Ep.145 – An Isometric Deity: Peter Molyneux's Populous and the Birth of the God Game Genre
A Trip Down Memory Card Lane · David Kassin and Robert Kassin
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Show Notes
In 1989, Bullfrog Productions released Populous, a game that let players play god and helped define the god game genre. In this episode, we trace how Peter Molyneux and Les Edgar founded Bullfrog after a bizarre mix-up over baked beans and networking software, and how artist Glenn Corpes’s experiments with isometric landscapes inspired the world’s first digital deities. We explore how Populous grew from a simple terrain-raising prototype into a 500-level phenomenon published by Electronic Arts. Our conversation covers Bullfrog’s legacy, Molyneux’s eccentric career, the parody account Peter Molydeux, and how divine intervention became a gameplay mechanic. Join us as we shake the earth, raise the seas, and reign over creation on today’s trip down Memory Card Lane.