Gary Bracey - Part 1 - Ocean

Gary Bracey - Part 1 - Ocean

Author: Karl Kuras April 15, 2026 Duration: 1:28:52
Video Game Newsroom Time Machine
LeisureGamesHistoryVideo Games

For computer gamers in the 1980s and 90s, few companies were more ever-present than Ocean, a powerhouse in publishing, through their massive ad campaigns and amazing film licenses and coin-op conversions.

Our guest today, Gary Bracey, was the VP of Development at Ocean and oversaw the production of many a classic, such as Batman, Green Beret and Robocop, to say nothing of being their in-house go-to guy for judging film licenses.  

Gary tells us about life in the Ocean dungeon, the amazing youngsters that coded the titles and what it took to get them to market.

Recorded: May 2025

Video Version: https://www.patreon.com/c/VGNRTM

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Links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garybracey/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_Projects
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imagine_Software
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocean_Software
https://www.mobygames.com/game/31581/miami-vice/
https://www.mobygames.com/game/33164/street-hawk/
https://www.mobygames.com/game/48091/knight-rider/
https://www.mobygames.com/game/6233/f29-retaliator/
https://www.mobygames.com/company/84/digital-image-design-ltd/
https://www.mobygames.com/game/13812/head-over-heels/
Robocop ad on UK VHS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGLskD5sFHA
Robocop ad in Spectrum game: https://www.indieretronews.com/2016/05/zx-spectrum-classics-robocop-retro.html
https://www.reddit.com/r/newzealand/comments/99v8l/new_zealand_story_the_1988_arcade_game/
https://www.mobygames.com/person/14498/dawn-drake/


Copyright Karl Kuras


Ever wonder what gamers were actually talking about decades ago, before online forums and endless hot takes? Each month, Video Game Newsroom Time Machine hosted by Karl Kuras does exactly that, dusting off the headlines and magazine pages from the past. This isn't just a nostalgia trip; it's a grounded look at the industry's turning points as they happened. You'll hear about the surprising announcements, the forgotten controversies, and the hardware launches that had everyone buzzing-from arcade trends in Japan to home computer wars in Europe and North America. The podcast specifically revisits news from exactly 30, 40, and 50 years prior, creating a unique layered perspective on how video game culture evolved. It’s like sitting in a newsroom from a different era, piecing together the stories that shaped the games we remember today. Tune in for a monthly dose of context, where the past conversations about pixels and processors feel surprisingly fresh and directly connected to the present.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

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