what if? history of interactive fiction

Text adventures and interactive fiction might look primitive today, yet these games laid the groundwork for everything from RPG dialogue trees to open-world exploration.

chit-chat: games gone banned

Why did Football Manager get banned in China? Why did Pokémon cause a moral panic? And why does a “game” called Ethnic Cleansing even exist?

game lore: lavender town syndrome

In this haunting Game Lore special we investigate one of gaming’s darkest legends. Did the chilling theme of this small town in Pokémon Red and Green really drive children to madness? Or was it just an internet-born myth that spiralled out of control?

Game junkie: Addiction in video games

Video Game Addiction is a complex issue that has led to tragic deaths. We take a look at what causes video game addiction, the mechanics hacking our brain to dopamine addiction and who is to blame.

silent hill history: our special place

What began as a strange little experiment in the late ’90s quickly became one of survival horror’s great pioneers.

power play: politics in video games

We explore how propaganda, ideology, and assumptions sneak their way into games. Sometimes loudly, and sometimes in ways you’d never expect.

Bootleg history: consoles

For some bootleg consoles are nothing but a con, but they broke barriers and spread gaming worldwide.

bootleg history: games

These strange and broken creations twisted gaming’s icons into something both illegal and unforgettable.

History of Character Customisation

Remember the first time you spent an hour adjusting cheekbones in a game, only to put a helmet on five minutes later? Same. In this episode, we journey through the history of character customisation.

Insert Disc, Add Milk

We’re cracking open boxes of cereal and dusting off some hidden gems—those weird, wild, and sometimes wonderful games that came free in your morning meal.

gaming history heroes: jerry Lawson

Jerry helped shape how we play, design, and distribute video games. From pioneering the interchangeable cartridge system to laying the groundwork for essential features like the pause button, his innovations transformed home gaming forever.

the first moves: humanity’s oldest games

In our 50th episode we journey back thousands of years to uncover the world’s oldest uncovered games. from Egypt’s mysterious Senet, to Mesopotamia’s Royal Game of Ur, China’s still-thriving Go, and the newly reimagined game of Shahr-i Sokhta.

winds of change: towards green gaming

We explore how video games have become unlikely allies in the fight for the planet. From early titles like SimEarth in the 1990s that gently raised awareness of ecological systems, to later games that echo the urgency and resistance of modern environmental activism.

in the animus: history of assassin’s creed

What began as a game about a bodyguard for a prince evolved into a genre-defining series, steeped in the mythos of the real-life Order of Assassins and inspired by Vladimir Bartol’s novel Alamut.

sick video games

No, we don’t mean “Yoo this game is so sick” we are talking about a surprisingly overlooked genre: Medical Video Games! This genre has a lot to offer: from realism to laughs, and we even find some real obscure games that have little to no information online.

rendered: the graphics card story

Ever wondered how we went from blocky pixels to 4K ray-tracing? Find out how the muscliest of gaming hardware components was born.

chit-chat: almost never made

By now you know the drill Player One, it’s chit chat time! we present our personal picks for the biggest and best games that were close to never being made!

history of dating sims

Obviously dating sims are the most thrill-seeking of all the video game genres, could anything be more nerve-wrecking than playing it cool in front of your date? Believe us there’s more to this genre than meets the eye of the beholder!

japan’s timeless mark on video games

Japan is not only the land of the rising sun, it is also the land that pioneered essential elements to video games without which they would just not be the same today. In this episode we try to give an overview of just how much Japan has influenced video games, spoiler alert: it’s a lot!

interviewing james rolfe – the angry video game nerd

Find out the humble beginnings that led James to create the angriest of all video game nerds, what projects he’s currently got cooking up, and very importantly: we have a very special announcement towards the end of this episode

the art of punishment: a souls-like journey

Failure is mandatory, victory is sweet. We explore the punishing yet rewarding games made by From Software, what souls-like games even are, and the background to what inspired these games in the first place.

the vr evolution

We discuss virtually everything there is to know about VR. From its conception in 1930s Sci-fi short stories, to the grizzly head-mounted contraptions that look like torture devices.

