Play History
@playhistory.bsky.social
Independent games researcher, Ethan Johnson. Preserving gaming history!
Patreon: http://tinyurl.com/pdp5pdrj
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@play_history/videos
Blog: https://thehistoryofhowweplay.wordpress.com/
Editor of Gaming Alexandria
Patreon: http://tinyurl.com/pdp5pdrj
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@play_history/videos
Blog: https://thehistoryofhowweplay.wordpress.com/
Editor of Gaming Alexandria
Pinned
Play History
@playhistory.bsky.social
· Oct 17
Play History
Play History is all about the history of video games. From their origins, to how they influence the world today, together we explore the phenomenon that's captured the world. Video game design, art, a...
www.youtube.com
Hi!
Here's my YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@play_history
Here's my blog: thehistoryofhowweplay.wordpress.com
I help @gamingalexandria.bsky.social www.gamingalexandria.com/wp/
I have a book on classic 80s arcade companies coming out in the near future!
That's my starter kit.
Here's my YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@play_history
Here's my blog: thehistoryofhowweplay.wordpress.com
I help @gamingalexandria.bsky.social www.gamingalexandria.com/wp/
I have a book on classic 80s arcade companies coming out in the near future!
That's my starter kit.
Checked in today to see that the @gaminghistorian.bsky.social video on the Channel F has passed 1 million views.
I know this is a bit weird with YouTube's recent changes, but I'm glad this episode has reached people and added something substantial to the video landscape.
I know this is a bit weird with YouTube's recent changes, but I'm glad this episode has reached people and added something substantial to the video landscape.
September 21, 2026 at 10:09 PM
Checked in today to see that the @gaminghistorian.bsky.social video on the Channel F has passed 1 million views.
I know this is a bit weird with YouTube's recent changes, but I'm glad this episode has reached people and added something substantial to the video landscape.
I know this is a bit weird with YouTube's recent changes, but I'm glad this episode has reached people and added something substantial to the video landscape.
Reposted by Play History
40 years ago: Sega Master System arrived in America with an ad campaign that made it look like the coolest thing ever. (It was, in fact, pretty cool.)
September 19, 2026 at 3:04 PM
40 years ago: Sega Master System arrived in America with an ad campaign that made it look like the coolest thing ever. (It was, in fact, pretty cool.)
Another year, another time to update the Video Game History Booklist!
thehistoryofhowweplay.wordpress.com/2020/08/27/t...
If there are books you feel are missing (historical research books, not retro art books and the like) let me know!
thehistoryofhowweplay.wordpress.com/2020/08/27/t...
If there are books you feel are missing (historical research books, not retro art books and the like) let me know!
The Video Game History Booklist
The Video Game History Book List is a chronological list of books in physical, digital, and webpage format which aspiring game researchers can use to find reading material related to the developmen…
thehistoryofhowweplay.wordpress.com
September 20, 2026 at 4:38 PM
Another year, another time to update the Video Game History Booklist!
thehistoryofhowweplay.wordpress.com/2020/08/27/t...
If there are books you feel are missing (historical research books, not retro art books and the like) let me know!
thehistoryofhowweplay.wordpress.com/2020/08/27/t...
If there are books you feel are missing (historical research books, not retro art books and the like) let me know!
Reposted by Play History
Complete dumps of 4 non-retail iQue Player consoles obtained by members of iQueBrew have been released by jhynjhiruu along with an article all about the Chinese Nintendo 64 created by BroadOn in partnership with Nintendo. Enjoy! www.gamingalexandria.com/wp/2026/09/i...
September 18, 2026 at 8:45 PM
Complete dumps of 4 non-retail iQue Player consoles obtained by members of iQueBrew have been released by jhynjhiruu along with an article all about the Chinese Nintendo 64 created by BroadOn in partnership with Nintendo. Enjoy! www.gamingalexandria.com/wp/2026/09/i...
Reposted by Play History
All the Adventures turns to Australia and their most succesful home-grown computer, the Microbee. I give the story of how the Microbee came to be and explore one of the games published by their software branch.
bluerenga.blog/2026/09/18/e...
bluerenga.blog/2026/09/18/e...
Eye of Min (1983)
In the 1960s, Qantas wanted to improve their flight reservation system. At the time, reservation clerks would get tickertapes from travel agents and enter flights manually; every single sales offic…
bluerenga.blog
September 18, 2026 at 6:27 PM
All the Adventures turns to Australia and their most succesful home-grown computer, the Microbee. I give the story of how the Microbee came to be and explore one of the games published by their software branch.
bluerenga.blog/2026/09/18/e...
bluerenga.blog/2026/09/18/e...
Reposted by Play History
Several years ago I was able to get in touch with former SEGA executive Hideki Sato. He originally joined SEGA in 1971 to work in R&D. He agreed to answer a couple of questions via email, one of which had been on my mind for a while: Who at SEGA designed Heavyweight Champ released in 1975? (1/4)
September 18, 2026 at 3:49 PM
Several years ago I was able to get in touch with former SEGA executive Hideki Sato. He originally joined SEGA in 1971 to work in R&D. He agreed to answer a couple of questions via email, one of which had been on my mind for a while: Who at SEGA designed Heavyweight Champ released in 1975? (1/4)
Reposted by Play History
This Week on The Digital Antiquarian: "The Lamentable Later Life of Lemmings" www.filfre.net/2026/09/the-...
