-magnavox/

    TCW 026 - The Magnavox Odyssey: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-magnavox-odyssey/

    TCW 027 - The Magnavox Patent Lawsuits: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-magnavox-patent-lawsuits-friday-september-16-2016-1003-am/Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells (Live BBC 1973): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbYQYOM66MA

    Dan Dare - Pilot of the Future (ZX Spectrum): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUEDOu5ewIQ

    Dan Dare II - Mekons` Revenge (ZX Spectrum): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Lheo_ao8K4

    Dan Dare III - The Escape (Amiga): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IK62NSaE75s

    Monopoly - Virgin Games (DOS): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=un6iagpCwWw

    Spot - The Video Game (NES): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8Ezmf6z3kM

    7-Up Spot Commercials: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubNTMHqz6_c

    TCW 229 - US Gold: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/us-gold/

    TCW 023 - The Complete Tetris Story: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-complete-tetris-story/

    Lure of the Temptress (Amiga): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwSS5zA74jQ

    Jimmy White's Whirlwind Snooker (Amiga): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Pr3IsnqxGs

    Cannon Fodder (Amiga): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFP8WUrBVHc

    Previous High Scores C&C Ad: https://www.reddit.com/r/OldSchoolRidiculous/comments/x1k61n/could_you_even_imagine_if_westwood_studios/

    Robin Hood Prince of Thieves (NES): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_1AGDZiLVY

    Robin Hood Men in Tights - English Accent: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9tEH7iWOyk

    Global Gladiators (Genesis): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yy9_-iEdXAA

    Cool Spot (Genesis): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTROI2ODRM4

    Aladin (Genesis): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngqx0rq7ACg

    The Jungle Book (Genesis): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BivK2swrtqM

    Aladin (SNES): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9m2gAuWkOY

    The Lion King (Genesis): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-U4RObki-k

    TCW 194 - The 7th Guest: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-7th-guest/

    The 7th Guest (PC): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45Z-Q5KVTyI

    The Legend of Kyrandia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FO6BE4HOjnM

    TCW 208 - Two Dunes the Battle for Arrakis: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/two-dunes-the-battle-for-arrakis/

    TCW 082 - An Unlikely Pairing of Siliwood: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/an-unlikely-pairing-of-siliwood/

    TCW 064 - The Rise and Fall of Infogrames Part 1: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/rise-and-fall-of-infogrames-part-1/

    TCW 065 - The Rise and Fall of Infogrames Part 2: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-rise-and-fall-of-infogrames-part-2/

    New episodes are on the 1st and 15th of every month!

    TCW Email: [email protected]

    Twitter: @tcwpodcast

    Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theycreateworlds

    Alex's Video Game History Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com

    Alex's book, published Dec 2019, is available at CRC Press and at major on-line retailers: http://bit.ly/TCWBOOK1

    Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode - Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download: http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode

    Outro Music: RoleMusic - Bacterial Love: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love

    Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

  • TCW Podcast Episode 250 - Mastertronic

    From budget software publisher to the gateway for SEGA’s entry into Europe, we look at the rise and fall of Mastertronic. Initially shunned by high street retailers, the company found success supplying discount games to chains like Woolworths while importing and reselling titles from other publishers for the European market. A failed attempt to bring budget games to the United States pushed Mastertronic to look toward consoles after seeing the success of the Nintendo Entertainment System, but Nintendo rejected them due to their low-cost reputation. This led to a partnership with SEGA to launch the Master System in the United Kingdom, but a delayed release after Christmas triggered a financial crisis that forced Virgin to buy out the rest of the company. As Virgin Mastertronic, the firm gained a foothold in France and Germany while struggling with limited SEGA supply. The story ends when SEGA acquired the console side of the business and created SEGA Europe, closing the final chapter on Mastertronic.

    TCW 017 - The British 8-bit Computer Market Hardware: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-british-8-bit-computer-market-hardware/

    TCW 018 - The British 8-bit Computer Market Software: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-british-8-bit-computer-market-software/

    TCW 241 - The First 10 Years of European Consoles: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-first-10-years-of-european-consoles/

    Vagas Jackpot (VIC-20): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKFzNnx_m-U

    BMX Racers (C64): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZenav7tN08

    Ghostbusters (ZX Spectrum): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qH18r74ZOto

    Way of the Exploding Fist (C64): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6p51xOL0NdY

    Alians (C64): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8D7Q2lfBA6g

    New episodes are on the 1st and 15th of every month!

