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They Create Worlds

They Create Worlds

By: Alex Smith and Jeffrey Daum
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 Love of the worlds created by video game designers and personalities drives Alex Smith & Jeffrey Daum (history, law, CS degrees) to provide a scholarly yet light-hearted discussion of how arcade, home console, and PC games merged into a Video Game Industry. Emphasis is on the combination of business and creative elements needed for financial success. Interviews of Atari, EA, Activision, & other execs with detailed source evaluations produce the insights you hear in these 140+ hours!Copyright 2015-2019 . All rights reserved. World
Episodes
  • A Guitar Hero

    A Guitar Hero
    Feb 15 2026
    TCW Podcast Episode 252 - A Guitar Hero The rise and fall of the Guitar Hero franchise and the rhythm game craze of the mid to late 2000s. Red Octane got its start making Dance Dance Revolution pads, but a partnership with Harmonix Music Systems, a studio building technology that let people interact with music without learning an instrument, led to the creation of Guitar Hero. Major retailers refused to carry it until Best Buy set up in-store demo units that sent sales skyrocketing, and Red Octane could barely keep up with demand. The franchise's success drew corporate attention: Activision acquired Red Octane, MTV Networks acquired Harmonix, and a lingering dispute between Activision and Viacom over the Star Trek license split the partnership in two, giving Activision Guitar Hero and Harmonix Rock Band. Both landed blockbuster bands from Aerosmith to the Beatles, but an endless flood of sequels and add-ons saturated the market, and what once felt like a cultural phenomenon burned out almost as fast as it arrived. TCW 167 - Activision and Kotick Part 1: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/activision-and-kotick-part-1/ TCW 168 - Activision and Kotick Part 2: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/activision-and-kotick-part-2/ TCW 169 - Activision and Kotick Part 3: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/activision-and-kotick-part-3/ Dance Dance Revolution (PSX): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2IammLWeNE TCW 052 - The Many Faces of Konami: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-many-faces-of-konami/ Guitar Freaks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-gDC1VXqqM PaRappa The Rapper: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3SI4Grases Tribe on Conan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLrA00pKRHo Bimini Run (Genesis): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-e1QdtG3YOE System Shock: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-e1QdtG3YOE Thief - The Dark Project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zH_6ER0-voQ Simpsons - I can See the Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyNtUpMeBTE Frequency (PS2): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Z7n36dozeY Amplitude (PS2): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goH4ygJ48_c Karaoke Revolution - Drive - Incubus (PS2): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJ-yIxE9-hg The NES Hotseat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvws5tOHsEE AntiGrav for EyeToy (PS2): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9FheIXFrWc Guitar Hero 1 IGN: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQW2MGFY-us Guitar Hero 1 (PS2): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slJA7xwDRWk Guitar Hero 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQAUCBDU4Qg Guitar Hero 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elOxCIpg4rI Rock Band: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AavdHq3pemQ GH3 - DragonForce - Through the Fire and Flames: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMkjmiVo6jA Rock Band - The Beatles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PGF3uAYCW0 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.comD 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: RoleMusic - 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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    1 hr and 32 mins
  • Virgin Games

