Revisiting classic text adventure games of the 1970s and 80s such as Zork, Adventure, The Hobbit, and The Pawn

The Retro Adventurers is a podcast focused on classic text adventure games for computers of the 1970s and 1980s. Major titles in this genre include Colossal Cave, Zork, The Hobbit, and The Pawn.

The podcast was founded by Ben Collier, and is currently hosted by a rotation including Collier, Dave Hawkins, Nick Moffitt, and executive producer Jason Compton.

Our listeners are primarily people with an active interest in classic computer games, typically but not exclusively because they were personal computer owners in the 1980s.
 

In late 2023 Ben Collier, a British IT consultant who fondly remembered the classic text adventures for computers of the 1970s and 1980s posted a simple message on some Facebook groups. He said he wanted to start a new podcast for old text adventure games and wanted to meet collaborators. Although other podcasts cover this genre, most are currently inactive and Ben wanted to provide listeners with a fresh alternative. His public call for collaborators caught the interest of both Jason Compton, an American technology writer, and Dave Hawkins, an experienced text adventure designer and British IT professional living in France.

To get from initial concept discussions to the release of the first episode took four months. Episode 1 dropped in early April 2024. The format evolved after the first episode to include a larger rotation of hosts and more attention to interviews with classic game creators as well as game reviews.
 

The Retro Adventurers does not have a fixed schedule but currently aims to release at least one episode every three weeks on average.

Episode production involves the hosts independently playing two games for each episode, which can take dozens of hours if the games are complex. The hosts then discuss the games in a live recording session for about 60-90 minutes. The recordings are then edited and made ready for publication, which takes a few additional hours.

All of the hosts are fond of text adventure games, which makes the time commitment easier to justify. The hosts are professionals with flexible schedules, which makes it easier to schedule transatlantic conversations.
 

In our first year, the Retro Adventurers did not attract a sponsor and paid for operational costs ourselves. We're enriched by sharing our experiences and perspectives on these games, and blending extremely popular titles with more obscure gems. We have been able to connect with a wider audience of players and creators and have started sharing our insights on other programs as well.
 

We use common conference platforms like Zoom along with local recordings to create our episodes. Our guests and co-hosts all connect remotely, there are no in-person interviews and there is no physical studio. We typically edit in Audacity.

Our guests to date have generally been important authors or publishers of classic text adventure games. Some were already acquainted with our co-hosts, some approached the show themselves, and others were invited by a host to appear.
 

We post on Facebook, Bluesky, and Web forums dedicated to classic gaming and classic computers. All of these channels seem to be helpful. We have also benefited from guests with higher profiles, and from mentions on other shows. We do not have detailed acquisition data.
 

Have a contingency plan and be willing to push through unforeseen obstacles. Research your topic but learn to be comfortable speaking extemporaneously. Find the fun in what you're doing!
 

You can reach us at retroadventurers.com, follow us as The Retro Adventurers on Facebook and Bluesky, write to us directly at contact@retroadventurers.com, and of course subscribe to us through your favorite podcast app.