    TCW Email: [email protected]

    Twitter: @tcwpodcast

    Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theycreateworlds

    Alex's Video Game History Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com

    Alex's book, published Dec 2019, is available at CRC Press and at major on-line retailers: http://bit.ly/TCWBOOK1

    Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode - Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download: http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode

    Outro Music: RoleMusic - Bacterial Love: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love

    Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

  • TCW Podcast Episode 249 - New World Computing

    We look at the rise and fall of New World Computing through the career of Jon Van Caneghem. Coming from the era of the lone programmer as the industry shifted toward larger development houses, Jon built Might and Magic into one of the most influential RPG franchises of its time. We trace the evolution of the series from its early focus on quest driven gameplay, early auto mapping, and the introduction of features like quest logs and reactive character portraits. Along the way, New World Computing briefly experimented with board games, returning to video games with King’s Bounty, a title that would later be reimagined as Heroes of Might and Magic after a marketing push to leverage the stronger Might and Magic name. We examine the company’s shifting publishing relationships, struggles with distribution, and eventual acquisition by the 3DO Company. While Heroes of Might and Magic III brought major success, pressure from 3DO led to rushed releases, excessive expansions, and declining quality across both franchises. As Might and Magic moved into 3D and real time combat, development resources became increasingly strained. The episode closes with the collapse of 3DO, failed efforts to spin off New World Computing, and the quiet end of a studio that helped define computer role playing games.

    Dedicated to Ember - Beloved cat, and producer of the show. Oct 2008 - Dec 2025.

    Darkside of Xeen Intro: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cPFL0NfsRg

    Ultima I (Apple II): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zI5ypVUk_wk

    Wizardry (Apple II): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJhMpPnnXMo

    New World Computing Logos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g647Hk4UHkc

    Star Trek - Terren Empire Logo: https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Terran_Empire

    Simpsons - The Shinning Bard & Willie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kddzyds4fGo

    Might and Magic - Advertisements: https://www.mobygames.com/game/1619/might-and-magic-book-one-secret-of-the-inner-sanctum/promo/group-56698/image-479480/

    Might and Magic Book 1 Secret of the Inner Sanctum (Apple II): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0airoGX9xk

    The CRPG Addict - Might and Magic Book One: https://crpgaddict.blogspot.com/2010/07/game-19-might-magic-i.html

    The CRPG Addict - Might and Magic Won!: https://crpgaddict.blogspot.com/2010/07/might-magic-won.html

    The CRPG Addict - Might and Magic Final Ranking: https://crpgaddict.blogspot.com/2010/07/might-magic-final-ranking.html

    The Digital Antiquarian - Might and Magic: https://www.filfre.net/2021/12/might-and-magic/

    Simpsons - Finding 20 Dollars: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZch40U9Bfk

    Might and Magic Book II - Gates to Another World (Apple II): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TEz9KlDaZY

    Star Trek Trailer for S3E08 - The World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T70fEIAsDE0

    Nuclear War (DOS): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqSHQp-RsRE

    Star Fleet Battles (Task Force Games): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXoRauMyzfk

    Tunnels and Trolls (DOS): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXtB08H2yqw

    Titan - First Look (Avalon Hill): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65ltwXWfO9I

    Titan - Gameplay (Avalon Hill): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSXIM6R4VYQ

    King's Bounty (DOS): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnWYfBauwh4

    Might and Magic III: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SY7oOwU5WIs&list=PLuiwX2gLmzqNtcsOv5AOh9pIg25lX8OAD

    Planet's Edge (DOS): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FU5xpWdonmU

    Might and Magic - Clouds of Xeen (DOS): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGGE-kPwZFI

    Might and Magic - Darkside of Xeen - Speedrun (DOS): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VgBR8-BCos

    Spaceward Ho! (DOS): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZ8ExG1_HMY

    Empire Deluxe (DOS): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrzZWdmzolY

    Iron Cross (DOS): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74q69zR6VjA

    Zephyr (DOS): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VycrjZ5dkRs

    Heroes of Might and Magic (PC): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQSouS2y4Yg&list=PLic3HXuw97t4Wv5su8gNMqhI1ndNO3Olb

    SSI - Panzer General (PC): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sG5TcIZfu50

    Heroes of Might and Magic II (PC): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g42gSMad09Y

    Might and Magic VI - Mandate of Heaven (PC): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pfr3I_N5cMw

    Heroes of Might and Magic III: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSaac_TqXRw&list=PLic3HXuw97t62UA75v3t_EpTiA5CfXARm

    Might and Magic VII: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuGvXM5p-RM

    Might and Magic VIII: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXZhuHYJVB0

    Legends of Might and Magic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnuSWgV-QaU

    Heroes of Might and Magic IV: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUfjckaGezc

    Might and Magic IX: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzTI_LbC0HE

    New episodes are on the 1st and 15th of every month!

