They Create Worlds

https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/feed.xml

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The games we love reveal something true about who we are, and about the world that made them. They Create Worlds is a podcast about the people, technology, and forces that built the video game industry.

Through video game history, the show looks at how culture, business, and technology shaped what we play, tracing the choices and circumstances that led to the games so many people around the world enjoy.

Each episode digs into where games came from, who made them, and why they were made the way they were. Business decisions, technological shifts, and creative choices all shaped what ended up on screen, and the show covers all of it together, not just one piece in isolation.

Hosted by Alex Smith and Jeffrey Daum, They Create Worlds grew out of long conversations about the strange corners of the industry and the patterns that only show up when you look across companies, platforms, and decades. That conversational feel remains, built on careful research, clear structure and editing that makes even the deepest topics easy to listen to.

History turns out to be less settled than it looks. New documents surface, memories conflict, and the clean stories about why things happened the way they did rarely survive contact with the evidence. The show digs into all of that, following the creative and business forces that pushed and pulled on each other, and uncovering the human stories that lie beneath the games so many people around the world enjoy.

New episodes are released twice a month.

Episodes

Monday Mar 01, 2021

Rolling Dice with the Parker Brother's

Monday Mar 01, 2021

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