Jeff Johannigman - Part 1 - Atari PE, Synapse, Epyx, Electronic Arts, Origin, GDC

Jeff Johannigman - Part 1 - Atari PE, Synapse, Epyx, Electronic Arts, Origin, GDC

Author: Karl Kuras April 29, 2025 Duration: 1:47:00

From a bedroom coder to Game Developer's Conference OG to the creator of one of the greatest one-on-one action strategy games of the 8 bit era, Jeff Johannigman worked for some of the most legendary companies of the 80s, Epyx, Electronic Arts, and Origin.  

In Part 1, we talk about those early days, including the making of games such as G.I. Joe and Savage Empire and working with important figures like Ihor Wolosenko, Dani Bunten, Chris Crawford, Warren Spector, and Richard Garriot.
Jeff's insight and storytelling skill make this a wonderful chat.

Recorded: September 2024

Video version:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/jeff-johannigman-125624209

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Links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/johannigman/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_Program_Exchange
https://www.mobygames.com/person/2821/jeff-johannigman/credits/
https://www.mobygames.com/company/14/br%C3%B8derbund-software-inc/
Jerry Wolosenko - Synapse - https://www.patreon.com/posts/42014024
The Video Game Crash 40th Anniversary - Part 2: Everyone Else - https://www.patreon.com/posts/video-game-crash-76259421
The Video Game Crash 40th Anniversary - Part 1: Atari - https://www.patreon.com/posts/video-game-crash-75643983
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relax_(video_game)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epyx
Michael Katz Part 1 - Coleco - Epyx - Mattel - https://www.patreon.com/posts/35169258
https://www.mobygames.com/game/10151/gi-joe-a-real-american-hero/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbie_(1984_video_game)
https://www.gamesthatwerent.com/2013/07/g-i-joe-c64-early-glimpse/
https://www.mobygames.com/person/962/dennis-caswell/
https://www.mobygames.com/game/115/starflight/
Don Daglow Part 1 - PDP - Mattel - Intellivision - EA https://www.patreon.com/posts/38445119
https://www.mobygames.com/game/1353/demon-stalkers/
https://www.mobygames.com/person/8515/danielle-berry/
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/182619/mule-the-board-game
https://www.reddit.com/r/amiga/comments/pbj1qp/why_electronic_arts_is_committed_to_the_amiga_1985/?rdt=32890
https://www.mobygames.com/game/company:2/platform:genesis/sort:-date/page:1/
https://www.mobygames.com/game/1837/gauntlet/screenshots/macintosh/
https://www.mobygames.com/game/1837/gauntlet/screenshots/macintosh/586818/
https://www.mobygames.com/person/127/warren-spector/
https://www.wcnews.com/wcpedia/Blueprints
https://www.mobygames.com/game/823/wing-commander-ii-vengeance-of-the-kilrathi/
https://wiki.ultimacodex.com/wiki/File:Savage_empire_large.jpg
https://gdconf.com/about-gdc

 Recommended Links:

The History of How We Play: https://thehistoryofhowweplay.wordpress.com/

Gaming Alexandria: https://www.gamingalexandria.com/wp/

They Create Worlds: https://tcwpodcast.podbean.com/

Digital Antiquarian: https://www.filfre.net/

The Arcade Blogger: https://arcadeblogger.com/

Retro Asylum: http://retroasylum.com/category/all-posts/

Retro Game Squad: http://retrogamesquad.libsyn.com/

Playthrough Podcast: https://playthroughpod.com/

Retromags.com: https://www.retromags.com/

Games That Weren't - https://www.gamesthatwerent.com/

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

Video Game Newsroom Time Machine
Podcast Episodes
April 1984 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:11:29
Acorn and Commodore soar, as Coleco and Atari falter Software takes center stage in PC clone world UK game prices hit rock bottom These stories and many more on this episode of the VGNRTM! This episode we will look back…
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Sega previews Saturn at CES, Commodore warns of bankruptcy & Doom brings corporate networks to their knees These stories and many more on this episode of the VGNRTM! This episode we will look back at the biggest stories…
March 1984 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:05:35
Pizza Time goes bust, Amiga announces a computer & Nintendo launches the VS These stories and many more on this episode of the VGNRTM! This episode we will look back at the biggest stories in and around the video game in…
February 1994 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:52:46
The world goes ga-ga over game violence; Sega reports horrible losses & Doom redefines PC gaming! These stories and many more on this episode of the VGNRTM This episode we will look back at the biggest stories in and aro…
Michael Hengst - Part 1: Power Play [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:17:38
The history of 80s and 90s game magazines is filled with big names like Computer Gaming World, Weekly Famitsu, Computer and Video Games, Micromania, and, a name that makes German speaking gamers of a particular vintage e…
February 1984 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:07:21
Famicom rules Japan, Bushnell leaves Chuck E Cheese & Vectrex put to rest These stories and many more on this episode of the VGNRTM! This episode we will look back at the biggest stories in and around the video game indu…
January 1994 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:10:59
Commodore hits the skids, Sega bets big on entertainment centers & The emulation revolution is born! These stories and many more on this episode of the VGNRTM This episode we will look back at the biggest stories in and…
January 1984 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:30:55
Jack Tramiel leaves Commodore, Apple advertises the Mac & Amstrad enters the home computer market These stories and many more on this episode of the VGNRTM This episode we will look back at the biggest stories in and aro…