They Create Worlds

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

524.1K

Downloads

257

Episodes

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 Aug 15, 2021

Ascension into the Black Gate

Sunday Aug 15, 2021

TCW Podcast Episode 144 - Ascension into the Black Gate

In our final part looking at the history of the Ultima series we start off looking at Ultima VII. This game is considered by many to be the pinnacle of the series. The game combines story elements with a massive world to create a truly unique experience. The game is followed by two major commercial failures. Those failures being Ultima VIII and Ultima IX. The reasons behind those failures are many. However a lot of the blame for Ultima VIII's shortcomings, especially the jumping, can be laid at the feet of the development team and not EA. Because of the disaster of VIII, Ultima IX was plagues with issues. Especially since they had a rotating staff, technology issues, and other challenges the game was an ignoble end to a series that touched many. However like many of the Ultima games, it is not the destination, but the journey that is the true heart of Ultima.

Intro to Ultima VII: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ttf9YrkBdQ

The Story of The Fellowship: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mlZVHuK4wM

Museum of the Avatar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIaOiMH8SKg

Retro Tea Break | Richard Garriott tells his Ultima Story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU90N4Cbj10

Secret of Money Island 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXRMEz6n5SM

Prince of Persia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xv20j8ChtRY

Ultima VII: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkrCUXc-frY

Ultima VIII: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzfnuxXfQ2M

Ultima IX: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6kXFf7iyC4&list=PLSlejFTVB3ksWWOh2mePsahP5Kew5rHwc

TCW 038 - Origin Story: http://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/origin-story-1489274251/

Crusader No Remorse: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUnvNTvHMnQ

Meridian 59: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUsJ6de9mRU