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

Saturday Mar 15, 2025

Crafting the World of WarCraft

Saturday Mar 15, 2025

TCW Podcast Episode 230 - Crafting the World of WarCraft

World of Warcraft has stood the test of time for twenty years, and now we can explore the fascinating history behind its creation. The developers drew inspiration from MMOs like Ultima Online, EverQuest, Anarchy Online, Dark Age of Camelot, and more, incorporating what they loved while tackling unique challenges. From art style and storytelling to quest design, factions, and PvP, every aspect of the game presented obstacles to overcome. Despite launching with several rushed elements, WoW captivated a gaming audience eager for an accessible MMO—and went on to set records for years to come

TCW 054 - Blizzard: Vikings and WarCraft: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/blizzard-vikings-and-warcraft/

TCW 055 - Blizzard: Hellfire and The World… of WarCraft: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/blizzard-hellfire-and-the-world%E2%80%A6-of-warcraft/

How to play Necromunda: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqAxPXd5y8g

Place Nice: The Rise, Fall, and Future of Blizzard Entertainment (Affiliate): https://amzn.to/41MvT5c

The WoW Diary: A Journal of Computer Game Development [Second Edition] (Affiliate): https://amzn.to/4kzpxNT

EverQuest Launch Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AJdrc8ZsEI
TCW 219 - Diablo 1: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/diablo-1/

TCW 220 - Diablo 2: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/diablo-2/

A Brief History of Chess: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeB-1F-UKO0

Tabula Rasa Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGQ0Nb3U9kw

Tabula Rasa Box Art: https://cdn.mobygames.com/covers/4266351-richard-garriotts-tabula-rasa-pre-order-bonus-pack-windows-front.jpg

World of Warcraft Box Art: https://i.etsystatic.com/19063773/r/il/3b9985/2196312265/il_fullxfull.2196312265_13ii.jpg

WarCraft 1 Intro: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SA40KEDV6Dc