They Create Worlds

By Alex Smith, and Jeffrey Daum

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Category: History

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Subscribers: 84
Reviews: 1
Episodes: 257

Odysseas
 Dec 25, 2022
Great podcast about the history game industry. You will learn something interesting.

Description

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. 


Episode Date
Nine Atari Games
May 01, 2026
Cinemaware
Apr 15, 2026
The Elder Scrolls: Morrowind
Apr 01, 2026
The Elder Scrolls: Arena & Daggerfall
Mar 15, 2026
Masanobu Endō
Mar 01, 2026
A Guitar Hero
Feb 15, 2026
Virgin Games
Feb 01, 2026
Mastertronic
Jan 15, 2026
New World Computing
Jan 01, 2026
An Act of Control
Dec 15, 2025
The History of Commodore Pt 4
Dec 01, 2025
The History of Commodore Pt 3
Nov 15, 2025
The History of Commodore Pt 2
Nov 01, 2025
The History of Commodore Pt 1
Oct 15, 2025
RCA Studio II
Oct 01, 2025
Fumito Ueda
Sep 15, 2025
The First 10 Years of European Consoles
Sep 01, 2025
Nintendo: Playing with Mii & Wii
Aug 15, 2025
Nintendo: Wii Were Struggling
Aug 01, 2025
Quake
Jul 15, 2025
Jordan Mechner and Price of  Persia
Jul 01, 2025
Jordan Mechner and Karateka
Jun 15, 2025
Coin-op Legends of Japan
Jun 01, 2025
Yu Suzuki
May 15, 2025
Baldur's Gate
May 01, 2025
All the Other Home Pongs
Apr 15, 2025
Street Fighter 2
Apr 01, 2025
Crafting the World of WarCraft
Mar 15, 2025
US Gold
Mar 01, 2025
PopCap Games
Feb 15, 2025
Donkey Kong
Feb 01, 2025
Ray Kassar
Jan 15, 2025
Games by Apollo
Jan 01, 2025
D&D & Video Games 3E
Dec 15, 2024
D&D & Video Games 2E
Dec 01, 2024
D&D & Video Games 1E
Nov 15, 2024
North to Hellgate London
Nov 01, 2024
Diablo 2
Oct 15, 2024
Diablo 1
Oct 01, 2024
The 100 Games Redux - The Revival
Sep 15, 2024
The Games of Ed Logg
Sep 01, 2024
The 100 Games Redux - The Removal
Aug 15, 2024
Final Fantasy VII
Aug 01, 2024
The Neo Geo
Jul 15, 2024
The Exidy of the 80's and 90's
Jul 01, 2024
The Exidy of the 70's
Jun 15, 2024
Ramtek
Jun 01, 2024
Accolade Part 2
May 15, 2024
Accolade Part 1
May 01, 2024
Two Dunes: The Battle for Arrakis
Apr 15, 2024
SEGA Saturn Part 2
Apr 01, 2024
SEGA Saturn Part 1
Mar 15, 2024
Shepherd's Mass Effect 2 & 3
Mar 01, 2024
Exploring the Mass Effect
Feb 15, 2024
Alone In The Dark
Feb 01, 2024
Advanced Balls and Paddles Part 2
Jan 15, 2024
Advanced Balls and Paddles Part 1
Jan 01, 2024
The History of Handheld Games Part 3
Dec 15, 2023
The History of Handheld Games Part 2
Dec 01, 2023
The History of Handheld Games Part 1
Nov 15, 2023
The ID Of Game Development
Nov 01, 2023
The Sumerian Game
Oct 15, 2023
Finding Video Game Copyright
Oct 01, 2023
The 7th Guest
Sep 15, 2023
Microprose Part 2
Sep 01, 2023
Microprose Part 1
Aug 15, 2023
SEGA and CSK Part 2
Aug 01, 2023
SEGA and CSK Part 1
Jul 15, 2023
The Simulations of Will Wright
Jul 01, 2023
Will Wright’s Sim City
Jun 15, 2023
Atari’s Sinking Ship
Jun 01, 2023
Atari’s Distribution Nightmare
May 15, 2023
A Very Naughty Dog Pt 2
May 01, 2023
A Very Naughty Dog Pt 1
Apr 15, 2023
A Working Model of Vending
Apr 01, 2023
The KOEI Dynasty
Mar 15, 2023
The Fabric of Koei
Mar 01, 2023
Space Invaders Part II
Feb 15, 2023
Space Invaders and Nishikado
Feb 01, 2023
The Intellivision Part 2
Jan 15, 2023
The Intellivision Part 1
Jan 01, 2023
The SEGA Technical Institute
Dec 15, 2022
Shady Cocktail Cabinets