Rush hour: the game jam story

These people make video games in less than 24 hours. Yes you read that right. So let’s cut to the chase, listen and find out how this crazy chaotic caffeine crunch of an event has sparked indie classics like Hollow Knight and Inscryption.

Fresh Starts: Game Reboots and Revivals

Welcome to 2025 Player One! To celebrate new beginnings we investigate the interesting history behind remakes, remasters and reboots, join us and find out what makes us nostalgic for old games

What happened?! 2024 edition

In our 2024 edition of What Happened? we re-invite our last year’s special guest Bradders, to recap at some of the most exciting things that happened in all-things video game related.

Iconic holiday drops

Unwrap the stories behind the greatest holiday launches in gaming history! From consoles that defined a generation to blockbuster titles that made the season magical, we explore how gaming shaped the holidays—and how the holidays shaped gaming. Grab some cocoa and dive in!

Roll The Dice: D&D Influence in Video Games

Before iconic games like Space Invaders or consoles like the Atari 2600 even existed, Dungeons & Dragons was already shaping the future of gaming. Join us to find out how D&D came to be, explore some of the earliest video games it inspired, and uncover its unmatched influence on video games.

Rewind & replay: History of emulation

Video game emulation isn’t just a quick nostalgia fix, it keeps games quite literally alive and serves to preserve them for future generations. Plus, we get to play old school games without having to buy a super expensive game console from four decades ago.

Game Lore: Pale Luna

Sometimes the line between the real-world, video games, and the macabre blur. In our first ever Game Lore episode, Gaming History Club tells the tale of Pale Luna.

the sims story: plumbobs and thingymabobs

In this episode, we dive into the stimulating world of social simulation that is The Sims franchise! Join us as we find out what led Will Wright’s vision to create a “virtual dollhouse” and how the games evolved to the present day, and what on earth those plumbobs are all about.

beyond the fun: gaming’s positive impacts

In this special episode, we’re diving into the surprising benefits of playing video games. From boosting your brainpower to levelling up your social skills, discover why gaming is more than just fun—it’s good for you too!

time to reflect on digital mirrors

We explore the different techniques developers use to create realistic and immersive reflections in video games. Discover how each type works, their unique advantages, and the challenges they present.

Chit-Chat: Top Cryptic Puzzles

In this chit-chat episode, we take a more laid back approach, have some fun, and discuss some of the most infuriating, cryptic riddles and puzzles in video games, picked personally by Gaming History Club.

insert coin to continue: history of microtransaction

Gaming History Club discusses how in-game purchases have transformed the industry, the different types of microtransactions, and their impact on player 1.

the mind of the machine: ai in video games

In this episode, we explore the history of artificial intelligence in video games, from its early days to its pivotal role in modern gaming. Discover how AI powers NPC behaviour, creating immersive and dynamic experiences, and how procedural generation techniques are revolutionising game design.

Pixel Pride: Spotlight on LGBTQ+ In Gaming

Find out how representation of the LGBTQ+ community has changed since gaming’s heteronormative beginnings, to becoming more inclusive. We look at some of the firsts, some of the ugliest, and definitely some of the best games that incorporated LGBTQ+ characters and storylines.

skybound: story of microsoft flight simulator

Join us as we discover how Flight Simulator’s humble beginnings have led it to the soaring heights of cutting-edge graphics and simulation, how a still small company from Redmond (Microsoft!) acquired the license and eventually bought the franchise.

Byte by Byte: Evolution of Storage Mediums

Take a whirlwind tour through video game storage evolution! We’ll zip from paper tape beginnings to ROM cartridges, where classic games sparked joy and, occasionally, required a bit of cartridge-blowing to work.

everywhere you go: history of game boy

From its groundbreaking debut in the late 1980s to its enduring legacy, we uncover how the Game Boy became a cherished video game icon for generations of gamers.

ctrl + alt + defeat: e-sports dominations

From early champions to the dazzling arenas of today, we explore the evolution of gaming tournaments, including legendary events like the Intergalactic Spacewar Olympics.