    TCW Email: [email protected]

    Twitter: @tcwpodcast

    Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theycreateworlds

    Alex's Video Game History Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com

    Alex's book, published Dec 2019, is available at CRC Press and at major on-line retailers: http://bit.ly/TCWBOOK1

    Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode - Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download: http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode

    Outro Music: RoleMusic - Bacterial Love: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love

    Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

  • TCW Podcast Episode 248 - An Act of Control

    We look at Japan’s Act on Control and Improvement of Amusement Business and its impact on the arcade industry in Japan. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, video games became increasingly popular in Japan, drawing public concern over how much time and money players were spending in game centers. With little cultural context for games as entertainment, many assumed there must be some form of gambling or prize element involved, leading to growing moral panic. These concerns culminated in a 1985 amendment to an existing law that brought game centers under strict regulation. We examine the role of industry trade groups during this period, including the NRO, an operators organization that supported regulation under the belief it would disadvantage large arcades while leaving smaller venues such as department store rooftops and grocery stores unaffected. That assumption proved incorrect. At the same time, JAMA, representing manufacturers, organized its own operator segment to counter the NRO’s influence. Because the law was written broadly, regulators were left to define what qualified as a controlled amusement, resulting in a chilling effect on arcades across Japan. These regulations reshaped the industry and pushed many companies to shift their focus toward home consoles and other markets.

    TCW 008 - Birth of the Japanese Game Center: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/birth-of-the-japanese-game-center/

    Act on Control and Improvement of Amusement Business: https://www.japaneselawtranslation.go.jp/en/laws/view/4234/en

    Abroad in Japan - Pachinko - Japan's Biggest Gaming Obsession: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tBy2jemw4sMasumi Akagi - "It Started with Pong": https://www.amazon.co.jp/%E3%81%9D%E3%82%8C%E3%81%AF%E3%80%8C%E3%83%9D%E3%83%B3%E3%80%8D%E3%81%8B%E3%82%89%E5%A7%8B%E3%81%BE%E3%81%A3%E3%81%9F-%E3%82%A2%E3%83%BC%E3%82%B1%E3%83%BC%E3%83%89TV%E3%82%B2%E3%83%BC%E3%83%A0%E3%81%AE%E6%88%90%E3%82%8A%E7%AB%8B%E3%81%A1-%E8%B5%A4%E6%9C%A8%E7%9C%9F%E6%BE%84/dp/4990251202

    Rotamint - "Royal Super": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRPBQ2cwAas

    Rotomint - Jackpot: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgrmntnQfP4

    TCW 077 - Invading Taito Part 1: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/invading-taito-part-1/

    TCW 078 - Invading Taito Part 2: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/invading-taito-part-2/

    TCW 195 - Finding Video Game Copyright: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/finding-video-game-copyrightSun Electronics - The Guiness: www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsJHEJHTU1M

    Fred Rogers Congress Public Funding: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKy7ljRr0AA

    New episodes are on the 1st and 15th of every month!

    TCW Email: [email protected]

    Twitter: @tcwpodcast

    Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theycreateworlds

    Alex's Video Game History Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com

    Alex's book, published Dec 2019, is available at CRC Press and at major on-line retailers: http://bit.ly/TCWBOOK1

    Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode - Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download: http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode

    Outro Music: RoleMusic - Bacterial Love: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love

    Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

  • TCW Podcast Episode 247 - The History of Commodore Pt 4The final chapter of our Commodore series covers the company’s chaotic decline. After early success with the Amiga line, internal conflict grew under President Tom Rattigan, who wanted to focus on the low end with the Amiga 500 while Irving Gould pushed for high end systems like the Amiga 2000. Missed deadlines and a failed boardroom challenge led to Rattigan’s firing and Gould taking direct control. When IRS tax issues forced Gould to step back, Mahdi Ali became President and began reorganizing engineering. Ali hired Bill Sydnes from the IBM PC team, who also had a hand in the failure of the PC Jr, to evaluate and streamline development. Gould continued to cycle executives in pursuit of short term stock gains, which weakened Commodore as it chased conflicting markets. Cost cutting turned the popular Amiga 500 into the poorly received A600, though the later A1200 fared better. Ali moved manufacturing to the Philippines after shutting down facilities in Hong Kong and Germany, but production was disrupted by the 1991 Mount Pinatubo eruption. Commodore finally collapsed and went bankrupt in 1994, ending one of the most turbulent stories in personal computing.