    Virgin Games
    Feb 1 2026
    TCW Podcast Episode 251 - Virgin Games As a companion piece to our Mastertronic episode, we look at the rise and fall of Virgin Games. Beginning with Richard Branson’s mail-order record business and the success of Virgin Records, the company expanded into games under executive Nick Alexander, whose interest in the industry led to the creation of a Virgin gaming subsidiary. Early successes included the Dan Dare series and computer adaptations of board games. In 1987 Virgin took a stake in Mastertronic, and in 1988 fully acquired the company, gaining both its budget software business and its role in the SEGA Master System launch. From there Virgin Games developed into two distinct arms. In Europe, the company focused on distribution, bringing major publishers and licenses into the region. In the United States, Virgin built on Mastertronic’s development studio, centering on strong talent and overlooked licenses, producing titles such as Spot, Cool Spot, Global Gladiators, and later major Disney games including Aladdin and The Lion King. On PC, the company found success with The 7th Guest and through the acquisition of Westwood Studios, gaining Command and Conquer. Virgin Games also had a hand in publishing Dune and Dune II. In the mid-1990s the Virgin Group began seeking a buyer, leading to Blockbuster’s acquisition of Virgin Interactive, which soon placed the company under Viacom following the Paramount merger. Heavy corporate debt and shifting priorities resulted in the sale of Westwood to Electronic Arts. What remained was largely a European distribution business that later entered an agreement with Interplay and was ultimately acquired by Titus Interactive. After the collapse of the dot-com bubble, mounting debt forced Titus to shutter the company, and in 2005 Virgin Interactive quietly disappeared TCW 105 - The Big Voice of Magnavox: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-big-voice-of-magnavox/ TCW 106 - The Small Voice of Magnavox: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-small-voice-of-magnavox/ TCW 026 - The Magnavox Odyssey: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-magnavox-odyssey/ TCW 027 - The Magnavox Patent Lawsuits: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-magnavox-patent-lawsuits-friday-september-16-2016-1003-am/ Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells (Live BBC 1973): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbYQYOM66MA Dan Dare - Pilot of the Future (ZX Spectrum): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUEDOu5ewIQ Dan Dare II - Mekons` Revenge (ZX Spectrum): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Lheo_ao8K4 Dan Dare III - The Escape (Amiga): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IK62NSaE75s Monopoly - Virgin Games (DOS): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=un6iagpCwWw Spot - The Video Game (NES): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8Ezmf6z3kM 7-Up Spot Commercials: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubNTMHqz6_c TCW 229 - US Gold: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/us-gold/ TCW 023 - The Complete Tetris Story: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-complete-tetris-story/ Lure of the Temptress (Amiga): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwSS5zA74jQ Jimmy White's Whirlwind Snooker (Amiga): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Pr3IsnqxGs Cannon Fodder (Amiga): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFP8WUrBVHc Previous High Scores C&C Ad: https://www.reddit.com/r/OldSchoolRidiculous/comments/x1k61n/could_you_even_imagine_if_westwood_studios/ Robin Hood Prince of Thieves (NES): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_1AGDZiLVY Robin Hood Men in Tights - English Accent: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9tEH7iWOyk Global Gladiators (Genesis): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yy9_-iEdXAA Cool Spot (Genesis): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTROI2ODRM4 Aladin (Genesis): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngqx0rq7ACg The Jungle Book (Genesis): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BivK2swrtqM Aladin (SNES): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9m2gAuWkOY The Lion King (Genesis): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-U4RObki-k TCW 194 - The 7th Guest: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-7th-guest/ The 7th Guest (PC): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45Z-Q5KVTyI The Legend of Kyrandia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FO6BE4HOjnM TCW 208 - Two Dunes the Battle for Arrakis: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/two-dunes-the-battle-for-arrakis/ TCW 082 - An Unlikely Pairing of Siliwood: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/an-unlikely-pairing-of-siliwood/ TCW 064 - The Rise and Fall of Infogrames Part 1: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/rise-and-fall-of-infogrames-part-1/ TCW 065 - The Rise and Fall of Infogrames Part 2: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-rise-and-fall-of-infogrames-part-2/ 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://...
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    1 hr and 31 mins
  • Mastertronic

    Mastertronic
    Jan 15 2026

    TCW Podcast Episode 250 - Mastertronic

    From budget software publisher to the gateway for SEGA’s entry into Europe, we look at the rise and fall of Mastertronic. Initially shunned by high street retailers, the company found success supplying discount games to chains like Woolworths while importing and reselling titles from other publishers for the European market. A failed attempt to bring budget games to the United States pushed Mastertronic to look toward consoles after seeing the success of the Nintendo Entertainment System, but Nintendo rejected them due to their low-cost reputation. This led to a partnership with SEGA to launch the Master System in the United Kingdom, but a delayed release after Christmas triggered a financial crisis that forced Virgin to buy out the rest of the company. As Virgin Mastertronic, the firm gained a foothold in France and Germany while struggling with limited SEGA supply. The story ends when SEGA acquired the console side of the business and created SEGA Europe, closing the final chapter on Mastertronic.

    TCW 017 - The British 8-bit Computer Market Hardware: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-british-8-bit-computer-market-hardware/

    TCW 018 - The British 8-bit Computer Market Software: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-british-8-bit-computer-market-software/

    TCW 241 - The First 10 Years of European Consoles: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-first-10-years-of-european-consoles/

    Vagas Jackpot (VIC-20): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKFzNnx_m-U

    BMX Racers (C64): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZenav7tN08

    Ghostbusters (ZX Spectrum): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qH18r74ZOto

    Way of the Exploding Fist (C64): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6p51xOL0NdY

    Alians (C64): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8D7Q2lfBA6g

    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: RoleMusic - 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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    1 hr and 6 mins
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