Video Game History Hour

Epizodai

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  Episode 155: What’s Your Deal, Lindsey Kurano? 13.05.2026 48min

  In this episode, Phil Salvador sits down with Lindsey Kurano, the Curator of Electronic Games at The Strong Museum of Play, to explore the intricate world of video game preservation. Lindsay shares her unconventional journey from a high school exchange student in Japan to a specialist in film preservation, and ultimately, a lead steward of gaming history.We delve into the behind-the-scenes of museum life from building massive collections through donor outreach to the meticulous process of curating an engaging exhibit. In this episode, we also discuss her recent exhibit on Japanese indie games, the prioritization of preserving both hardware and software, how independent collectors and enthusiasts play a vital role in the preservation ecosystem, and a sneak peak at upcoming exhibits.You can listen to the Video Game History Hour every other Wednesday on Patreon (one day early at the $5 tier and above), on Spotify, or on our website.See more from Lindsey Kurano:Bluesky: @lindseykurano.bsky.socialEmail: lindseykurano (@) gmail.comVideo Game History Foundation:Email: podcast@gamehistory.orgWebsite: gamehistory.orgSupport us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
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  Episode 154: Sega in the 90’s: An Economic Post-Mortem 15.04.2026 1val 21min

  Historian Alex Smith (author and host of They Create Worlds) joins us to challenge the prevailing "Genesis does what Nintendon't" narrative. While Sega’s bravado captured the American imagination, the reality behind the ledger was far more precarious. We dissect how aggressive price wars and a strengthening Japanese yen turned market-share victories into hollow financial gains, creating a "leaky bucket" that even Sonic couldn't outrun.Our conversation traverses the internal friction between Sega of America and Sega of Japan, the fragmented rollout of the 32X and Saturn, and the precise moment when ambition collided with fiscal reality. It’s a deep dive into the corporate motivations and economic pressures that dictated the rise and decline of a hardware titan.You can listen to the Video Game History Hour every other Wednesday on Patreon (one day early at the $5 tier and above), on Spotify, or on our website.See more from Alex Smith:Website: theycreateworlds.comBlog: videogamehistorian.wordpress.comPodcast: podcast.theycreateworlds.comBook: https://www.routledge.com/They-Create-Worlds-The-Story-of-the-People-and-Companies-That-Shaped-the/Smith/p/book/9781138389908Video Game History Foundation:Email: podcast@gamehistory.orgWebsite: gamehistory.orgSupport us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
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  Episode 153: Sega Channel 01.04.2026 1val 16min

  Well before Xbox Game Pass or Steam, we had Sega Channel: a visionary service that delivered video games directly into homes via cable TV lines. This week, host Phil Salvador is joined by some of the team that made the "impossible" happen: Michael Shorrock, Ray McFadden, and Willard Stanback.In this mini Sega Channel reunion, the team discusses the technical hurdles of digital data distribution over 1990’s cable infrastructure, reminisces about the high-stakes world of game licensing, and shares how partnerships and the bold leadership of Stan Thomas shaped the service. We explore how transparency and community engagement turned a risky experiment into a beloved cult classic, and what the Sega Channel legacy tells us about the future of cloud gaming and subscription services today.*This episode has a follow-up bonus episode available to our paid tier Patreon members.You can listen to the Video Game History Hour every other Wednesday on Patreon (one day early at the $5 tier and above), on Spotify, or on our website.Video Game History Foundation:Email: podcast@gamehistory.orgWebsite: gamehistory.orgSupport us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
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  Episode 152: Japanese Mobile Game Preservation 18.03.2026 1val 9min

  In this episode, host Phil Salvador is joined by two digital preservationists, Ellen Cooper and Max Solensky, to explore the world of Japanese mobile game preservation. Before app stores existed, Japan was living in the future thanks to i-mode: a 1999 revolution that put the internet (and Capcom and Sega) right in your pocket.Today, these games are disappearing, and quickly. From brutal encryption to servers that no longer exist, saving this history is a high-tech race against time. We discuss the i-mode explosion and how Japan’s feature phones beat the world to the web; why saving a mobile game is way harder than dumping a cartridge; the small community groups saving early iOS and Android gems from the digital void; and how you can help keep gaming history from being "delisted" forever. Mentioned in the show:Video of max swinging keyboard in the monkey game https://youtu.be/I1VJw_yYI1U?si=s_9nXIAZS2hwuNLC&t=355 Transforming phone: https://hitsave.org/wild-land/ You can listen to the Video Game History Hour every other Wednesday on Patreon (one day early at the $5 tier and above), on Spotify, or on our website.See more from Ellen Cooper “Unabandonware”:YouTube: youtube.com/@Unabandonware/featuredBluesky: @unabandonware.bsky.social TikTok: @unabandonwareSee more from Max Solensky “RockmanCosmo”:Bluesky: @rockmancosmo.bsky.socialX/Twitter: @RockmanCosmoWebsite: rockmancosmo.weebly.comWebsite: keitaiarchive.org Website: keitaiwiki.com/wiki/KeitaiWiki Video Game History Foundation:Email: podcast@gamehistory.orgWebsite: gamehistory.orgSupport us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
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  Episode 151: Games Preservation at MIT Museum 03.03.2026 1val 1min