Dec 01, 2022
The Computer Wars Part 3
Nov 15, 2022
The Computer Wars Part 2
Nov 01, 2022
The Computer Price Wars Part 1
Oct 15, 2022
A Rogue’s Survival Part 2
Oct 01, 2022
A Rogue’s Survival Part 1
Sep 15, 2022
Activision and Kotick Part 3
Sep 01, 2022
Activision and Kotick Part 2
Aug 15, 2022
Activision and Kotick Part 1
Aug 01, 2022
Centuri
Jul 15, 2022
Allied Leisure
Jul 01, 2022
Fallout
Jun 15, 2022
California Pacific
Jun 01, 2022
Spinnaker Software
May 15, 2022
The 100,000 Part 2
May 01, 2022
The 100,000 Part 1
Apr 15, 2022
International Adventure
Apr 01, 2022
Computer Space
Mar 15, 2022
Final Fantasy’s Tale
Mar 01, 2022
Madden for some Football
Feb 15, 2022
Nintendo Playing With Toys
Feb 01, 2022
Nintendo Playing with Controversy
Jan 15, 2022
Nintendo Playing With Cards
Jan 01, 2022
Grand Theft Auto 2 by 3
Dec 15, 2021
Grand Theft Auto 1
Dec 01, 2021
Gottlieb Part 2
Nov 15, 2021
Gottlieb Part 1
Nov 01, 2021
The Mysteries of Imagic
Oct 15, 2021
Others in the Field Too
Oct 01, 2021
Storytime with a Book 2
Sep 15, 2021
Revisions and Updates 3
Sep 01, 2021
Ascension into the Black Gate
Aug 15, 2021
The Prophet of the Avatar
Aug 01, 2021
Ultima: Exodus to Akalabeth
Jul 15, 2021
The Console Market of the 70's and 80's Part 2
Jul 01, 2021
The Console Market of the 70's and 80's Part 1
Jun 15, 2021
Tec Toy and Brazil
Jun 01, 2021
Dave Nutting Associates
May 15, 2021
Dave Nutting & Nutting Industries
May 01, 2021
Ocean Software
Apr 15, 2021
The Famicom Disc System
Apr 01, 2021
Famicom
Mar 15, 2021
Rolling Dice with the Parker Brother's
Mar 01, 2021
Eugene Jarvis
Feb 15, 2021
Sir Clive of ZX
Feb 01, 2021
Uncle Clive's Radionics
Jan 15, 2021
The Crash That Almost Was
Jan 01, 2021
Nintendo in 1985
Dec 15, 2020
Dreams of Sega
Dec 01, 2020
Activision and Atari
Nov 15, 2020
The Visions of Coleco Part 2
Nov 01, 2020
The Visions of Coleco Part 1
Oct 15, 2020
A Casual World Part 2
Oct 01, 2020
A Casual World Part 1
Sep 15, 2020
The Whole Video Game Industry Part 4
Sep 01, 2020
The Whole Video Game Industry Part 3
Aug 15, 2020
The Whole Video Game Industry Part 2
Aug 01, 2020
The Whole Video Game Industry Part 1
Jul 15, 2020
Wing Commander
Jul 01, 2020
The Atari Games You Are Looking For
Jun 15, 2020
The Return of the Sdraziw of Sir-Tech
Jun 01, 2020
The Wizards of Sir-Tech
May 15, 2020
Primordial Computer Game Industry
May 01, 2020
And Landing on it!
Apr 15, 2020
Jumping to It!
Apr 01, 2020
Books of History
Mar 15, 2020
Adventuring with LucasArts Part 2
Mar 01, 2020
Adventuring with LucasArts Part 1
Feb 15, 2020
Storytime with a Book
Feb 01, 2020
The Small Voice of Magnavox
Jan 15, 2020
The Big Voice of Magnavox
Jan 01, 2020
A Holistic View of ET
Dec 15, 2019
Elite Systems
Dec 01, 2019
Stern Electronics
Nov 15, 2019
Infocom
Nov 01, 2019
The 100 Most Influential Games Part 3
Oct 15, 2019
The 100 Most Influential Games Part 2
Oct 01, 2019
The 100 Most Influential Games Part 1
Sep 15, 2019
Revisions and Updates 2
Sep 01, 2019
Hello Big Blue
Aug 15, 2019
Hello Little Blue
Aug 01, 2019
Epyx not Epic
Jul 15, 2019
Books-B-Ware
Jul 01, 2019
Citing Apologies
Jun 15, 2019
Bally: The Road to Fitness
Jun 01, 2019
Lion and Bally Manufacturing
May 15, 2019
The Dawn of Computers and Gaming
May 01, 2019
Gotta Go Fast!
Apr 15, 2019
Virtual History
Apr 01, 2019
Itsa Me Marioooo!
Mar 15, 2019
Computer Game BASICs
