They Create Worlds

TCW Podcast Episode 260 - Vivendi Electric Boogaloo How does a Canadian liquor company end up owning Universal Studios and, eventually, help create Activision Blizzard? Seagram chased diversification as liquor sales softened, tried to take over Conoco, and instead wound up with a 25% stake in DuPont that generated most of its earnings. Edgar Bronfman Jr. sold that stake to buy MCA from Matsushita, inheriting a mismanaged Universal. He then doubled down on music with a $10.6 billion PolyGram deal just as Napster, the dot com bubble, and changing listening habits blew up the old record business model. With media stocks riding high, the rest of the Bronfman family wanted out, and Jean-Marie Messier at Vivendi stepped in, using Canal+ and an all‑stock transaction to fold Seagram into Vivendi and create Vivendi Universal. On the games side, Havas Interactive and the former CUC and Cendant software assets were combined with Universal’s own games business, including the franchises of Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon, under a new label: Vivendi Universal Games. Then the bubble burst, Vivendi’s debt and deceptive cash accounting caught up with Messier, and he was forced out, leaving his successors to sell assets and manage the fallout. Inside the games group, Blizzard’s success defined the division, culminating in World of Warcraft’s launch and the later decision to combine Vivendi’s games business with Activision. That deal created Activision Blizzard, gave Vivendi a way to tap cash when its telecom business went bad, and set the stage for Activision Blizzard's eventual separation from Vivendi. Vivendi made one last, mostly unsuccessful push into games through moves on Ubisoft and the takeover of Gameloft. TCW 064 - Rise and Fall of Infogrames Part 1: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW064-rise-and-fall-of-infogrames-part-1TCW 065 - Rise and Fall of Infogrames Part 2: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW065-the-rise-and-fall-of-infogrames-part-2 TCW 114 - The Wizards of Sir-Tech: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW114-the-wizards-of-sir-tech TCW 115 - The Return of the Sdraziw of Sir Tech: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW115-the-return-of-the-sdraziw-of-sir-tech TCW 251 - Virgin Games: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW251-virgin-games TCW 184 - A Very Naughty Dog Pt 1: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW184-a-very-naughty-dog-pt-1 TCW 185 - A Very Naughty Dog Pt 2: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW185-a-very-naughty-dog-pt-2 Spyro the Dragon (PSX): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrVKjNR0-SE Crash Bandicoot (PSX): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HtPF0ers1w TCW 162 - Spinnaker Software: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW162-spinnaker-softwareTCW 071 - A Story of Brøderbund: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW071-a-story-of-broderbund TCW 072 - The Mysteries of Brøderbund: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW072-the-mysteries-of-broderbundTCW 039 - On-Line Systems: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW039-on-line-systems TCW 040 - Sierra On-Line: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW040-sierra-on-line TCW 221 - North to Hellgate London: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW221-north-to-hellgate-london TCW 249 - New World Computing: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW249-new-world-computing TCW 055 - Blizzard Hellfire and the World of Warcraft: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW055-blizzard-hellfire-and-the-world-of-warcraft Play Nice: The Rise, Fall, and Future of Blizzard Entertainment: https://www.amazon.com/Play-Nice-Future-Blizzard-Entertainment/dp/1538725428 Disney's Dreamlight Valley: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOuZFZOVLmc New episodes are on the 1st and 15th of every month! TCW Email: feedback@theycreateworlds.com BlueSky: @theycreateworlds.bsky.social Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theycreateworlds Alex's Video Game History Blog: http://videoga

TCW Podcast Episode 246 - The History of Commodore Pt 3After Jack Tramiel left Commodore and founded Tramel Technology, the company pressed on with mixed results. Systems like the SX 64, the C900, the Plus/4, the C16, and the C116 failed to gain traction, which led to the development of the C128. It improved on the C64 in many ways, but because so many games relied on C64 quirks, Commodore included a full C64 mode to preserve compatibility, so software support was poor. During this period Amiga was shopping its advanced chipset and entered a tentative agreement with Atari, but Jack’s impending purchase of Atari from Warner disrupted the arrangement. Commodore stepped in to pay off the outstanding note, which led to Commodore acquiring Amiga outright. This set the stage for the Amiga 1000, its famous bouncing ball demo, and a new chapter in Commodore’s history as the company entered the sixteen bit era TCW 2025 Livestream: https://youtu.be/BXXAhEVD4Lk Computer Chronicles Revisited - SMOliva: https://computerchronicles.blog/post/computer-chronicles-revisited-038-atari-520st-commodore-128/ Computer Chronicles Revisited - SMOliva: https://computerchronicles.blog/post/computer-chronicles-revisited-052-amiga-workbench-deluxe-paint-neochrome-vip-professional/ Commodore C900: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbVjNInzrw8 Commodore SX-64: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIGjT-RjNbk Commodore Plus 4 C16 & C116: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICiZbUypMlQ XKCD - Workflow: https://xkcd.com/1172/ Star Raiders (Atari 8-bit): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwqMqmo_jho Joyboard: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdFzdz3o1hU Boing Demo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlAhRJjOhDg Amiga 1000: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjapiUQOi2s Launch Event of the Amiga in 1985: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OeQ5uzm-Qs Amiga 1000 Sidcar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPfArIhoy0s TCW 172 - The Computer Price Wars Pt 1: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-computer-price-wars-part-1/ TCW 173 - The Computer Wars Pt 2: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-computer-wars-part-2/ TCW 174 - The Computer Wars Pt 3: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-computer-wars-part-3/ 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/

