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Artwork for Video Game History Hour

Video Game History Hour

Video Game History Foundation
Video Game Preservation
Save the Games Symposium
Video Game History
Video Game History Foundation
Cyan
Riven
Myst
The Strong Museum Of Play
Digital Preservation
Spyro the Dragon
Nintendo
Copyright Issues
Digital Library Archive
Sarge's Heroes
Insomniac Games
Video Games
Mutant League Football
Virtual Boy
Game Access
Gamepro Magazine

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 thi... more

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes161Founded5 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
LeisureVideo Games

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Artwork for Video Game History Hour

Latest Episodes

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 Sh... more

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 199... more

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... more

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 m... more

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Recent Guests

Michael Shorrock
Former Sega Channel VP of Programming
Sega Channel
Episode: Episode 153: Sega Channel
Ray McFadden
Director of Programming, Sega Channel
Sega Channel
Episode: Episode 153: Sega Channel
Willard Stanback
Legal counsel for Sega Channel
Sega Channel
Episode: Episode 153: Sega Channel
Ellen Cooper
Unabandonware
independent researcher/curator
Episode: Episode 152: Japanese Mobile Game Preservation
Max Solensky
RockmanCosmo
independent researcher/curator
Episode: Episode 152: Japanese Mobile Game Preservation
Flori Pierri
Associate Curator of Science and Technology at the MIT Museum
MIT Museum
Episode: Episode 151: Games Preservation at MIT Museum
John Van Ryzin
Game developer known for Hero for the Atari 2600 and recent release Alien Abduction
Audacity Games
Episode: Episode 147: H.E.R.O.
Kevin Wilson
Technical Director at Digital Eclipse
Digital Eclipse
Episode: Episode 147: H.E.R.O.
Dr. Wendi Sierra
Associate Professor of Game Studies at Texas Christian University
Texas Christian University
Episode: Episode 146: A Monograph of Todd Howard

Hosts

Phil Salvador
Library Director of the Video Game History Foundation; multiple-cite contributor to preservation and history projects
Frank Cifaldi
Founder/Director of the Video Game History Foundation; leads preservation initiatives and storytelling

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 356 ratings
  • Love this show! I look forward to it!

    Podcast Addict
    5
    Luther Bob
    9 months ago
  • Incredibly interesting and entertaining. If you love old video games and the whole shebang behind their production and preservation, you'll love this.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    JonPQ
    3 years ago
  • Great content

    Really enjoyable. Frank is a fascinating individual who is knowledgeable and interesting. He gives of the vibes of someone with a pack of cigarettes rolled up into his sleeves that plays old punk and rock vinyl while waxing the woes of the system.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Baradale
    United States3 years ago
  • Kelsey and Frank know their history

    And it shows! Delightful and informative, with cool guests and awesome topics like the N-Gage!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Weewaw
    United States3 years ago
  • Lovely Show!

    Frank and his Team share details on their work and what the VGH Foundation is all about. Lovely people and very entertaining and of course informative!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    O_Vitali
    United States3 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

The hosts are deeply informed and friendly, pulling out fascinating details from guests.
High regard for the depth and breadth of interviews; thoughtful and well-researched.
Guests are experts, and topics stay engaging and relevant to game history.
Listeners appreciate the behind-the-scenes storytelling and historical context.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Episode 153: Sega Channel
Q: How did the licensing conversations work for third-party content like Mortal Kombat or Street Fighter on Sega Channel?
Licensing revolved around monthly stipends for each game and a negotiated slot allocation with major publishers; they also faced the need to retrofit older contracts for digital distribution and secure performance rights from leagues when applicable, balancing revenue with promotional value.
Episode 151: Games Preservation at MIT Museum
Q: What do you wish people understood better about the work you do at the MIT Museum, especially regarding the pace and scope of access to collections?
Museum work requires time and careful processing of acquisitions before items can be accessed; arranging, describing, and digitizing collections is a gradual, resource-bound process, not a quick online upload, which is essential for responsible stewardship and researchers' needs.
Episode 151: Games Preservation at MIT Museum
Q: During this process preserving RCA history, if you learned anything interesting about Joyce Weisbecker you'd like more people to know beyond her being the first woman to develop a commercial video game.
Joyce Weisbecker was an independent contractor who contributed several games to the Studio 2 era and learned from her father, making her a pivotal early figure in MIT's game history; her works and talks at the museum reveal her significant but less public contributions to early homebrew computer gaming.
Episode 147: H.E.R.O.
Q: And how did your experience with newer games inform how you approach the design of Alien Abduction?
I couldn't remember the technical details of making a game for the 2600 and it drove me to figure them out again, leading to the creation of Alien Abduction.
Episode 145: The 40th Anniversary of the NES: A PRGE Panel
Q: What was the reason behind not marketing Super Mario Bros. initially?
It was not showcased because focus was on the Robot and the Zapper systems to differentiate from old video games.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Video Game History Hour

What is Video Game History Hour about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A history-focused show that explores the origins, evolution, and preservation of video games through in-depth conversations with archivists, historians, curators, and industry veterans. Episodes dive into topics like early digital distribution, preservation of keitai/mobile games, museum curation of hardware and software, licensing dramas, and veteran design storytelling. The format combines technical detail with behind-the-scenes storytelling and personal journeys, often featuring guests who helped shape or preserve the medium's history. It's likely to appeal to listeners who enjoy deep dives into archival work, game history milestones, and the confluence of technology, culture, and industry dynamics.

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How many listeners does Video Game History Hour get?

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How many subscribers and views does Video Game History Hour have?

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Which podcasts are similar to Video Game History Hour?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Video Game History Hour:

1. Retronauts
2. 8-4 Play
3. Pew Pew Bang
4. Remap Radio
5. Axe of the Blood God: An RPG Podcast

How many episodes of Video Game History Hour are there?

Video Game History Hour launched 5 years ago and published 161 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Video Game History Hour?

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What guests have appeared on Video Game History Hour?

Recent guests on Video Game History Hour include:

1. Michael Shorrock
2. Ray McFadden
3. Willard Stanback
4. Ellen Cooper
5. Max Solensky
6. Flori Pierri
7. John Van Ryzin
8. Kevin Wilson

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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