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Video Game History Hour: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Video Game History Foundation
Industry expert Frank Cifaldi, Executive Director of the Video Game History Foundation, brings on fellow content creators, game developers, video game historians, and storytellers to teach us a little bit about video game history. Our casual, “chatting over coffee” style interviews let us see the true life of a researcher: bang-your-head-against-a-wall dead-ends, “I can’t believe no one’s told this story before” moments, the thrill of sharing incredible history with the world, and more.
Latest Episodes
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- 1 weeks ago1h 13m
Episode 156: Read Only Memo
Host Frank Cifaldi is joined this week by Wes Fenlon, author of the bi-weekly newsletter Read Only Memo, which focuses on emulation, ROM hacks, translations, and decompilations. The two discuss the niche nature of Wes’ content while he emphasizes the importance of emulation and fan translations, highlighting their role in making old games accessible. Wes and Frank get way into the weeds as they chat about the challenges and innovations in emulation, such as static recompilation and decompilation, the impact of companies like Nintendo on the emulation community, and the potential for fan-driven innovations to influence commercial retro game releases.Mentioned in the show:GitHub ShaderBeam and Blur Busters article - an overlay you can run over a window: https://github.com/mausimus/ShaderBeam 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 Wes Fenlon:Bluesky: @wes.readonlymemo.comNewsletter: Read Only MemoPC Gamer: pcgamer.com/author/wes-fenlon Video Game History Foundation:Email: podcast@gamehistory.orgWebsite: gamehistory.orgSupport us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
- 3 weeks ago48 min
Episode 155: What’s Your Deal, Lindsey Kurano?
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
- Apr 15, 20261h 21m
Episode 154: Sega in the 90’s: An Economic Post-Mortem
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
- Apr 1, 20261h 16m
Episode 153: Sega Channel
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.org Website: gamehistory.org Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
- Mar 18, 20261h 9m
Episode 152: Japanese Mobile Game Preservation
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/featured Bluesky: @unabandonware.bsky.social TikTok: @unabandonware See more from Max Solensky “RockmanCosmo”: Bluesky: @rockmancosmo.bsky.social X/Twitter: @RockmanCosmo Website: rockmancosmo.weebly.com Website: keitaiarchive.org Website: keitaiwiki.com/wiki/KeitaiWiki Video Game History Foundation: Email: podcast@gamehistory.org Website: gamehistory.org Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
- Mar 3, 20261h 1m
Episode 151: Games Preservation at MIT Museum
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_I Royal 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 Universe Claude 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.social Website: https://mitmuseum.mit.edu/collections/collections-search Video Game History Foundation: Email: podcast@gamehistory.org Website: gamehistory.org Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
- Feb 25, 20261h 26m
Episode 150: VGHF Founding Retrospective
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.social Video Game History Foundation: Email: podcast@gamehistory.org Website: gamehistory.org Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
- Feb 5, 20261h 35m
Episode 149: Jeremy Parish Works
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.social YouTube: /a critical hit Website: acriticalhit.com Patreon: /acriticalhit Video Game History Foundation: Email: podcast@gamehistory.org Website: gamehistory.org Support us on Patreon: /gamehistoryorg
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About Video Game History Hour
Industry expert Frank Cifaldi, Executive Director of the Video Game History Foundation, brings on fellow content creators, game developers, video game historians, and storytellers to teach us a little bit about video game history. Our casual, “chatting over coffee” style interviews let us see the true life of a researcher: bang-your-head-against-a-wall dead-ends, “I can’t believe no one’s told this story before” moments, the thrill of sharing incredible history with the world, and more.
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