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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 140+ hours!
Episodes
3 days ago
3 days ago
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=-tBy2jemw4s
Masumi 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-copyright
Sun 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: feedback@theycreateworlds.com
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/
Monday Dec 01, 2025
Monday Dec 01, 2025
TCW Podcast Episode 247 - The History of Commodore Pt 4
The 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: feedback@theycreateworlds.com
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/
Saturday Nov 15, 2025
Saturday Nov 15, 2025
TCW Podcast Episode 246 - The History of Commodore Pt 3
After 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: feedback@theycreateworlds.com
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/
Saturday Nov 01, 2025
Saturday Nov 01, 2025
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: feedback@theycreateworlds.com
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/
Wednesday Oct 15, 2025
Wednesday Oct 15, 2025
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: feedback@theycreateworlds.com
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/
Wednesday Oct 01, 2025
Wednesday Oct 01, 2025
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: feedback@theycreateworlds.com
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/
Monday Sep 15, 2025
Monday Sep 15, 2025
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=wdpdkd2eNmE
ICO (PS2): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIzZkGP3SUk
Grand Theft Auto 3 (PS2): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZMyBAjQ-QE
Shadow 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: feedback@theycreateworlds.com
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/
Monday Sep 01, 2025
Monday Sep 01, 2025
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: feedback@theycreateworlds.com
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/
Friday Aug 15, 2025
Friday Aug 15, 2025
TCW Podcast Episode 240 - Nintendo: Playing with Mii & Wii
From DS touch-and-stylus play to living-room motion, we trace Nintendo's road to Wii. Nintendogs and Brain Age broadened the audience to parents and grandparents. After cold receptions at Microsoft and Sony, inventor Tom Quinn's Gyration motion tech found a home at Nintendo, and internal prototypes were so fun they became Wii Sports, Wii Play, and Wii Fit. The reveal timeline runs from Reggie Fils-Aime's 2004 E3 DS debut and "Revolution" tease, to a controller-free console showing at E3 2005, to the surprise Wii Remote reveal during Iwata's Tokyo Game Show keynote, and the full unveiling at E3 2006. Built on refined GameCube internals, the Wii favored low cost, low noise, and always-on convenience, with Miis inspired by Japanese wooden dolls (Kokeshi) and a channel interface modeled on a TV wall to invite quick, family-friendly play.
Iwata Asks: https://iwataasks.nintendo.com/
Nintendogs (DS): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hb5j2v10eYs
Nintendogs (DS): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hb5j2v10eYs
Brain Age (DS): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EeU92dl9ME
Donkey Kong Bongos & Donkey Konga: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64YSuP6G1Uw
Wii Sports: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vp9l7J6w9iE
Wii Play: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfz-l5GI-v4
Wii Fit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDfXealVJyg
Kokeshi Dolls: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2NIA5GNvfo
Nintendo Wii User Interface Tour: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCU1gB3Xdv4
E3 2004 Reggie Fils-Aimé: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89GB6bC9_N4
E3 2004 Satoru Iwata Revolution: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33BGyhn_ryw
E3 2005 Nintendo Revolution (Wii): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qt8CBYAnMYc
Nintendo - Tokyo Game Show 2005: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdgW4Ox71fw
E3 2006 Sony Ridge Racer!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaBUeINW_3s
E3 2006 Sony Press Conference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaWptXzfETo
E3 2006 Nintendo Press Conference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1Ldhg7swgA
Wii Console and Accessories (E3 2006): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pOGKxFD1C8
Wii Commercials: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLOccBorPsA
Wii Would Like to Play: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBOFhmjTgvY
Link's Crossbow Training: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHgyRGeUKxg
New episodes are 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, 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/
Friday Aug 01, 2025
Friday Aug 01, 2025
TCW Podcast Episode 239 - Nintendo: Wii Were Struggling
Nintendo’s struggle for cultural relevance in the lead-up to the Wii was marked by the N64’s poor fit for Japanese homes and the GameCube’s failure to outsell even the fledgling Xbox globally. Internally, a power struggle unfolded as Hiroshi Yamauchi prepared to retire. Former Sharp executive Atsushi Asada was brought in and became Executive Vice President and later Chairman of the Board. Satoru Iwata, whom Yamauchi saw great potential in, was appointed president of HAL Laboratory as part of a Yamauchi-backed bailout and ultimately succeeded Yamauchi as president of Nintendo. Minoru Arakawa was passed over, removed from the board, and after his retirement, replaced at Nintendo of America by Tatsumi Kimishima, who was later placed on the board himself, giving credence to the idea that Arakawa was pushed aside in favor of Iwata. We explore how, despite not facing financial collapse, Nintendo risked losing its creative identity after two struggling consoles and Sony's rising threat to its handheld dominance.
Iwata Asks Interviews: https://iwataasks.nintendo.com/
Simpsons all you can eat Court Case: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqT-AvswCZo
TCW 153 - Nintendo Playing with Cards: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/nintendo-playing-with-cards/
TCW 154 - Nintendo Playing with Controversy: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/nintendo-playing-with-controversy/
TCW 155 - Nintendo Playing with Toys: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/nintendo-playing-with-toys/
TCW 014 - Nintendo Playing with Power: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/nintendo-playing-with-power/
TCW 128 - Nintendo in 1985: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/nintendo-in-1985/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
TCW 037 - Nintendo and Gumpei Yokoi: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/nintendo-and-gunpei-yokoi/
TCW 063 - Lawsuits for Nintendo: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/lawsuits-for-nintendo/
TCW 068 - SEGA vs Nintendo Round 1: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/sega-vs-nintendo-round-1/
TCW 069 - SEGA vs Nintendo Round 2: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/sega-vs-nintendo-round-2
TCW 070 - SEGA vs Nintendo Round 3: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/sega-vs-nintendo-round-3
TCW 198 - The History of Handheld Games Part 1: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-history-of-handheld-games-part-1/
TCW 199 - The History of Handheld Games Part 2: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-history-of-handheld-games-part-2/
TCW 200 - The History of Handheld Games Part 3: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-history-of-handheld-games-part-3/
Business Card CDs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LS_QTo6L9dA
GameCube Controller: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GameCube_controller
Kirby's Dreamland (NES): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJXM4EPbPe0
Shmuplations - Satoru Iwata - 1999 Developer Interview: https://shmuplations.com/iwata/
New episodes are 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, 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/