    Pepsi Challenge: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkPjteYv4YI

    Pepsi Challenge 1978: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEXEdibXSak

    New Coke Conspiracy: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/HJ_6wewbDjk

    Amiga 1000 & Sidecar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPfArIhoy0s

    Amiga 2000: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=he_p8A7A1aU

    Amiga 2000 HD Professional Demo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keG2KdQHC6s

    Amiga 500 Bundles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bc5gpyA6SjQ

    Amiga 500 Batman: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iM2SCzt73s0

    Amiga 500 Overview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVZrL4k1los

    Commodore C65: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoHxDe3Gc9E

    Leonard Nimoy Laserdisc: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJ5msrmf5Tw

    Amiga 3000: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzA5AhH1mbw

    History of the Amiga 1992 Documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zq1s77nzpYk

    Amiga 600: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5svNq2grTEU

    Amiga 500 vs Amiga 1200: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFh4zuNUyMg

    Amiga CDTV: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQW6upDCRFI

    Mount Pinatubo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjDDdYM4x0s

    Planer Computer Graphics: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planar_(computer_graphics)

    Amiga CD32: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJU4TZhj0e8

    New episodes are on the 1st and 15th of every month!

    TCW Email: [email protected]

    Twitter: @tcwpodcast

    Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theycreateworlds

    Alex's Video Game History Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com

    Alex's book, published Dec 2019, is available at CRC Press and at major on-line retailers: http://bit.ly/TCWBOOK1

    Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode - Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download: http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode

    Outro Music: RoleMusic - Bacterial Love: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love

    Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

  • TCW Podcast Episode 246 - The History of Commodore Pt 3After Jack Tramiel left Commodore and founded Tramel Technology, the company pressed on with mixed results. Systems like the SX 64, the C900, the Plus/4, the C16, and the C116 failed to gain traction, which led to the development of the C128. It improved on the C64 in many ways, but because so many games relied on C64 quirks, Commodore included a full C64 mode to preserve compatibility, so software support was poor. During this period Amiga was shopping its advanced chipset and entered a tentative agreement with Atari, but Jack’s impending purchase of Atari from Warner disrupted the arrangement. Commodore stepped in to pay off the outstanding note, which led to Commodore acquiring Amiga outright. This set the stage for the Amiga 1000, its famous bouncing ball demo, and a new chapter in Commodore’s history as the company entered the sixteen bit era

    TCW 2025 Livestream: https://youtu.be/BXXAhEVD4Lk

    Computer Chronicles Revisited - SMOliva: https://computerchronicles.blog/post/computer-chronicles-revisited-038-atari-520st-commodore-128/

    Computer Chronicles Revisited - SMOliva: https://computerchronicles.blog/post/computer-chronicles-revisited-052-amiga-workbench-deluxe-paint-neochrome-vip-professional/

    Commodore C900: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbVjNInzrw8

    Commodore SX-64: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIGjT-RjNbk

    Commodore Plus 4 C16 & C116: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICiZbUypMlQ

    XKCD - Workflow: https://xkcd.com/1172/

    Star Raiders (Atari 8-bit): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwqMqmo_jho

    Joyboard: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdFzdz3o1hU

    Boing Demo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlAhRJjOhDg

    Amiga 1000: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjapiUQOi2s

    Launch Event of the Amiga in 1985: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OeQ5uzm-Qs

    Amiga 1000 Sidcar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPfArIhoy0s

    TCW 172 - The Computer Price Wars Pt 1: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-computer-price-wars-part-1/

    TCW 173 - The Computer Wars Pt 2: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-computer-wars-part-2/

    TCW 174 - The Computer Wars Pt 3: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-computer-wars-part-3/

    New episodes are on the 1st and 15th of every month!