TCW Podcast Episode 244 - The History of Commodore Pt 1 We kick off our look at Commodore with the story of its founder, Jack Tramiel. A Holocaust survivor who emigrated to the United States, Tramiel began repairing lamps and typewriters before founding a typewriter import business in Toronto. His early success was nearly undone by the Atlantic Acceptance financial scandal, which forced him into partnership with investor Irving Gould. Commodore’s venture into calculators nearly bankrupted the company, but the acquisition of MOS Technology set the stage for its move into computers. This episode explores the corporate maneuvering, twists of fate, and personal drive that shaped Commodore’s early years. Featuring audience input, it’s the start of a lively three-part (and possibly four-part) deep dive into one of computing’s most fascinating companies. TCW 2025 Livestream: https://youtu.be/BXXAhEVD4Lk Jack Tramiel 1983 Interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5skpKlVOqc Commodore - A Company On The Edge by Brian Bagnall: https://archive.org/details/commodorecompany0000bagn/page/n1/mode/2up Computer Chronicles Revisited - SMOliva: https://computerchronicles.blog/post/computer-chronicles-revisited-107-koalapainter-the-wine-steward-skate-or-die-master-composer-keyboard-controlled-sequencer/#the-atlantic-acceptance-scandal-and-irving-goulds-takeover 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/

TCW Podcast Episode 242- Fumito Ueda Fumito Ueda entered game design through art rather than a love of traditional play. Influenced by titles like Flashback and Another World, he sought to tell stories with minimal interfaces and expansive environments rich in mood. After early work on D and Enemy Zero, Sony gave him a trial period that led to ICO, a game shaped by surreal landscapes inspired by Giorgio de Chirico and a hand-holding mechanic to convey emotional connection. ICO struggled in Japan but became a critical hit abroad, influencing games from Uncharted 3, The Last of Us, Dark Souls, and Journey. Ueda expanded his ideas in Shadow of the Colossus, a meditation on cruelty and consequence that inspired epic boss battles in other franchises such as God of War. His long-delayed The Last Guardian explored companionship through a giant creature, though with mixed reception. Now independent, Ueda continues to shape gaming with projects yet to be revealed. Punch Out (Arcade): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1T8hoeVpdV0 Space Harrier (Arcade): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEWGnj12GO4 The Legend of Zelda (Famicom Disc System): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsmXV06PwnM Smash Ping Pong (Famicom): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nd5QSxyG3Z0 Flashback (Amiga): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNTnRM77XuE Another World (Amiga): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLC_Un9lNPw D's Diner - Director's Cut (3DO): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7G1NuWciEE Enemy Zero (SEGA Saturn): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmkfgDNihZ0 PaRappa the Rapper (PSX): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97k0Dy8JweM Prince of Persia (Game Boy): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thAmYGc37pA Virtua Fighter (Arcade): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7HQ2vspMHA Hello Pac-Man (SNES): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5IOwrutZmM Lemmings (Amiga): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuiyFXMjGxA Chuck Jones - The Evolution of an Artist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHpXle4NqWI ICO Leap of Faith (PS3): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WWr_7CoIzY Giorgio de Chirico: https://www.wikiart.org/en/giorgio-de-chirico/all-works ICO cover - Japan: https://www.mobygames.com/game/5158/ico/cover/group-79093/cover-214724/ Uncharted 3 (PS5): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZFYTHMsLUc Zelda Twilight Princess: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJPhioaehIY Journey: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkL94nKSd2M FEZ: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm9XRDlNDK4 The Last of Us (PS3): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJPKTCpL1ws Prince of Persia - The Sands of Time: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34s9b6sLMjk Dark Souls (PS3): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdpdkd2eNmEICO (PS2): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIzZkGP3SUk Grand Theft Auto 3 (PS2): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZMyBAjQ-QEShadow of the Colossus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiB8MEJN-QU God of War 2 (PS2): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Pgks8w-HK8 The Last Guardian (PS4): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6ssIkVxg_k 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/

TCW Podcast Episode 240 - Nintendo: Playing with Mii & Wii From DS touch-and-stylus play to living-room motion, we trace Nintendo's road to Wii. Nintendogs and Brain Age broadened the audience to parents and grandparents. After cold receptions at Microsoft and Sony, inventor Tom Quinn's Gyration motion tech found a home at Nintendo, and internal prototypes were so fun they became Wii Sports, Wii Play, and Wii Fit. The reveal timeline runs from Reggie Fils-Aime's 2004 E3 DS debut and "Revolution" tease, to a controller-free console showing at E3 2005, to the surprise Wii Remote reveal during Iwata's Tokyo Game Show keynote, and the full unveiling at E3 2006. Built on refined GameCube internals, the Wii favored low cost, low noise, and always-on convenience, with Miis inspired by Japanese wooden dolls (Kokeshi) and a channel interface modeled on a TV wall to invite quick, family-friendly play. Iwata Asks: https://iwataasks.nintendo.com/Nintendogs (DS): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hb5j2v10eYsNintendogs (DS): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hb5j2v10eYs Brain Age (DS): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EeU92dl9ME Donkey Kong Bongos & Donkey Konga: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64YSuP6G1Uw Wii Sports: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vp9l7J6w9iE Wii Play: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfz-l5GI-v4 Wii Fit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDfXealVJyg Kokeshi Dolls: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2NIA5GNvfoNintendo Wii User Interface Tour: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCU1gB3Xdv4 E3 2004 Reggie Fils-Aimé: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89GB6bC9_N4 E3 2004 Satoru Iwata Revolution: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33BGyhn_rywE3 2005 Nintendo Revolution (Wii): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qt8CBYAnMYc Nintendo - Tokyo Game Show 2005: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdgW4Ox71fw E3 2006 Sony Ridge Racer!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaBUeINW_3s E3 2006 Sony Press Conference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaWptXzfEToE3 2006 Nintendo Press Conference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1Ldhg7swgA Wii Console and Accessories (E3 2006): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pOGKxFD1C8 Wii Commercials: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLOccBorPsA Wii Would Like to Play: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBOFhmjTgvY Link's Crossbow Training: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHgyRGeUKxg 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/

TCW Podcast Episode 238 - Quake We dive into the development of Quake, the ambitious and turbulent follow-up to Doom from ID Software. John Carmack set out to build a groundbreaking engine featuring full 3D rendering, dynamic lighting, and client-server multiplayer. This pushed the technical boundaries in a pre-GPU world. To achieve this, he brought in legendary programmer Michael Abrash from Microsoft, selling him on the vision of Quake as a step toward the metaverse as imagined in Snow Crash. Meanwhile, John Romero envisioned Quake as a fantasy RPG inspired by a character from his D&D campaign, but lack of direction and his growing obsession with Deathmatch led to team frustration and eventual fallout. The result was a game that redefined first-person shooters and laid the groundwork for decades of engine development. It also marked the end of an era at ID with the ouster of John Romero. TCW 030 - DOOM!: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/doom-1479057917/ TCW 197 - The ID of Game Development: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-id-of-game-development/ Doom States and DeHackEd: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTa3diypjv4 P2P vs Dedicated Servers?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tt3ZLHKcP2U Token Ring - The Betamax of Networking: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjLctlmZSp4 Artie - The Strongest Man In the World: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6Bh3LskNbs Space Strike (DOS): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtDdEuKFQps Cosmic Crusader (DOS): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKOTa5iQAw8 Big Top (DOS): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXUCacgF72M Snack Attack II (DOS): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hu-SEjcnnjo So You Haven't Read "Snow Crash": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nO64ZhBYy9E Ramblings in Realtime by Michael Abrash: https://www.bluesnews.com/abrash/ QuakeWorld Launch Event: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXw6BkZ-gdY Quake (DOS 6.22): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyLC1vR9oGk Quake Longplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7GagGXXUtI Excerpt Quake Postmortem: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2OE-74bTQw 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/

TCW Podcast Episode 236 - Jordan Mechner and Karateka This episode explores the early life of Jordan Mechner and the making of Karateka. We cover his Jewish family’s escape from Nazi Europe, his years at Yale, and his struggle to choose between careers in film, art, and game design. Drawing on lessons from arcade games, Mechner formed core design principles that shaped his approach. He also worked closely with his father, Francis Mechner—best known for composing the game's music—who served as a creative sounding board, contributed gameplay ideas, and performed movements used in the game's rotoscoped animations. Francis Mechner: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Mechner Replay - Memoir of an Uprooted Family: https://www.jordanmechner.com/en/books/replay/ Jordan Mechner: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordan_Mechner Jordan Mechner Website: https://www.jordanmechner.com/ TCW 071 - A Story of Brøderbund! :https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/a-story-of%C2%A0br%C3%B8derbund/ TCW 072 - The MYSTeries of Brøderbund!: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-mysteries-of-br%c3%b8derbund/ Choplifter (Apple II): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvDnUHW_pjg Seven Samurai Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XMJY0hYJEw The Making of Karateka journals: https://www.jordanmechner.com/en/books/the-making-of-karateka/ The Making of Karateka (Game + Documentary: https://www.jordanmechner.com/en/games-movies/karateka/ The Making & Remaking of Karateka: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vq31IwKZkt0 Karateka Rotoscoping 1983: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Nqp6U1GYI8 Karateka (Apple II): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKqk9kosCs4 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/