  From vacuum tubes to virtual worlds, Dr. Flori Pierri, Associate Curator of Science and Technology at the MIT Museum, joins us to explore their unexpected journey into the world of video game preservation. Dr. Pierri oversees diverse collections from science photography to physics  homework, and, of course, video games. MIT Museum has had a recent focus on computer games and a focus on play, starting with the Michael Dornbrook Collection and plans for a 2028 computer game exhibition. Dr. Pierri shares the importance of using original equipment for exhibits and the new challenges of preserving born-digital objects. They also discuss the museum's efforts to engage with both the public and with researchers, including a collection of unreleased Infocom game materials.You can listen to the Video Game History Hour every other Wednesday on Patreon (one day early at the $5 tier and above), on Spotify, or on our website.Mentioned in the show:Whirlwind I: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whirlwind_IRoyal Game of the Dolphin: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Royal_Game_of_the_Dolphin,_1821.jpg Milliways: The Restaurant at the End of the UniverseClaude Elwood Shannon, Bell Labs, “father of information theory”: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claude_Shannon See more from Dr. Flori Pierri:Bluesky: @flori-p.bsky.socialWebsite: https://mitmuseum.mit.edu/collections/collections-search Video Game History Foundation:Email: podcast@gamehistory.orgWebsite: gamehistory.orgSupport us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
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  Episode 150: VGHF Founding Retrospective 25.02.2026 1val 26min

  It’s our 9th birthday and our 150th episode all at once; let’s party! Host and VGHF Director Frank Cifaldi is joined by two founding board members Simon Carless and Steve Lin. This casual retrospective meanders through the foundation's origins, its mission to preserve and interpret video game history, and its growth over the years. Our three hosts highlight the foundation's journey from a small, resource-constrained organization to a robust digital library with over 100,000 unique users. The conversation covers their initial challenges, the importance of community support, and future goals, including expanding the team, increasing interpretive content, and addressing recent digital preservation issues. Thank you to everyone who supports the work we do through Patreon, individual donations and support, our annual fundraisers, and so much more. Happy Birthday!You can listen to the Video Game History Hour every other Wednesday on Patreon (one day early at the $5 tier and above), on Spotify, or on our website.See more from Simon Carless:Website: http://www.gamediscover.co/See more from Steve Lin:Bluesky: @stevelin.bsky.socialVideo Game History Foundation:Email: podcast@gamehistory.orgWebsite: gamehistory.orgSupport us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
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  Episode 149: Jeremy Parish Works 05.02.2026 1val 35min

  Frank is joined by Guest Host Kate Willaert, author, historian, and YouTuber, to interview Jeremy Parish, media curator at Limited Run Games, author, YouTuber, and podcaster. Jeremy has a series of “Works” books and videos as part of a massive project to chronologize the 8-bit era. Jeremy’s work covers various consoles, including Game Boy, NES, SG-1000, and Famicom, highlighting the significance of third-party developers and the impact of the NES on game design. We share a universal complaint of the challenges of maintaining a comprehensive and accurate release list for systems like the SG-1000 and the importance of community feedback in refining our work. The conversation touches on the potential for both future projects and genre-specific series, such as Metroidvania and Shmup games.You can listen to the Video Game History Hour every other Wednesday on Patreon (one day early at the $5 tier and above), on Spotify, or on our website.Mentioned in the show: Jaws Retro Edition (pre-orders closed): https://limitedrungames.com/collections/all-in-production/products/jaws-retro-edition-bigger-boat-edition-switch-ps5?_pos=3&_sid=a0a6bd1b1&_ss=r See more from Jeremy Parish:Bluesky: @jparish.bsky.social Youtube: @JeremyParish Podcast: patreon.com/retronauts Website: limitedrungames.com  See more from Kate Willaert:Bluesky: @katewillaert.bsky.socialYouTube: /a critical hitWebsite: acriticalhit.comPatreon: /acriticalhitVideo Game History Foundation:Email: podcast@gamehistory.orgWebsite: gamehistory.orgSupport us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
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  Episode 148: Wrapping Up 2025 23.01.2026 1val 35min