» The Lamentable Later Life of Lemmings The Digital Antiquarian
www.filfre.net
September 18, 2026 at 3:42 PM
This Week on The Digital Antiquarian: "The Lamentable Later Life of Lemmings" www.filfre.net/2026/09/the-...
Reposted by Play History
Symphony of the Night design documents on display at the Konami booth at TGS. The mock screenshot is incredible
September 17, 2026 at 6:17 AM
Symphony of the Night design documents on display at the Konami booth at TGS. The mock screenshot is incredible
Reposted by Play History
The series of mergers, acquisitions, and other corporate shenanigans that led to Kevin O'Leary forming the greatest CD-ROM shovelware operation of the 1990s, The Learning Company, remains one of the great cautionary tales about hypergrowth capitalism.
www.computerchronicles.blog/computer-chr...
www.computerchronicles.blog/computer-chr...
The Learning Company
How Kevin O'Leary spent the 1990s destroying the most notable computer game companies of the 1980s
www.computerchronicles.blog
September 18, 2026 at 12:36 PM
The series of mergers, acquisitions, and other corporate shenanigans that led to Kevin O'Leary forming the greatest CD-ROM shovelware operation of the 1990s, The Learning Company, remains one of the great cautionary tales about hypergrowth capitalism.
www.computerchronicles.blog/computer-chr...
www.computerchronicles.blog/computer-chr...
Did an interview today with Mr. Jerry Wolosenko, a long time game industry executive.
We'll be following up in the future, but props to Karl at Video Game Newsroom Time Machine as well as the @gamehistoryorg.bsky.social collection which had an interview with Jerry to reference.
We'll be following up in the future, but props to Karl at Video Game Newsroom Time Machine as well as the @gamehistoryorg.bsky.social collection which had an interview with Jerry to reference.
September 18, 2026 at 12:33 AM
Did an interview today with Mr. Jerry Wolosenko, a long time game industry executive.
We'll be following up in the future, but props to Karl at Video Game Newsroom Time Machine as well as the @gamehistoryorg.bsky.social collection which had an interview with Jerry to reference.
We'll be following up in the future, but props to Karl at Video Game Newsroom Time Machine as well as the @gamehistoryorg.bsky.social collection which had an interview with Jerry to reference.
Reposted by Play History
It’s funny that after the doc a few years ago and numerous other exonerations of Howard Warshaw this is still a topic
September 15, 2026 at 7:01 PM
It’s funny that after the doc a few years ago and numerous other exonerations of Howard Warshaw this is still a topic
Reposted by Play History
Contrary to popular belief, the video game industry didn’t crash in 1983 because of E.T. and a glut of bad games. The real reason is both simpler and more complicated. @theycreateworlds.bsky.social explains:
September 15, 2026 at 8:06 PM
Contrary to popular belief, the video game industry didn’t crash in 1983 because of E.T. and a glut of bad games. The real reason is both simpler and more complicated. @theycreateworlds.bsky.social explains:
Alex @theycreateworlds.bsky.social continues his quest to un-simplify the popular imagination of the Crash.
September 15, 2026 at 6:49 PM
Alex @theycreateworlds.bsky.social continues his quest to un-simplify the popular imagination of the Crash.
As mentioned in the episode, I put the numbers used here into a spreadsheet for easy access.
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
Do note this is only what we can SEE, which is 1980-1984. The whole ranking probably spans from 1977-1990 - so these are not END sales numbers.
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
Do note this is only what we can SEE, which is 1980-1984. The whole ranking probably spans from 1977-1990 - so these are not END sales numbers.
September 15, 2026 at 2:27 PM
As mentioned in the episode, I put the numbers used here into a spreadsheet for easy access.
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
Do note this is only what we can SEE, which is 1980-1984. The whole ranking probably spans from 1977-1990 - so these are not END sales numbers.
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
Do note this is only what we can SEE, which is 1980-1984. The whole ranking probably spans from 1977-1990 - so these are not END sales numbers.
Reposted by Play History
I did a new Atari interview for you: Walt Klappert, Atari Advanced Development Group/WCI Labs. At Atari, Walt worked on creating software for girls. He was director of Fisher Price Dance Fantasy, a dance choreography game for small children. He later worked authoring for CD+G.
youtu.be/utW7-AIz8iU
youtu.be/utW7-AIz8iU
Walt Klappert, Atari Advanced Development Group/WCI Labs
YouTube video by Kay Savetz
youtu.be
September 14, 2026 at 10:10 PM
I did a new Atari interview for you: Walt Klappert, Atari Advanced Development Group/WCI Labs. At Atari, Walt worked on creating software for girls. He was director of Fisher Price Dance Fantasy, a dance choreography game for small children. He later worked authoring for CD+G.
youtu.be/utW7-AIz8iU
youtu.be/utW7-AIz8iU
Happy 136 anniversary to the arcade!*(**)
*If this is the first location to open in an arcade.
