
133 episodes

They Create Worlds Alex Smith, and Jeffrey Daum
-
- History
-
-
4.8 • 23 Ratings
-
Love of the worlds created by video game designers and personalities drives Alex Smith & Jeffrey Daum (history, law, CS degrees) to provide a scholarly yet light-hearted discussion of how arcade, home console, and PC games merged into a Video Game Industry. Emphasis is on the combination of business and creative elements needed for financial success. Interviews of Atari, EA, Activision, & other execs with detailed source evaluations produce the insights you hear in these 122+ hours!
-
Rolling Dice with the Parker Brother's
TCW Podcast Episode 133 - Rolling Dice with the Parker Brother's
We look at the history of the company Parker Brothers. Originally a board game company founded in the 1880's we follow the company's growth though the century. This family owned business was eventually bought by General Mills in 1963, and was brought into the ever expanding non-food properties of the conglomerate. Starting off with electronic games in the 70's, Parker Brothers would eventually enter the video game Industry near the beginning of the Great Video Game Crash. They were somewhat successful despite difficulties. However even they were not able to survive the crash, and were eventually divested by General Mills. They ultimately ended up in the hands of Hasbro where they are today.
Codename Sector Commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEcKucKnc5Y
Codename Sector Explanation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_oQMvnVXHs
Merlin Commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OX94QT_yxyI
Parker Brother's Merlin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXJddQzMZpg
The Virtual Wizard (Play Merlin On-Line): https://www.theelectronicwizard.com/
Plastic Galaxy The Story of the Star Wars Toys: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAeGakhoAEk
Parker Brother Frogger and The Empire Strikes Back Commercials: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0UqjVykGxY&feature=emb_logo
Empire Strikes Back Atari Explained: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SkWIPKFrxk&feature=emb_logo
Frogger Commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSxdDv3PiTI
Q'bert Commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXG5OwKBkuY
Q'bert: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdnYB9o3IWU
Popeye commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxtHjC-0qxY
Popeye Atari 2600: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2e1idOr3_c
Parker Brothers Commercials: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePlPd-WBaZs
Tutenkham Commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjxLvvPCPIY
Spider-Man Commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSxszeqiGyg
G.I. Joe Commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyonxGSO8aY
G.I. Joe Cobra Strike Explained: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eQIoazUrdw
New episodes on the 1st and 15th of every month!
TCW Email: feedback@theycreateworlds.com
Twitter: @tcwpodcast
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theycreateworlds
Alex's Video Game History Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com
Alex's book is available for preorder and should be released through CRC Press in December 2019: 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: 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/ -
Eugene Jarvis
TCW Podcast Episode 132 - Eugene Jarvis
We look at the life and story of Eugene Jarvis. Unique in the industry of being one of, if not the only designers to have lived through and continues to work in the lifespan of the video game arcade industry. Starting off with Pinball and working at Atari for only two weeks. Eugene came to be influential in many popular pinball, and arcade games. Always looking for that next thrill he continues his quest to this day with his company Raw Thrills developing some of the few arcade titles still being put out there.
TCW 081 - The Meeting of Spacewar: http://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-meeting-of-spacewar/
TCW 059 - Williams’ Crazy Story Pt 1: http://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/williams-crazy-story-pt-1/
TCW 060 - Williams’ Crazy Story Pt 2: http://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/williams-crazy-story-pt-2/
Gorgar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vylGtiR0HVA
Firepower: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXuQ-54pT_c
Defender: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qq_Zvg9KlII
TCW 110 - Books of History: http://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/books-of-history/Stargate: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i20vwYTf6mI
Robotron 2084: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHBXNWfiJow
Berzerk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFSQ0Pl4KDk
Blaster: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agEQ7YIYk0A
NARCS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTgyjEgnxo0
SMASH TV: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRHSi4hBHSM
I'd buy that for a dollar!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYdpy9ShoVU
The Running Man Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkAN5rGGP1M
Total Carnage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbtlOTTz_Xc
TCW 087 - Virtual History: http://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/?s=Virtual+HistoryCruis'n USA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Srk9mrMBD8
Target Terror: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Odp0vkk7Hbk
Big Buck Hunter Pro: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQE5WQh2iGY
New episodes on the 1st and 15th of every month!