    TCW Email: [email protected]

    Twitter: @tcwpodcast

    Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theycreateworlds

    Alex's Video Game History Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com

    Alex's book, published Dec 2019, is available at CRC Press and at major on-line retailers: http://bit.ly/TCWBOOK1

    Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode - Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download: http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode

    Outro Music: RoleMusic - Bacterial Love: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love

    Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

  • TCW Podcast Episode 245 - The History of Commodore Pt 2

    Commodore’s shift from calculators to computers began with the PET, which found success in Europe as a business machine. After seeing the ZX80 in Britain, Jack Tramiel pushed for an affordable home computer, leading to the VIC-20. Guided by marketing manager Michael S. Tomczyk, Commodore promoted the VIC-20 as “the friendly computer” with William Shatner as spokesman. It first launched in Japan before reaching the United States and Europe, becoming a hit worldwide. Building on that success, Commodore released the C64, featuring the powerful SID sound chip and far more memory than its competitors. Marketed again under Tomczyk’s direction at a price under six hundred dollars, the C64 became one of the best-selling computers of all time, driving Commodore’s revenue past a billion dollars and securing its place in computing history.

    TCW 2025 Livestream: https://youtu.be/BXXAhEVD4Lk

    TCW 165 - Allied Leisure: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/allied-leisure/

    TCW 172 - The Computer Price Wars Part 1: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-computer-price-wars-part-1/

    TCW 173 - The Computer Price Wars Part 2: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-computer-wars-part-2/

    TCW 174 - The Computer Price Wars Part 3: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-computer-wars-part-3/

    TCW 130 - Uncle Clive's Radionics: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/uncle-clives-radionics/

    TCW 131 - Sir Clive of ZX: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/sir-clive-of-zx/

    KIM-1 Computer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMxOWngmy8I

    The 8-Bit Guy - Commodore PET: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eP9y_7it3ZM

    The 8-Bit Guy - Commodore VIC-20: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yg04GyhS3ss

    The 8-Bit Guy - Commodore C64: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpXFB8ZEH30

    Commodore VIC-20 Commercials: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ak0YU8ymkBc

    Wiliam Shatner VIC-20 Commercials: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JAU9Ntpoms

    Commodore 64 Commercials: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nd_yiMhu1DM

    New episodes are on the 1st and 15th of every month!

    TCW Email: [email protected]

    Twitter: @tcwpodcast

    Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theycreateworlds

    Alex's Video Game History Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com

    Alex's book, published Dec 2019, is available at CRC Press and at major on-line retailers: http://bit.ly/TCWBOOK1

    Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode - Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download: http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode

    Outro Music: RoleMusic - Bacterial Love: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love

    Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

  • TCW Podcast Episode 244 - The History of Commodore Pt 1

    We kick off our look at Commodore with the story of its founder, Jack Tramiel. A Holocaust survivor who emigrated to the United States, Tramiel began repairing lamps and typewriters before founding a typewriter import business in Toronto. His early success was nearly undone by the Atlantic Acceptance financial scandal, which forced him into partnership with investor Irving Gould. Commodore’s venture into calculators nearly bankrupted the company, but the acquisition of MOS Technology set the stage for its move into computers. This episode explores the corporate maneuvering, twists of fate, and personal drive that shaped Commodore’s early years. Featuring audience input, it’s the start of a lively three-part (and possibly four-part) deep dive into one of computing’s most fascinating companies.

    TCW 2025 Livestream: https://youtu.be/BXXAhEVD4Lk

    Jack Tramiel 1983 Interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5skpKlVOqc

    Commodore - A Company On The Edge by Brian Bagnall: https://archive.org/details/commodorecompany0000bagn/page/n1/mode/2up

    Computer Chronicles Revisited - SMOliva: https://computerchronicles.blog/post/computer-chronicles-revisited-107-koalapainter-the-wine-steward-skate-or-die-master-composer-keyboard-controlled-sequencer/#the-atlantic-acceptance-scandal-and-irving-goulds-takeover

    New episodes are on the 1st and 15th of every month!

