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

Sunday Sep 01, 2024

The Games of Ed Logg

Sunday Sep 01, 2024

TCW Podcast Episode 217 - The Games of Ed Logg

Ed Logg had a long and distinguished career in Atari's coin-op division. Initially aspiring to be a math professor, his path changed after encountering the Atari 2600 at a friend's Christmas party. While at Atari, Logg created the legendary game Asteroids, which became a massive success. He continued his streak with Super Breakout and co-created Centipede with Dona Bailey. Inspired by his son's love of Dungeons & Dragons, and the game Dandy, Logg developed the classic Gauntlet. He later created one of the first arcade first-person shooters, Xybots. Although his attempts to transition into the 3D era with games like Steel Talons, San Francisco Rush, and Dr. Muto did not achieve the same level of success; Ed Logg's deep understanding of what makes a great arcade game has left a lasting impact not only in the coin-op space, but across the entire gaming industry.

TCW 081 - The Meeting of SpaceWar: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-meeting-of-spacewar/

TCW 022 - The Galaxy Game: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-galaxy-game/

Sprint 2 (Atari - Arcade): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R32e7O6tfdg

TCW 202 - Advanced Balls and Paddles Part 2: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/advanced-balls-and-paddles-part-2/

Super Breakout - Progressive mode (Arcade): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EyrTQGt_tU

Atari Video Pinball (Arcade): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4aB8ukBIcM

Asteroids (Arcade): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBVGCw5kl9E

TCW 212 - The Exidy of the 70's: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-exidy-of-the-70s/

TCW 213 - The Exidy of the 80's and 90's: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-exidy-of-the-80s-and-90s/

Centipede (Arcade Cabinet): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uwh3wcrUtR8

Centipede (Arcade Gameplay): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7XEmf02zEM

Millipede (Arcade Cabinet): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rU6aKcyGqc