Mar 01, 2019
Time Shared
Feb 15, 2019
The Silliwood Era now in FMV!
Feb 01, 2019
An Unlikely Pairing of Siliwood
Jan 15, 2019
The Meeting of Spacewar
Jan 01, 2019
Vector Lights
Dec 15, 2018
The Six Children of EA
Dec 01, 2018
Invading Taito Part 2
Nov 15, 2018
Invading Taito Part 1
Nov 01, 2018
A Fairchild Story
Oct 15, 2018
Gunning For Light
Oct 01, 2018
The Japanese PC Industry
Sep 15, 2018
Adventuring in the Arcade
Sep 01, 2018
The MYSTeries of Brøderbund!
Aug 15, 2018
A Story of Brøderbund!
Aug 01, 2018
Sega VS Nintendo Round 3
Jul 15, 2018
Sega VS Nintendo Round 2
Jul 01, 2018
Sega VS Nintendo Round 1
Jun 15, 2018
The Birth of the Japanese Consoles
Jun 01, 2018
Half of a Life
May 15, 2018
The Rise and Fall of Infogrames Part 2
May 01, 2018
Rise and Fall of Infogrames Part 1
Apr 15, 2018
Lawsuits for Nintendo
Apr 01, 2018
Lawsuits for Everyone!
Mar 15, 2018
Where in the Game is Carmen Sandiego?
Mar 01, 2018
Williams' Crazy Story Pt 2
Feb 15, 2018
Williams' Crazy Story Pt 1
Feb 01, 2018
EA Sports: It's in the Game!
Jan 15, 2018
Foundation of the Japanese Video Arcade Game Industry
Jan 01, 2018
Revisions and Updates
Dec 15, 2017
Blizzard: Hellfire and The World… Of WarCraft
Dec 01, 2017
Blizzard: Vikings and WarCraft
Nov 15, 2017
The History and Merger of Enix and Square
Nov 01, 2017
The Many Faces of Konami
Oct 15, 2017
Sons of Pong
Oct 01, 2017
Civilizing Sid Meier
Sep 15, 2017
Old and Elite
Sep 01, 2017
Driving Games and Technology
Aug 15, 2017
Vestiges of Atari
Aug 01, 2017
Atari, Ray Kassar and Warner
Jul 15, 2017
Atari, Ventures and Acquisitions
Jul 01, 2017
Founding, Syzygy to Atari
Jun 15, 2017
Personal Gaming Histories
Jun 01, 2017
Laser Craze
May 15, 2017
Beating Them All Up
May 01, 2017
Sierra On-Line
Apr 15, 2017
On-Line Systems
Apr 01, 2017
Origin Story
Mar 15, 2017
Nintendo and Gunpei Yokoi
Mar 01, 2017
Raiding Eidos
Feb 15, 2017
EA The Teenage Years
Feb 01, 2017
The Nutting Associates
Jan 15, 2017
The Saga of Sega
Jan 01, 2017
The History of the Atari Brand
Dec 15, 2016
An Epic Game
Dec 01, 2016
DOOM!
Nov 15, 2016
50 Years of Namco
Nov 01, 2016
Picking up the Pieces: The US Arcade Industry After the Crash
Oct 15, 2016
The Magnavox Patent Lawsuits
Oct 01, 2016
The Magnavox Odyssey
Sep 15, 2016
Mattel Electronics?
Sep 01, 2016
The Project and Others in the Field
Aug 15, 2016
The Complete Tetris Story
Aug 01, 2016
The Galaxy Game
Jul 15, 2016
The Great Video Game Crash Part 3
Jul 01, 2016
The Great Video Game Crash Part 2
Jun 15, 2016
The Great Video Game Crash Part 1
Jun 01, 2016
The British 8-Bit Computer Market: Software
May 15, 2016
The British 8-Bit Computer Market: Hardware
May 01, 2016
Early Computer Game Platforms: The Trinity, and The Disciples
Apr 15, 2016
The Story of Chuck E Cheese
Apr 01, 2016
Nintendo: Playing with Power
Mar 15, 2016
History of Acclaim - "The Fall"
Mar 01, 2016
History of Acclaim - "The Rise"
Feb 15, 2016
The Genesis of JRPGs
Feb 01, 2016
History of Mediagenic Part II
Jan 15, 2016
History of Mediagenic Part I
Jan 01, 2016
Birth of the Japanese Game Center
Dec 15, 2015
History of the Arcade
Dec 01, 2015
The Early History of Electronic Arts
Nov 15, 2015
The Untold History of Sega
Nov 01, 2015
A Tale of Cycles
Oct 15, 2015
What makes an industry?
Oct 01, 2015
You talked to whom?
Sep 15, 2015
All I can do is ask why?
Sep 01, 2015