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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.
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

Friday Dec 01, 2023
The History of Handheld Games Part 2
Friday Dec 01, 2023
Friday Dec 01, 2023
TCW Podcast Episode 199 - The History of Handheld Games Part 2
Continuing in front of a live streaming audience, part two of our exploration into the history of handheld games delves into the pivotal role of LCDs. We kick off with the Microvision and trace the progression through the iconic Game & Watch, credited with saving Nintendo during challenging times and inspiring emulation by companies like Tiger Electronics. Citing the advancements in LCD technology, we culminate with a detailed examination of the enigmatic origins of the Game Boy, dispelling common misconceptions and unraveling a more intricate narrative. The episode concludes just before the release of the Game Boy, leaving listeners on the edge of their seats with a journey through the previously opaque yet fascinating world of handheld gaming history.
How LCD Work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbdhbyiHX-s
MicroVision Complete Library: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NmwIvrDR8w
TCW 153 - Nintendo Playing with Cards: http://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/nintendo-playing-with-cards/
TCW 154 - Nintendo Playing with Controversy: http://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/nintendo-playing-with-controversy/
TCW 155 - Nintendo Playing with Toys: http://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/nintendo-playing-with-toys/
Nintendo Chiritori: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KlWqH14EBs
Newton's Rings: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newton%27s_rings
Game & Watch Ball - Unbox and Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ci3BQjuy8hg
Game & Watch Vermin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8EvCmFN_98
Game & Watch Octopus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmkAhLVZFeQ
Game & Watch Gold Series All Games: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQ26q73FEco
Game & Watch Oil Panic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cLDDCO85nQ
Game & Watch Donkey Kong: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdS9VLFtnJs
Tiger Electronics Copy Cat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLs4tAlUxzw
Tiger Electronics Handheld Commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkU6-knrDpQ
Tiger Electronics Simon's Quest: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3MI4IEjyUc
Tiger Electronics Golden Axe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJNdy0IgUQQ
Why it is hard to make homemade LCDs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8Sp0WPnVUA
How do color LCDs work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VamqtyatBss
Kids React to Gameboy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pCp8g-VjOs
New episodes are on the 1st and 15th of every month!
TCW Email: feedback@theycreateworlds.com
Twitter: @tcwpodcast
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theycreateworlds
Alex's Video Game History Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com
Alex's book, published Dec 2019, is available at CRC Press and at major on-line retailers: http://bit.ly/TCWBOOK1
Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode - Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download: http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode
Outro Music: RolemMusic - Bacterial Love: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love
Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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