Objection!: Legally gaming

Uncover the legal maze within the gaming world! From copyright clashes to virtual property rights, we explore how law shapes games.

We Think Differently!: Video Games & Neurodiversity

Join Gaming History Club as we celebrate the diverse abilities of neurodiverse individuals in the gaming community and gaming’s power to create a sense of belonging.

Epic E3 Escapades

E3 was the hottest event in video games for more than two decades, find out how E3 was born, what made it special even when the vast majority of video gamers only saw it through the eyes of their favourite magazines and websites, and why it was laid to rest.

Valentine’s special: player 2 press start

Join us as we play through the history of Co-Op Games!

Step into the rhythm

Discover the funky rich history of rhythm games, and dance with us to this ecstatic genre that has brought wildly colourful unique artistic flair to the gaming world.

Fatality: violence in video games

Trigger Warning – Use of words describing violence

Discover the controversies, the pixelated bloodshed, and the hilarious debates that shaped the virtual battlegrounds we know today.

the birth of home console

In this episode we uncover Ralph H Baer’s journey to creating the world’s first home video game console: The Magnavox Odyssey.

what happened?!
2023 edition

Tune in to this special episode of Gaming History Club where JP, Gaby and a special guest: Bradders recap the good, the bad and the weird of what happened in gaming in 2023!

play for all: accessibility in video games

To celebrate and support the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, we investigate the story behind accessibility in video games.

2d to 3d: a new dimension

Join us as we find out how young aspiring gaming developers created the very first “3D” Games.

who plays
video games?

Discover the new normal as we myth-bust old video game stereotypes and find the reasons behind gaming becoming a part of more than 3 billion people’s lives.

chit-chat: realistic cities

Join us on a virtual tour of the most astonishingly realistic cities in the world of gaming. In this episode of Gaming History Club we dig into our 5 top picks of most realistic cities in video games (in our humble opinion).

Up Up – Down Down: Journey of Cheat Codes

Join us on this episode of Gaming History Club as we bunny hop through the history of cheating in games. We uncover why cheat codes were left in games, crack open some easter eggs and ponder when it’s okay to cheat.

Special: Roots of Nintendo

In this episode of Gaming History Club, we discover the long history of Nintendo. From the humble beginnings of hanafuda cards to the home video consoles that shaped our childhood, we’ll dive into the company’s evolution, celebrating the power-ups and facing the boss battles of their remarkable legacy. So grab your power gloves and warp pipes because it’s-a Nintendo history lesson you don’t want to miss!

Don’t Speed!: Racing Games History

Join us in this high-octane episode of Gaming History Club as we rev up the engines and take you on a thrilling journey through the history of racing video games. From yacht racing to the hyper-realistic simulations, discover how these games have evolved over the years, pushing the boundaries of speed and excitement. Buckle up and get ready for a nostalgia-filled ride through the twists and turns of gaming’s fastest genre!

Point, Click, Play!: The Full Story

In this episode of Gaming History Club we embark on a nostalgic expedition, tracing the origins of the beloved point & click genre and how it reshaped interactive storytelling. Starting from the early text-based adventures to the full motion video masterpieces of the ’90s, we’ll unravel the evolution of gameplay mechanics, artistry, and narrative innovation that defined a generation of gamers.

Coin-Op Glory: Arcade’s Golden Era

Join us for a thrilling ride back to the glorious era of neon lights, quarter battles, and pixelated excitement in our latest podcast episode. From Pac-Man’s gobbling frenzy to Donkey Kong’s barrel-jumping challenges. Get ready to reminisce about high scores and crowded arcades. JP & Gaby geek out on the classics, share behind-the-screen stories, and reveal the secret sauce that made these games timeless treasures.