  Our podcast Producer Robin Kunimune sits down with Director Frank Cifaldi and Library Director Phil Salvador to wrap up the final quarter of 2025. Listen to some of our behind-the-scenes thoughts on the NES panel we put together for the Portland Retro Gaming Expo; the many facets of this year’s Winter Fundraiser, including a new old game release, updated VHS recovery technology, and our $30k goal with some surprise donations; and finally our look ahead to 2026. Enjoy the show!You can listen to the Video Game History Hour every other Wednesday on Patreon (one day early at the $5 tier and above), on Spotify, or on our website.Video Game History Foundation:Email: podcast@gamehistory.orgWebsite: gamehistory.orgSupport us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
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  Episode 147: H.E.R.O. 14.01.2026 1val 15min

  Atari game developer John Van Ryzin and Digital Eclipse Technical Director Kevin Wilson both join host Frank Cifaldi to reminisce about the Atari 2600 title, and Frank’s favorite game, H.E.R.O.. We also explore John’s early career, his entry into game development, programming limitations of the 2600 (RAM, timing issues, etc.), the spiritual sequel to H.E.R.O. and John’s most recent title Alien Abduction!, the differences in modern development, and so much more.You can listen to the Video Game History Hour every other Wednesday on Patreon (one day early at the $5 tier and above), on Spotify, or on our website.See more from John Van Ryzin:Alien Abduction!: https://adgm.us/See more from Kevin Wilson:Website: digitaleclipse.comMortal Kombat Legacy Kollection: https://www.digitaleclipse.com/games/mortal-kombat-legacy-kollectionVideo Game History Foundation:Email: podcast@gamehistory.orgWebsite: gamehistory.orgSupport us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
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  Episode 146: A Monograph of Todd Howard 24.12.2025 1val

  Phil Salvador hosts a discussion with Dr. Wendi Sierra, author of Todd Howard: World Building in Tamriel and Beyond, and Emily Higgs Kopin. Dr. Sierra’s, associate professor of games studies at Texas Christian University, book follows the career history of the Bethesda Game Studios executive producer and his influence on game design throughout the years. Emily Kopin, head of digital collections strategy at the Swarthmore College Libraries, joins us as our guest expert on the Elder Scrolls franchise to make up for Phil’s tragic lack of extended time spent in this expansive universe. Wendi and Emily take Phil through discussions of Howard’s impact on world building through micro narratives, challenges of documenting emergent gameplay, importance of scoping research, and the influence of Howard’s design philosophy on modern gaming.*This episode has a follow-up bonus episode available to our paid tier Patreon members.You can listen to the Video Game History Hour every other Wednesday on Patreon (one day early at the $5 tier and above), on Spotify, or on our website.See more from Dr. Wendi Sierra:TCU Profile: https://honors.tcu.edu/view/wendi-sierra  Recent Publication: Gaming for the seventh generation: Indigenous Futurisms in games See more from Emily Higgs Kopin:Bluesky: @ehkopin.bsky.socialLatest Published Work: American ArchivistSwarthmore Profile: swarthmore.edu Video Game History Foundation:Email: podcast@gamehistory.orgWebsite: gamehistory.orgSupport us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
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  Episode 145: The 40th Anniversary of the NES: A PRGE Panel 28.11.2025 1val 45min

  At this year’s Portland Retro Gaming Expo, VGHF director Frank Cifaldi had the pleasure of hosting a panel celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Nintendo Entertainment System launch. Frank moderated 3 guests who were at Nintendo of America during this time: Gail Tilden, Marketing; Bruce Lowery, Sales; and Lance Barr, Product Design. This event was particularly special as two of these three guests had never before attended a retro convention. The panel discussion includes many visual elements, including many never shown publicly before, and some pre-recorded messages from additional people of note. If you’re able, you may instead prefer to watch the video on the PRGE YouTube channel, which we highly encourage: We Launched the NES 40 Years Ago Today - Gail Tilden, Lance Barr, Bruce Lowry - PRGE 2025 Portland. Either way, please enjoy this momentous event in our collective gaming history.You can listen to the Video Game History Hour every other Wednesday on Patreon (one day early at the $5 tier and above), on Spotify, or on our website.Video Game History Foundation:Email: podcast@gamehistory.orgWebsite: gamehistory.orgSupport us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
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  Episode 144: Phil Salvador - A Rule-Following Hooligan 13.11.2025 1val 13min