    TCW Email: [email protected]

    Twitter: @tcwpodcast

    Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theycreateworlds

    Alex's Video Game History Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com

    Alex's book, published Dec 2019, is available at CRC Press and at major on-line retailers: http://bit.ly/TCWBOOK1

    Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode - Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download: http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode

    Outro Music: RoleMusic - Bacterial Love: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love

    Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

  • TCW Podcast Episode 243 - RCA Studio II

    The RCA Studio II emerged from the company’s faltering computer division and the vision of engineer Joseph Weisbecker, who had long dreamed of personal computing after reading "Giant Brains or Machines That Think". He developed FRED at home, a TTL-based hobby computer. A later iteration using the COSMAC microprocessor inspired his daughter Joyce, who went onto program Studio II games, and RCA’s forays into coin-op experiments like the Fredotronic. With the development of the CMOS-based COSMAC chip, RCA built trainers like the MicroTutor and kits like the COSMAC ELF, but the Studio II became their entry into the console market. Innovative in concept but hampered by primitive graphics, the system faced FCC challenges delaying release. The console launched in 1977 against the Channel F and Atari VCS, it struggled to find success, though its technology lived on in Taiwan and European licensed systems. Much of its history was later uncovered by researcher Kevin Bunch, which saved the Studio II from being just a footnote in video game history.

    Mechanical Televisions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5OANXk-6-w

    32 Line Mechanical TCV Popeye: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozpBDOBXiPs

    TCW 096 - Hello Big Blue: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/hello-big-blue/

    TCW 026 - The Magnavox Odyssey: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-magnavox-odyssey/

    RCA Spectra 70: https://d1yx3ys82bpsa0.cloudfront.net/brochures/rca.spectra70.1965.102646099.pdf

    Project Gutenberg - Giant Brains or Machines That Think: https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/68991/pg68991-images.html

    Radio Electronics - Simon Computer: https://vintagecomputer.net/simon.cfm

    Think-a-Dot: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Think-a-Dot

    RCA System 00 and FRED: https://www.retrotechnology.com/memship/cosmac_system_00.html

    Fredotronic: https://thehistoryofhowweplay.wordpress.com/2021/10/13/home-to-the-arcade-a-perfect-translation/

    RCA MicroTutor: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCXQZY8XCK8

    Popular Electronics - COSNAC ELF: https://archive.org/details/197608PopularElectronics_20181123

    Popular Electronics - COSMAC ELF (Condensed): https://archive.org/details/popular-electronics-cosmac-elf/page/n15/mode/2up

    Building a COSMAC ELF: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npvkHmTo_1U

    COSMAC VIP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDnufgeONYg

    (Atari Archive has examples of all games and many of the things we talk about!)

    Atari Archive - EP01 - The Story of RCA FRED and the Studio II: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o35y6W9hI-o

    Atari Archive - EP02 - The History of RCA's Commercial Games: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXIoi1QAcoY

    RCA Studio II: http://videogamekraken.com/rca-studio-ii

    RCA Studio II Console Tour & Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJkedjfK4aQ

    M-1200 (RCA Studio III): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NstUUSIwUwY

    Star Wars (Studio II): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FYKkCkNZOY

    Pinball (MPT-02 - Studio III): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4b3LO41z7ks

    New episodes are on the 1st and 15th of every month!

    TCW Email: [email protected]

    Twitter: @tcwpodcast

    Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theycreateworlds

    Alex's Video Game History Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com

    Alex's book, published Dec 2019, is available at CRC Press and at major on-line retailers: http://bit.ly/TCWBOOK1

    Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode - Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download: http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode

    Outro Music: RoleMusic - Bacterial Love: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love

    Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

  • TCW Podcast Episode 242- Fumito Ueda

    Fumito Ueda entered game design through art rather than a love of traditional play. Influenced by titles like Flashback and Another World, he sought to tell stories with minimal interfaces and expansive environments rich in mood. After early work on D and Enemy Zero, Sony gave him a trial period that led to ICO, a game shaped by surreal landscapes inspired by Giorgio de Chirico and a hand-holding mechanic to convey emotional connection. ICO struggled in Japan but became a critical hit abroad, influencing games from Uncharted 3, The Last of Us, Dark Souls, and Journey. Ueda expanded his ideas in Shadow of the Colossus, a meditation on cruelty and consequence that inspired epic boss battles in other franchises such as God of War. His long-delayed The Last Guardian explored companionship through a giant creature, though with mixed reception. Now independent, Ueda continues to shape gaming with projects yet to be revealed.