TCW Email: feedback@theycreateworlds.com
Twitter: @tcwpodcast
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theycreateworlds
Alex's Video Game History Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com
Alex's book is available for preorder and should be released through CRC Press in December 2019: 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: 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/ -
Sir Clive of ZX
TCW Podcast Episode 131 - Sir Clive of ZX
In our second part looking at Sir Clive Sinclair we pick up the story where we left off! We follow Sir Clive Sinclair as he reluctantly develops computers for the British market to fund his other project's. The wild popularity of the ZX line including the ZX 80, ZX 81, and ZX Spectrum led to a booming home computer market in Brittan. Sinclair even tried to go into the business market with the Sinclair QL, but was outshone by competitors. In the end Sir Clive Sinclair lost a fortune in developing an electric car known as the Sinclair C5. The massive loss of funds led him to sell off the computer business to Lord Sugar to remain solvent.
The Video Game History Hour: https://gamehistory.org/video-game-history-hour/
The Video Game History Hour Ep 14 Alex Smith Discusses They Create Worlds: https://gamehistory.org/ep-14-alex-smith-discusses-they-create-worlds/
Micro Men - 10th Anniversary - With Chris Curry, Steve Furber and Hermann Hauser: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaonVYOTSsk
8-Bit Guy: ZX80, ZX81, And Timex Sinclair 10000: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Jr7Q1yJOUM
TCW017 - The British 8-Bit Computer Market Hardware: http://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-british-8-bit-computer-market-hardware/
TCW018 - The British 8-Bit Computer Market Software: http://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-british-8-bit-computer-market-software/
Sinclair ZX 81 Demo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UM_d37vMtEA
Sinclair Timex 1000 Commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zSFGtzBsng
Sinclair ZX Spectrum: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqnIa4rXK_cSinclair ZX Spectrum Commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mh0g73JvFbo
Timex Sinclair 2028: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTKckoSj-OE
Sinclair QL System Review and Story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yU_VUN9VVcM
Sinclair QL Demo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCKercQxHrk
The Pawn by magnetic scroll on Spectrum Next: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1tG0dNmZrs
Sinclair Spectrum 128: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_gnu8hkbdE
Sinclair Spectrum 128 Commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EEvrTeWSTk
Sinclair C5 Infomercial 1985: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5N937V8ZOw
New episodes on the 1st and 15th of every month!
TCW Email: feedback@theycreateworlds.com
Twitter: @tcwpodcast
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theycreateworlds
Alex's Video Game History Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com
Alex's book is available for preorder and should be released through CRC Press in December 2019: 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: 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/ -
Uncle Clive's Radionics
TCW Podcast Episode 130 - Uncle Clive's Radionics
We look at Sir Clive Sinclair in his early years dealing with creation of electronics for hobbyists. Sir Clive held a passion for miniaturization and doing so at a low cost. This started with audio equipment, amplifiers, high fidelity stereo, and FM radios. This continued into calculators, and digital watches. Sir Clive wanted to look into miniature TVs, and procured funding through the NEB. In an act of prescience he founded a second company that eventually became Sinclair Research to serve as a life boat if things went bad with the NEB. Sinclair Research, then known as the Science of Cambridge, produced the first domestic computer in the United Kingdom the MK 14! Sir Clive eventually left Sinclair Radionics after the disasterous launch of the Black Watch. A watch that when shocked had the potential to overload, and explode.
What is High Fidelity: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0LWnpzdrW4
Sinclair Black Watch Commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXSNDPeSC1c
Cambridge MK14 Computer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_vhWxu-spA
Sinclair Mini TV: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqqFY8MUWLo
Goldeneye on a Sinclair TV80: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auWKrlmZ3t0
New episodes on the 1st and 15th of every month!
TCW Email: feedback@theycreateworlds.com
Twitter: @tcwpodcast
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theycreateworlds
Alex's Video Game History Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com
Alex's book is available for preorder and should be released through CRC Press in December 2019: 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: 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/ -
The Crash That Almost Was
TCW Podcast Episode 129 - The Crash That Almost Was
We look at the crash that almost was. Most people do not realize that in the mid nineties we came very close to another video game market crash. A difficult transition was at hand as companies tried to figure out how and if they embrace the third dimension in video games. Coupled with a declining arcade market. New hardware costing twice as much, if not more than current systems many companies were on the edge. The market forces between Japan and the US with currency exchanges ate into profit margins. It lead to the deaths or decline of a few prominent companies. Most notably SEGA, and Acclaim. However because not just one major company was baring this the industry survived and continues to move forward to the present day!
Castlevania: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOTUVXrAOE8
Super Castlevania IV: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jd7P7niYimk
Super C: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-z8xXA_v8k
Contra III The Alien Wars: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxJ5XbYWMpA
Super Mario Brothers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6JjK04Pas0
Super Mario Brothers 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2LTcQwmOV4
Street Fighter II Turbo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otPC3_bL-4Y
Super Street Fighter II: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ezoa6sVVP7U
Final Fight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKDNUKa68NI
Final Fight 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHk5JJ56v2Q
Castlevania X: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGQcMr2JGE0
New episodes on the 1st and 15th of every month!
