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

Wednesday Nov 15, 2023

The History of Handheld Games Part 1

Wednesday Nov 15, 2023

TCW Podcast Episode 198 - The History of Handheld Games Part 1

Recorded in front of a live-streaming audience, we delve into the captivating history of handheld games, commencing with an unexpected origin—the pocket-sized calculator. The innovative strides made in pocket calculator technology paved the way for toy companies to venture into the realm of handheld electronic games, resulting in classics such as Mattel Football and Auto Race. As advancements and reduced production costs followed, favorites like Simon and Merlin emerged. However, the early games faced a common challenge—the limitations of display capabilities at an affordable price point. To overcome this hurdle, inventive technologies like nixie tubes, VFD displays, and LEDs were harnessed to deliver engaging gameplay experiences. Notably, the VFD display mini arcades left a lasting mark, offering some of the most captivating recreations of popular arcade titles. This is part 1 of a 3-part series, exploring the evolution of handheld gaming and revealing the creative solutions and technological milestones that have defined this interactive landscape.

How it's Made Vacuum Tubes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8n4WVRKkmww

Integrated Circuits Crash Course Computer Science: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-tKOHICqrI

How Pocket Calculators Changed Electronics Forever: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goB47Cgqxfs

Nixie Tube Clock: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yS5w98xmwI

Nixie Tube Calculator: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k49_PG5CUAk

Eversharp Mechanical Pencil: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPoL2Ny4NmA

TCW 025 - Mattel Electronics?: http://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/mattel-electronics/

TCW 177 - The Intellivision Part 1: http://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-intellivision-part-1/

TCW 178 - The Intellivision Part 2: http://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-intellivision-part-2/

Mattel Football: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQ5TVoVD5Ss

Mattel Auto Race: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l72CDVzrtiQ

Touch Me Commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eV8y2oDzIeg