    Punch Out (Arcade): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1T8hoeVpdV0

    Space Harrier (Arcade): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEWGnj12GO4

    The Legend of Zelda (Famicom Disc System): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsmXV06PwnM

    Smash Ping Pong (Famicom): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nd5QSxyG3Z0

    Flashback (Amiga): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNTnRM77XuE

    Another World (Amiga): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLC_Un9lNPw

    D's Diner - Director's Cut (3DO): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7G1NuWciEE

    Enemy Zero (SEGA Saturn): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmkfgDNihZ0

    PaRappa the Rapper (PSX): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97k0Dy8JweM

    Prince of Persia (Game Boy): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thAmYGc37pA

    Virtua Fighter (Arcade): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7HQ2vspMHA

    Hello Pac-Man (SNES): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5IOwrutZmM

    Lemmings (Amiga): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuiyFXMjGxA

    Chuck Jones - The Evolution of an Artist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHpXle4NqWI

    ICO Leap of Faith (PS3): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WWr_7CoIzY

    Giorgio de Chirico: https://www.wikiart.org/en/giorgio-de-chirico/all-works

    ICO cover - Japan: https://www.mobygames.com/game/5158/ico/cover/group-79093/cover-214724/

    Uncharted 3 (PS5): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZFYTHMsLUc

    Zelda Twilight Princess: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJPhioaehIY

    Journey: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkL94nKSd2M

    FEZ: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm9XRDlNDK4

    The Last of Us (PS3): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJPKTCpL1ws

    Prince of Persia - The Sands of Time: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34s9b6sLMjk

    Dark Souls (PS3): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdpdkd2eNmEICO (PS2): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIzZkGP3SUk

    Grand Theft Auto 3 (PS2): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZMyBAjQ-QEShadow of the Colossus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiB8MEJN-QU

    God of War 2 (PS2): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Pgks8w-HK8

    The Last Guardian (PS4): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6ssIkVxg_k

    New episodes are on the 1st and 15th of every month!

    TCW Email: [email protected]

    Twitter: @tcwpodcast

    Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theycreateworlds

    Alex's Video Game History Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com

    Alex's book, published Dec 2019, is available at CRC Press and at major on-line retailers: http://bit.ly/TCWBOOK1

    Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode - Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download: http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode

    Outro Music: RoleMusic - Bacterial Love: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love

    Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

  • TCW Podcast Episode 241 - The First 10 Years of European Consoles

    The first decade of European consoles began with imports of the Magnavox Odyssey, but soon local experiments took shape. In Spain, the Overkal may have been tied to a possible attempt to bring the Odyssey into the country, though no hard evidence survives, and it is generally treated as a local product. Across Europe, companies like Videomaster in the UK, Zanussi in Italy, and Interton and Grundig in Germany built dedicated ball-and-paddle systems. Many went beyond Pong using discrete logic hardware to support more advanced play, a technical achievement later supplanted by programmable consoles. A key shift came when General Instrument’s Scottish branch developed the “Pong on a Chip,” enabling mass-produced systems like Videomaster’s Superscore and Zanussi’s Play-O-Tronic. By the late 1970s, firms such as Philips, Radofin, and Hanimex moved into programmable systems like the Videopac. The arrival of Atari, Mattel, and other American companies displaced Europe's fragmented but inventive hardware scene, but the North American video game crash killed their systems at the same time European gamers were shifting their focus to home computers.

    TCW 105 - The Big Voice of Magnavox: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-big-voice-of-magnavox/

    TCW 106 - The Small Voice of Magnavox: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-small-voice-of-magnavox/

    TCW 177 - The Intellivision Part 1: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-intellivision-part-1/

    TCW 178 - The Intellivision Part 2: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-intellivision-part-2

    TCW 076 - A Fairchild Story: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/a-fairchild-story/

    Overkal: https://prehistoricgaming.com/en/overkal-console/

    Interton Video 2000: https://www.pong-story.com/v2000.htm

    GI Gemini Systems: https://www.pong-story.com/pc-50x.htm

    RCA Studio III Variants: http://videogamekraken.com/rca-studio-iii-by-rca

    Philips Videopac G7000: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgG9F9SsgCw

    Interton VC 4000: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yqVcULUqOU

    Radofin Programable Video System: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvCFYLfQrC0

    New episodes are on the 1st and 15th of every month!

    TCW Email: [email protected]

    Twitter: @tcwpodcast

    Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theycreateworlds

    Alex's Video Game History Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com

    Alex's book, published Dec 2019, is available at CRC Press and at major on-line retailers: http://bit.ly/TCWBOOK1

    Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode - Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download: http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode

    Outro Music: RoleMusic - Bacterial Love: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love

    Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/