They Create Worlds

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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 Jan 15, 2024

Advanced Balls and Paddles Part 2

Monday Jan 15, 2024

TCW Podcast Episode 202 - Advanced Balls and Paddles Part 2

Following the release of Breakout by Atari, its influence spread to Japan, sparking a surge in demand that prompted numerous Japanese companies to enter the video game industry by creating clones of the popular game. Seeking innovation, Exidy developed Circus, introducing new elements to the Breakout formula. The widespread appeal of Breakout extended to the home gaming market with Atari and Nintendo releasing ball and paddle games. A standout in this genre was the uniquely designed Warlords, which evolved in parallel as an arcade and console game. Concluding our exploration, we delve into the history of Arkanoid, unveiling its captivating story, including previously unknown details about the creators that have yet to be found in English sources.

Monaco GP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGTGoKR7hUI

TCW 179 - Space Invaders and Nishikado: http://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/space-invaders-and-nishikado/

TCW 180 - Space Invaders Part II: http://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/space-invaders-part-ii/

TCW 029 - 50 Years of Namco: http://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/50-years-of-namco/

TCW 165 - Allied Leisure: http://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/allied-leisure/

Breakout Cocktail Cabinet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCE6zjRujps

Mr Do: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_BBQWed8Vk

TCW 052 - The Many Faces of Konami: http://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-many-faces-of-konami/

TCW 077 - Invading Taito Part 1: http://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/invading-taito-part-1/

TCW 078 - Invading Taito Part 2: http://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/invading-taito-part-2/

Taito TT Block: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTpha-l6ve4

Exidy Circus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFm3b7e2tV8