  Let’s all learn what makes our Library Director, Phil Salvador, Phil Salvador! Producer Robin Kunimune sat down with Phil to learn all about his life as a youth, an early path to his passions, creating chaos inside the lines, the mental health struggles many face in early adulthood, finding his community, and making his way to VGHF. And, don’t forget the birds! Phil candidly shares his failures, successes, and everything in-between in this week’s episode. Take a listen.You can listen to the Video Game History Hour every other Wednesday on Patreon (one day early at the $5 tier and above), on Spotify, or on our website.See more from Phil Salvador:Bluesky: @philsalv.bsky.socialVideo Game History Foundation:Email: podcast@gamehistory.orgWebsite: gamehistory.orgSupport us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
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  Episode 143: The Andrew Nelson Collection 29.10.2025 1val 2min

  Phil Salvador introduces the new Andrew Nelson papers collection with guest, you guessed it, Andrew Nelson, himself. Guest-host Alex Greenberg joins to chat with Nelson, co-founder and creative director of CyberFlix, known for its 1996 title Titanic: Adventure Out of Time. Andrew discusses his transition from magazine journalism to game development, the creation of CyberFlix, and the development of Titanic, which included extensive research and character development. Nelson also reflects on the impact of the game and his subsequent career, including work at Britannica and National Geographic.You can listen to the Video Game History Hour every other Wednesday on Patreon (one day early at the $5 tier and above), on Spotify, or on our website.Mentioned in the show:Andrew Nelson Collection: https://archive.gamehistory.org/folder/5dcf7309-5e3f-4609-b264-62f44da8e79fVGHF Blog post: https://gamehistory.org/andrew-nelson-papers/See more from Andrew Nelson:Book: Here Not There: 100 Unexpected Travel DestinationsInstagram: @andrewtyrrellnelsonSee more from Alex Greenburg:Website: alexgreenberg.netVideo Game History Foundation:Email: podcast@gamehistory.orgWebsite: gamehistory.orgSupport us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
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  Episode 142: October Update 15.10.2025 1val 30min

  It’s another quarterly update! Host Robin Kunimune talks with Frank Cifaldi and Phil Salvador about our recent work. From Chicago travel to launching Computer Entertainer, from our new Booth-in-a-Box to 4,000 magazines archived, from NES’s 40th to building Lego; come find out just how many new collections we've added in the last few months.  You can listen to the Video Game History Hour every other Wednesday on Patreon (one day early at the $5 tier and above), on Spotify, or on our website.Video Game History Foundation:Email: podcast@gamehistory.orgWebsite: gamehistory.orgSupport us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
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  Episode 141: Hidden Advertising of Feminine Games 02.10.2025 58min

  Phil Salvador interviews Dr. Stephanie Harkin, lecturer at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) School of Design Games Program in Australia, about her research on femininity in gaming, particularly in girls' lifestyle magazines. Dr. Harkin discusses her journey from media studies to focusing on feminine games. She highlights her findings on the lack of representation of feminine games in traditional gaming magazines and her discovery of Girl Gamer magazine, which promoted Nintendo games in a lifestyle format. We explore the coverage of games in magazines like Total Girl and the broader cultural context of game representation.You can listen to the Video Game History Hour every other Wednesday on Patreon (one day early at the $5 tier and above), on Spotify, or on our website.Mentioned in the show:Girl Gamer cover: https://archive.gamehistory.org/item/e6beceaa-f36f-46d7-bc2a-f4599773e10eMCV pink issue: https://archive.gamehistory.org/item/39c2181c-d395-44b7-9e64-2f1c8333a922Pokémon Personality Quiz: https://gamehistory.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Pokemon-personality-quiz-1200x847.jpgPac-Man Nail Art: https://gamehistory.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Stephanie-Harkin-Pac-man-nail-art.jpgBig Bowser House (mistakenly referred to as "Donkey Kong Big Brother House"): https://gamehistory.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Big-Bowser-House-cropped.jpgK-Zone: https://archive.org/details/K-ZoneJanuary2006 Imagine Magazines: https://archive.gamehistory.org/folder/6187132e-315c-4be5-8498-8c55ac478ebe?sortField=date&sortDir=asc See more from Dr. Stephanie Harkin:Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/saharkin.bsky.socialGames Exhibition: https://www.feminineplay.org/ Upcoming book: https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/isbn/9783111560939/htmlVideo Game History Foundation:Email: podcast@gamehistory.orgWebsite: gamehistory.orgSupport us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
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  Episode 140: The 49 Ways of Sinistar 17.09.2025 1val 3min