TCW Email: feedback@theycreateworlds.com
Twitter: @tcwpodcast
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theycreateworlds
Alex's Video Game History Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com
Alex's book is available for preorder and should be released through CRC Press in December 2019: 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: 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/ -
Nintendo in 1985
TCW Podcast Episode 128 - Nintendo in 1985
We look at that special time during 1985 when Nintendo did a holiday test market in New York City! By being in the right place at the right time they were able to, along with market forces, revive the dead home console industry. They had quite a challenge with retailers, and a public that were hostile towards games. Knowing this Nintendo worked to distance itself from the precious era with marketing that did not use the terms video game, or cartridges. Instead this was an entertainment system. You used Game Paks. Not to mention the introduction of R.O.B. everyone's favorite Robotic Operating Buddy! By the time of Christmas 1985 with a lot of hard work Nintendo was able to set the stage for a nationwide launch the following year.
TCW 104 - A Holistic View of ET: http://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/a-holistic-view-of-et/
TCW 014 - Nintendo Playing with Power: http://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/nintendo-playing-with-power/
TCW 110 - Books of History: http://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/books-of-history/TCW 124 - The Visions of Coleco Part 1: http://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-visions-of-coleco-part-1/
TCW 125 - The Visions of Coleco Part 2: http://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-visions-of-coleco-part-2/
TCW 019 - The Great Video Game Crash Part 1: http://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-great-video-game-crash-part-1/
TCW 020 - The Great Video Game Crash Part 2: http://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-great-video-game-crash-part-2/
TCW 021 - The Great Video Game Crash Part 3: http://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-great-video-game-crash-part-3/
TCW 028 - Picking up the Pieces: The US Arcade Industry After the Crash: http://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/picking-up-the-pieces-the-us-arcade-industry-after-the-crash/
Nintendo Advanced Video System : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEA2ePG8m-4
The Story of R.O.B. the Robot: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2FuHErzhVE
First Nintendo Commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IU1-ncmPiJk
Early Nintendo Commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWZo56YK9gE
Nintendo Deluxe Commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzdyp9L7se8
Gyromite: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocrTkuPMmvI
Duck Hunt: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQRtvktq_Hg
Stack Up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Da0_OgCCLJA
Hogan's Alley: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RZdbIvW3LI
Wild Gunman: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDuFDlAZpZY
Excite Bike: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRgMCtaWoSU
Wrecking Crew: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7F-7MtkHD0
Tennis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtO34yEbNvo
Baseball: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_hETp0pAuU
Golf: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmWjZbHjUgg
Soccer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8fwKWKFmbw
10 Yard Fight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LUyTv9j1TM
Ice Climber: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awYlHBXHits
Clu Clu Land: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_M2iQloynbg
Pinball: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=786yrUhXVrk
Kung Fu: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-gyVEqS1Ts
Super Mario Brothers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qirrV8w5SQ
Piano Scene BIG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CF7-rz9nIn4
New episodes on the 1st and 15th of every month!
TCW Email: feedback@theycreateworlds.com
Twitter: @tcwpodcast
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theycreateworlds
Alex's Video Game History Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com
Alex's book is available for preorder and should be released through CRC Press in December 2019: http://bit.ly/TCWBOOK1
Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode - Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download:http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode
Carol of the Bells: https://www.dl-sounds.com/royalty-free/carol-of-the-bells/
The Holy and the Ivy: https://www.singing-bell.com/the-holly-and-the-ivy-mp3/
Copyright:
Customer Reviews
How did I miss this podcast!?!?
Beautifully put together and in depth looks into the wonderful and exciting history of video games! Another wonderful resource to consume fully as I continue my personal venture into the lifestyle of game design. I can’t wait to make it through the entire back catalog this year while still keeping up with the mew episodes. Keep it up! 😋
Interesting, historical info from past CEOs and other business leaders
I am amazed that Alex has been able to interview corporate leadership-present and deceased-to capture their perspective on why their corporations succeeded or failed. Kudos to Alex and his co-host Jeffrey for bringing this info to our ears for the last 4 years.
Congrats on the debut of a your first Volume in bookstores and on Amazon.
Best Podcast related to Video Game History
This is head and shoulders above anything else I’ve seen related to the history of video games.
Top Podcasts In History
Listeners Also Subscribed To





