TopPodcast.com
Menu
  • Home
  • Top Charts
  • Top Networks
  • Top Apps
  • Top Independents
  • Top Podfluencers
  • Top Picks
    • Top Business Podcasts
    • Top True Crime Podcasts
    • Top Finance Podcasts
    • Top Comedy Podcasts
    • Top Music Podcasts
    • Top Womens Podcasts
    • Top Kids Podcasts
    • Top Sports Podcasts
    • Top News Podcasts
    • Top Tech Podcasts
    • Top Crypto Podcasts
    • Top Entrepreneurial Podcasts
    • Top Fantasy Sports Podcasts
    • Top Political Podcasts
    • Top Science Podcasts
    • Top Self Help Podcasts
    • Top Sports Betting Podcasts
    • Top Stocks Podcasts
  • Podcast News
  • About Us
  • Podcast Advertising
  • Contact
Not in our directory?
Add Show Here
Podcast Equipment
Center

toppodcastlogoOur TOPPODCAST Picks

  • Comedy
  • Crypto
  • Sports
  • News
  • Politics
  • True Crime
  • Business
  • Finance

Follow Us

toppodcastlogoStay Connected

    View Top 200 Chart
    Back to Rankings Page
    History

    They Create Worlds

    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. 

    Advertise

    Copyright: © Copyright 2015-2019 . All rights reserved.

    • Apple Podcasts
    • Google Play
    • Spotify

    Latest Episodes:
    The British 8-Bit Computer Market: Hardware May 01, 2016
    Show notes

    TCW Podcast Episode 017 - The British 8-Bit ComputerMarket: Hardware

    We discuss the early 8-bit computer hardware market in Britain, and the unique circumstances of the era before it was ended by the coming of 16 bit computers.

    Kids React to Old Computers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PF7EpEnglgk

    Old school Graphics Part I Commodore 64 & Nintendo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tfh0ytz8S0k

    Uridium C64: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ks5-Zq6XAN4

    Uridium ZX Spectrum:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgyxpqL8T3Q


    RISC vs CISC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDrUkjOVtAU

    New episodes on the1st and 15th of every month!

    TCWEmail: 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/


    Early Computer Game Platforms: The Trinity, and The Disciples Apr 15, 2016
    Show notes

    TCW Podcast Episode 016 - Early Computer Game Platforms: The Trinity, and the Disciples

    We go over the early computer systems as they apply to games in the United States. Starting with the first home computer of note the Altair 8800. We then go into the Trinity of systems released in the same year for the home; the Apple II, the Commodore Pet, and the TRS 80. We then go into the systems that came after and how the Apple II was able to remain dominant as a gaming platform for much longer than it should have untill it was dethroned by the Commodore 64.

    Popular Electronics Archive: http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Popular-Electronics-Guide.htm

    Altair 8800 Popular Electronics: http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Poptronics/70s/1975/Poptronics-1975-01.pdf

    Net Hack: http://www.nethack.org/

    Old school Graphics Part I Commodore 64 & Nintendo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tfh0ytz8S0k

    Old School Graphics Part II Apple & Atari: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rsycfDliZU&nohtml5=False

    Temple of Apshai TRS 80: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiMtY5BxdM0

    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/


    The Story of Chuck E Cheese Apr 01, 2016
    Show notes

    TCW Podcast Episode 015 - The Story of Chuck E Cheese

    We discuss the founding and development of Chuck E Cheese. We go over Showbiz pizza, and its founding as well as eventual acquisition of Chuck E Cheese. At a higher level we go over how companies need to go public in order to grow, but this is a major problem for the video game industry.

    Chuck E Cheese Commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jLivjTOg0o

    Showbiz Pizza Commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiN0pYSIeOU

    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/


    Nintendo: Playing with Power Mar 15, 2016
    Show notes

    TCW Podcast Episode 014 - Nintendo: Playing With Power

    We discuss the state of the industry after the crash before Nintendo came onto the scene, and the difficulties in relating with the modern viewpoint to the situation at the time. We cover how Nintendo entered the US market and set up policies that would be ridiculous today, but were necessary for the industry to recover and grow. We cover how as Nintendo grew they were eventually sued for anti-trust, and price fixing, but were exonerated. Still this led to them easing up on their control in the early 90's.

    Advanced Video System: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEA2ePG8m-4

    A few unlicensed games: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfpsj8023qE

    Pacman: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdT0lrm4b2s

    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/


    History of Acclaim - "The Fall" Mar 01, 2016
    Show notes

    TCW Podcast Episode 013 - History of Acclaim - "The Fall"

    We would like to dedicate this episode to Fergus McGovern, co-founder of Probe Software, who died February 27, 2016 at the age of 50.

    We go over the changes that led to the fall of Acclaim. How some other publishers were able to survive, and why. We also discuss how it is a unique situation that led to the growth of Acclaim in the late 80s early 90s . We can also see parallels between Acclaim and more recently THQ.

    Castlevania 3 US vs Japan Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7v9339JUK3U

    Turok: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74hOR5f4MS0

    Mario 64 :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6r5oF73gNI

    Crash Bandicoot: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaLgYPn_Fqs

    Tomb Raider: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQ6mWoErc0E

    Silent Hill: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8-3zq8GUcc

    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/


    History of Acclaim - "The Rise" Feb 15, 2016
    Show notes

    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/


    The Genesis of JRPGs Feb 01, 2016
    Show notes

    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/


    History of Mediagenic Part II Jan 15, 2016
    Show notes

    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/


    History of Mediagenic Part I Jan 01, 2016
    Show notes

    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/


    Birth of the Japanese Game Center Dec 15, 2015
    Show notes

    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/


    Previous 1 24 25 26 27 Next

    Related Podcasts

    Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History

    1

    Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History History
    More Perfect

    2

    More Perfect Government
    Casefile True Crime

    3

    Casefile True Crime Games & Hobbies
    The Way I Heard It with Mike Rowe

    4

    The Way I Heard It with Mike Rowe History
    BackStory

    5

    BackStory History
    The Black Dahlia Serial Killers

    6

    The Black Dahlia Serial Killers History
    footer-logo

    Contact Us

    Toll Free: 844-670-7747

    Links

    • Home
    • Top Charts
    • Networks
    • Apps
    • Independents Podcasts
    • Podcast Advertising
    • Podcast News
    • Contact Us
    • About Us
    • Analytics & Insights

    Stay Connected

      Privacy, Terms of Use & Our Code of Ethics Protecting Content Creators Copyrights