  Host Frank Cifaldi is joined by documentarian, historian, hacker, and all around cool guy SynaMax to talk about their documentary Resurrecting Sinistar: A Cyber-Archaeology Documentary. The 1983 top-down space shooter arcade game’s unique 49-way joystick allowed players to pilot their spaceship to prevent a giant skull, Sinistar, from forming. SynaMax interviewed developers, restored cut content, and emulated the game itself to better explore the challenges the development team faced due to limited storage and to highlight the importance of source code preservation. SynaMax recently hosted a panel with said developers at the annual classic arcade game show California Extreme - a panel Frank, sadly, missed! You can listen to the Video Game History Hour every other Wednesday on Patreon (one day early at the $5 tier and above), on Spotify, or on our website.See more from SynaMax:YouTube: youtube.com/synamaxBluesky: bsky.app/profile/synamax.bsky.socialPatreon: patreon.com/synamaxVideo Game History Foundation:Email: podcast@gamehistory.orgWebsite: gamehistory.orgSupport us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
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  Episode 139: Phoenix: The Rise of Leonard Herman 03.09.2025 1val 11min

  We’re joined by pioneer video game historian Leonard Herman, author and publisher of several video game history books including the first comprehensive book chronicling the history of the videogame industry, Phoenix: The Fall & Rise of Home Videogames, and its subsequent series. We touch on Leonard’s early career, the challenges of self-publishing, and the evolution of his Phoenix series through various editions, including his most recent Phoenix Five. Leonard also highlights his collaborations with Ralph Baer and his efforts to correct historical misconceptions, particularly those around the co-founders of Atari.You can listen to the Video Game History Hour every other Wednesday on Patreon (one day early at the $5 tier and above), on Spotify, or on our website.See more from Leonard Herman:Website: thegamescholar.com Facebook: Leonard HermanFacebook (book): Phoenix 5 - The History of the Videogame Industry Video Game History Foundation:Email: podcast@gamehistory.orgWebsite: gamehistory.orgSupport us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
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  Episode 138: Playing Faceball 2000 With 15 of Your Closest Friends 21.08.2025 1val 17min

  Host Phil Salvador is joined by Derek Alexander, of the YouTube channel Stop Skeletons From Fighting, and Zarithya, of the YouTube channel Zarithya, to talk about the fan-restored 16-player mode for the 1991 Game Boy game Faceball 2000 as laid out in My 2 Year Journey to Solve the 30-Year Myth of Faceball 2000 | SSFF. In this bit of video game archeology, Derek and Zari take us through the collaborative effort, the technical expertise required to create custom adapters and controllers, and the investigation into historical claims to execute this endeavor. But in the end, did it even work?You can listen to the Video Game History Hour every other Wednesday on Patreon (one day early at the $5 tier and above), on Spotify, or on our website.See more from Derek Alexander:Bluesky: @stopskeletons.bsky.socialYouTube: /StopSkeletonsFromFightingTwitch: /stop skeletons from fightingPatreon: /StopSkeletonsFromFightingSee more from Zarithya:YouTube: @ZarithyaTwitch: /ZarithyaBluesky: @zarithya.onlineVideo Game History Foundation:Email: podcast@gamehistory.orgWebsite: gamehistory.orgSupport us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
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  Episode 136: Halfway Through 2025: A Mid-Year Update 23.07.2025 1val 22min

  It’s time for a little review of what we’ve been up to, so far, this year. With the official launch of our digital library archive, livestreams of game magazine unboxing and EPROM dumping, the newest collections of Craig Stitt and Kirk Henderson, a Trade Magazine Week special event, and teasing some special new acquisitions we have SO much to catch you up on!You can listen to the Video Game History Hour every other Wednesday on Patreon (one day early at the $5 tier and above), on Spotify, or on our website.Video Game History Foundation:Email: podcast@gamehistory.orgWebsite: gamehistory.orgSupport us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
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  Episode 135: Baldur’s Gate 3’s Lawrence Schick and His Decades of Work in Game Development 10.07.2025 1val 4min

  Veteran game designer and author Lawrence Schick shares stories from his early 80's work with the ColecoVision, Atari 2600, and Intellivision. With over four decades of experience in the industry, Schick details how he helped pioneer a multi-discipline, team-based approach to game development designing games like Smurf: Rescue and Tarzan while pulling from a wealth of experience in pen-and-paper RPGs.You can listen to the Video Game History Hour every other Wednesday on Patreon (one day early at the $5 tier and above), on Spotify, or on our website.See more from Lawrence Schick:Website: https://swashbucklingadventure.net/Video Game History Foundation:Email: podcast@gamehistory.orgWebsite: gamehistory.orgSupport us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg