Podcast · Gaming

Video Game History Hour

by Video Game History Foundation · English · Gaming

The Video Game History Foundation's podcast on preserving gaming's past — archivists, historians and developers on what's being lost and saved.

New episodes: Every two weeks
Typical length: 1 hr 13 min
Latest: 8 Oct 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

8 Oct 2026 · 1 hr 17 minNew

Episode 165: VGHF Q3 Update

It’s time for another quarterly update seeing as how we’re now well into October. In this episode, we share some of our latest accomplishments: hitting a milestone of over 5,000 magazines digitized, completing our donor-data cleanup, new project-specific giving initiatives, major technical upgrades to our Japanese-language OCR and large image galleries (which helped power the successful launch of our E3 historical collection), active community research for the first EULA, and so much more! You can listen to the Video Game History Hour every other Wednesday on Patreon (one day early at the $5…

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

S2 · E164 · 23 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 4 min

Episode 164: National Virtual Forum for Digital Games in Libraries (DGIL)

Phil Salvador is joined by Dr. Colin Post and Marisa Marzilli from University of North Carolina at Greensboro to discuss their upcoming Digital Games in Libraries (DGIL) National Virtual Forum , a conversation for the cultural preservation of digital-only indie video games to be held October 29-30 . In this episode they introduce the DGIL initiative and its origin, discuss collection models, and ideate on future phases and resources for these efforts. 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…
S2 · E163 · 11 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 9 min

Episode 163: The Complexities of EULAs

Phil Salvador interviews Amy Thomas, legal expert and author of Copyright, Contract, and Video Games: Terms of Play , about the evolving landscape of digital rights and ownership in gaming. In this episode, Amy discusses her journey from studying Microsoft's Xbox One EULA in 2013; the complexities of EULAs, user rights, and the impact of digital ownership on game preservation; her research on possibly the earliest EULA, found in 1985 for Pitfall II; and the challenges of digital preservation, including implications of Sony's recent decision to discontinue physical PlayStation discs.…
S2 · E162 · 26 Aug 2026 · 58 min

Episode 162: Roberta Vaughn’s Retro Adventures

Library Director Phil Salvador is joined by guests Heather Fryling and Daniel Greenberg to discuss Roberta Vaughn’s Retro Adventures, a nonprofit organization that creates traveling, living exhibits focused on the history of adventure games and entertainment. The RVRA, founded to honor the legacy of adventure games collector and enthusiast Roberta Vaughn, travels to conventions like Portland Retro Game Expo and PAX West to share their curated exhibits, original interviews, and special guest appearances. You can listen to the Video Game History Hour every other Wednesday on Patreon (one day…
S2 · E161 · 5 Aug 2026 · 59 min

Episode 161: Blizzard Digital Vault

Our library director Phil Salvador sits down for another What’s Your Deal? episode with Blizzard’s senior digital archivist, Leah Williams, to discuss her critical work of preserving their modern video game history. In this episode: Leah’s unconventional path to digital games preservation Managing art, UI, and visual FX Collaborating with engineers and metadata experts Why discoverability matters for legacy assets Building vital relationships across game studios Navigating AI tagging and digital preservation challenges Mentioned in the show: YouTube 35th year anniversary 35’ table Blizzard:…
S2 · E160 · 22 Jul 2026 · 1 hr 14 min

Episode 160: Founding E3

Phil Salvador hosts a special episode of the Video Game History Hour featuring Carolyn Rauch and Doug Lowenstein to discuss the origins and evolution of the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3). As the former senior vice president of the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), Carolyn managed E3 for roughly two decades. Doug, the ESA's founder and former president, joins her to recount the organization’s 1994 founding. Together, they explain how the industry responded to the video game violence panic along with its legislative threats and how poor placement at the annual CES tradeshow led to…
S2 · E158 · 9 Jul 2026 · 1 hr 6 min

Episode 159: Q1 & Q2 Update

This year’s first update starts off with the huge announcement of our newest team member, Meera Swanson, as Development Director. Meera shares some of her background as well as her vision for the rest of this year as she establishes this new department. Phil overviews all the new collections we launched this year including additions to the GamePro CD collection, speaker audio cassettes from the 2nd ever Computer Game Developers’ Conference, and Neopets The Official Magazine . Robin reviews the podcast so far this year and what’s resonated both with her and others. You can listen to the Video…
S2 · E158 · 24 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 9 min

Episode 158: What’s Your Deal, Willem Hilhorst?

In this episode of the Video Game History Hour, host Phil Salvador interviews Willem Hilhorst, Media Manager for Games and Online at the Netherlands Institute for Sound & Vision regarding their video game preservation efforts within the context of an audiovisual media archive. Established in 1997, the institute manages a growing collection of over 500 digital and physical Dutch-connected games. Hilhorst outlines key initiatives like the Dutch Games Canon and the Treasure Room portal for out-of-commerce media. The discussion addresses the legal and structural challenges of long-term…
S2 · E157 · 10 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 27 min

Episode 157: Our Library Practices

Library director Phil Salvador and producer Robin Kunimune take you through the process of preserving a collection of over 10,000 digital files from our GamePro CD collection. Phil discusses how he tackles physical and philosophical dilemmas such as balancing users’ needs to access original files of hi-res game art while also viewing quick, easy thumbnails researchers can actually open; dealing with broken or obsolete 90’s files types like old PSD/EPS files; automating bulk processing for as much data as we’re able; and balancing thorough, but concise, metadata for topics ranging from…
S2 · E156 · 27 May 2026 · 1 hr 13 min

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…
S2 · E155 · 13 May 2026 · 48 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…
S2 · E154 · 15 Apr 2026 · 1 hr 22 min

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…
S2 · E153 · 1 Apr 2026 · 1 hr 16 min

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…
S2 · E152 · 18 Mar 2026 · 1 hr 10 min

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…
S2 · E151 · 3 Mar 2026 · 1 hr 2 min

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…
S2 · E150 · 25 Feb 2026 · 1 hr 27 min

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,…
S2 · E149 · 5 Feb 2026 · 1 hr 35 min

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…
S2 · E148 · 23 Jan 2026 · 1 hr 36 min

Episode 148: Wrapping Up 2025

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…
S2 · E147 · 14 Jan 2026 · 1 hr 16 min

Episode 147: H.E.R.O.

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…
S2 · E146 · 24 Dec 2025 · 1 hr 1 min

Episode 146: A Monograph of Todd Howard

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…
S2 · E145 · 28 Nov 2025 · 1 hr 45 min

Episode 145: The 40th Anniversary of the NES: A PRGE Panel

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…
S2 · E144 · 13 Nov 2025 · 1 hr 13 min

Episode 144: Phil Salvador - A Rule-Following Hooligan

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…
S2 · E143 · 29 Oct 2025 · 1 hr 3 min

Episode 143: The Andrew Nelson Collection

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…
S2 · E142 · 15 Oct 2025 · 1 hr 31 min

Episode 142: October Update

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.org Website: gamehistory.org Support us on…
S2 · E141 · 2 Oct 2025 · 58 min

Episode 141: Hidden Advertising of Feminine Games

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…
S2 · E140 · 17 Sep 2025 · 1 hr 3 min

Episode 140: The 49 Ways of Sinistar

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…
S2 · E139 · 3 Sep 2025 · 1 hr 12 min

Episode 139: Phoenix: The Rise of Leonard Herman

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…
S2 · E138 · 21 Aug 2025 · 1 hr 18 min

Episode 138: Playing Faceball 2000 With 15 of Your Closest Friends

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?…
S2 · E136 · 23 Jul 2025 · 1 hr 22 min

Episode 136: Halfway Through 2025: A Mid-Year Update

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.org Website:…
S2 · E135 · 10 Jul 2025 · 1 hr 4 min

Episode 135: Baldur’s Gate 3’s Lawrence Schick and His Decades of Work in Game Development

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:…

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. Pull up a chair and join us!

Video Game History Hour is a English gaming podcast from Video Game History Foundation. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: Video Game History Foundation
Language: English
Category: Gaming
New episodes: Every two weeks
Typical length: 1 hr 13 min
Latest episode: 8 Oct 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1536393630
Website: gamehistory.org/podcast
Rights: Video Game History Foundation

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