**If it's actually the location that influenced the term.
*If this is the first location to open in an arcade.
**If it's actually the location that influenced the term.
Why do we call it an "arcade"?
This question takes us back to the earliest days of coin-op amusement, the origin of recorded entertainment, and the tumultuous days of technology Trusts.
Introducing: The First Arcade (maybe).
This question takes us back to the earliest days of coin-op amusement, the origin of recorded entertainment, and the tumultuous days of technology Trusts.
Introducing: The First Arcade (maybe).
September 13, 2026 at 4:56 PM
Happy 136 anniversary to the arcade!*(**)
*If this is the first location to open in an arcade.
**If it's actually the location that influenced the term.
*If this is the first location to open in an arcade.
**If it's actually the location that influenced the term.
You may not like it, but this is what peak gaming performance looks like.
September 12, 2026 at 10:34 PM
You may not like it, but this is what peak gaming performance looks like.
Reposted by Play History
In the latest VGHH podcast, Phil Salvador interviews Amy Thomas, legal expert and author of Copyright, Contract, and Video Games: Terms of Play, about the history and landscape of EULAs (end user license agreements) in games: https://gamehistory.org/episode-163-the-complexities-of-eulas/
September 11, 2026 at 9:39 PM
In the latest VGHH podcast, Phil Salvador interviews Amy Thomas, legal expert and author of Copyright, Contract, and Video Games: Terms of Play, about the history and landscape of EULAs (end user license agreements) in games: https://gamehistory.org/episode-163-the-complexities-of-eulas/
Reposted by Play History
Since we published our Spore oral history in June, we've been talking to members of the mod community about how they've kept the game going for the past 18 years.
The modding community keeping Spore alive
We talk to three members of the Spore modding community about their efforts to continue Maxis' work and keep the game active for new generations of fans.
www.designroom.site
September 11, 2026 at 8:03 PM
Since we published our Spore oral history in June, we've been talking to members of the mod community about how they've kept the game going for the past 18 years.
Reposted by Play History
Untitled, Goose Game.
Not coin-operated, but too good to not share.
Not coin-operated, but too good to not share.
September 11, 2026 at 6:26 PM
Untitled, Goose Game.
Not coin-operated, but too good to not share.
Not coin-operated, but too good to not share.
Reposted by Play History
The original Mahjong Solitaire (Brodie Lockard, 1981) on the PLATO looked glorious. Also clever to show stack height with outline width.
September 11, 2026 at 11:17 AM
The original Mahjong Solitaire (Brodie Lockard, 1981) on the PLATO looked glorious. Also clever to show stack height with outline width.
Reposted by Play History
As part of the new E3 collections in our digital archive, we received a donation of over 1600 digital photos from E3 2009. Get an unprecedented look at the event, inside and out
Library Highlight: Exploring E3 2009 through 1600 photos | Video Game History Foundation
A spotlight on a photo gallery from our new E3 collections, documenting every corner of 2009's biggest gaming event.
gamehistory.org
September 10, 2026 at 6:05 PM
As part of the new E3 collections in our digital archive, we received a donation of over 1600 digital photos from E3 2009. Get an unprecedented look at the event, inside and out
Reposted by Play History
I recently acquired a copy of the Osborne Computer Corporation bankruptcy filings. This 128-page document includes a (failed) reorganization plan filed by several Osborne employees trying to save the company. I've made the full document available on IA.
archive.org/details/in-r...
archive.org/details/in-r...
Osborne Computer Corporation Bankruptcy Filings
A set of filings related to the bankruptcy of Osborne Computer Corporation, including the First Amended Plan of Reorganization Proposed by Employee/Creditors, dated January 27, 1984, and related Discl...
archive.org
September 9, 2026 at 8:12 PM
I recently acquired a copy of the Osborne Computer Corporation bankruptcy filings. This 128-page document includes a (failed) reorganization plan filed by several Osborne employees trying to save the company. I've made the full document available on IA.
archive.org/details/in-r...
archive.org/details/in-r...
ANNOUNCEMENT:
My book Two Sides of the Quarter about the early days of arcade video games will no longer be published by Press Run.
I will be exploring other avenues for traditional publishing but I will likely be self-publishing the book initially.
My book Two Sides of the Quarter about the early days of arcade video games will no longer be published by Press Run.
I will be exploring other avenues for traditional publishing but I will likely be self-publishing the book initially.
September 9, 2026 at 4:50 PM
ANNOUNCEMENT:
My book Two Sides of the Quarter about the early days of arcade video games will no longer be published by Press Run.
I will be exploring other avenues for traditional publishing but I will likely be self-publishing the book initially.
My book Two Sides of the Quarter about the early days of arcade video games will no longer be published by Press Run.
I will be exploring other avenues for traditional publishing but I will likely be self-publishing the book initially.