We also have a couple of Spore bonus stories today for paid subscribers, like this one on the game's Wind Waker connection.

We've got a big one today. Almost 20 years after Maxis released Spore, we talked to eight people -- including Will Wright -- about the studio's big experiment.

Namco's exercise bike-powered flying contraption is almost 30 years old, so we tracked down the game's director to look back.

Friday

"It's like trying to make three games within the budget for one. Realistically, it's not possible."

"It's like trying to make three games within the budget for one. Realistically, it's not possible."

Hi, we're a new video game oral history site, and we're having a subscription sale this week. www.designroom.site/design-room-...

Doing good work over there, highly recommend grabbing a sub, making some tea and sitting down for some good readings

We just passed our six-month anniversary, so it seems like a good time to check in and post a sale on subscriptions.

Archipel's latest book, The Worlds of Yoko Taro, showed up today and is beautiful. Get it here: archipel.jp/collections/...

We dig into Capcom's infamous U.S.-made fighter, with a 5,000-word feature and never-before-seen development assets.

We dig into Capcom's infamous U.S.-made fighter, with a 5,000-word feature and never-before-seen development assets.

Monday

Sworcery turns 15 today, and we've got a big new feature looking back for the anniversary.

happy 15th anniversary! even after 15 years, it’s still one of my favorite games :) if it weren't for this wonderful piece, i don't think i'd be drawing pixel art right now. (by the way, i drew the header image. i’m truly honored)

Sworcery turns 15 today, and we've got a big new feature looking back for the anniversary.

Big new story up tomorrow.

When the tutorial is the title.

New story up on what happened to Ocean Software's Lobo fighting game, with a bunch of never-before-seen renders made for the game.

An old Capcom promo video popped up on YouTube with, as Ryan Cravens mentions in the comments, "the only real video" of Bill Cravens, the guy who sold Street Fighter 1 in the U.S.

Friend of the site @milkman.bsky.social has a new book on the way.

In 1996 for Ultimate Gamer magazine, @vgephemera.bsky.social dug up a bunch of lost Atari projects like the Mindlink headset that let you control games using brain waves.

Gamest, September 1991

A lot going on here.

Love to see it.

When SNK promoted Samurai Shodown II to arcade operators with some creative math.

Old game magazine photo of the day.

Hi, we're a new video game oral history site. Some highlights so far: Mirror's Edge: bit.ly/mirrorsedgeoralhistory Sayonara Wild Hearts: bit.ly/sayonarawildhearts Shadow of the Colossus: bit.ly/shadowotcolossus Sound Fantasy: bit.ly/49xPfha Rez Infinite: bit.ly/4pKj0BB Find us at designroom.site.

Update for anyone visiting San Francisco: We now have a Space Channel 5 fondue.

We dug up an old Capcom newsletter making fun of SNK's Art of Fighting.

From @designroom.site and @mattleone.bsky.social re: #MirrorsEdge. "We always got pressure to put sequels and known licenses on covers." Yeah. By that point the game had hit a half dozen covers, but I think our cover, based on a sketch I did, was the hotness. www.designroom.site/mirrors-edge...

We dug up an old Capcom newsletter making fun of SNK's Art of Fighting.

We just uploaded this Lorelei and the Laser Eyes trailer, that we made for internal use in 2020. It features 100% unseen and cut content. The game drastically changed direction after this. www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6xM...

Been reading this excellent piece from @designroom.bsky.social about Mirror’s Edge. A lot jumps out at me but this really hit me like a ton of bricks. In 2008, EA released: Mirrors Edge Left 4 Dead Spore Dead Space Unrecognizable from today’s POV. www.designroom.site/mirrors-edge...

Thank you, Yoko Ono, for reminding everyone that John Lennon could be a real ass sometimes <3

the dream team rides again - excited to have an excerpt from my book on @mattleone.bsky.social's wonderful new site, @designroom.bsky.social. Loved writing this chapter on The Beatles, and especially learning more about the GOAT Yoko Ono.

"Directing The Beatles: Rock Band is the hardest thing I've ever done in my life."

Hi, we're a new video game oral history site. Some highlights so far: Mirror's Edge: bit.ly/mirrorsedgeoralhistory Sayonara Wild Hearts: bit.ly/sayonarawildhearts Shadow of the Colossus: bit.ly/shadowotcolossus Sound Fantasy: bit.ly/49xPfha Rez Infinite: bit.ly/4pKj0BB Find us at designroom.site.

Everybody should be reading @designroom.bsky.social Excellent oral history of Mirror’s Edge just posted

Our next big project is live! @lewisgordon.bsky.social spent the past few months tracking down nine people who worked on DICE's innovative 2008 parkour runner.

Best accidental homepage story placement.

So many cool stories in @lewisgordon.bsky.social's oral history of Mirror's Edge, including about the now-iconic art style, along with some eye-opening ones about how marketing decisions were made at EA back then. (I feel like corporations are *somewhat* more willing to delay games these days?)

What could have been: We talk to members of the original Mirror's Edge team about the sequel they wanted to make.

Sally Lore: one of the first video games I auditioned for was Mirror’s Edge! I was somehow shortlisted- though I had no idea what I’d auditioned for until years later because it was anonymised.

Our next big project is live! @lewisgordon.bsky.social spent the past few months tracking down nine people who worked on DICE's innovative 2008 parkour runner.

Big new story coming next week! You'd already know what it is if you subscribed to our newsletter, though... www.designroom.site#/portal/signup

Read (and hear!) how “Begin Again” from Sayonara Wild Hearts came to be. www.designroom.site/how-simogo-b... By @designroom.bsky.social

Happy new year! We've got big plans for 2026, but this seems like as good a time as any to poll the room: What games do you want to see oral histories on in 2026?

Happy new year! We've got big plans for 2026, but this seems like as good a time as any to poll the room: What games do you want to see oral histories on in 2026?

The final story in our music series is live!