Hasbro began as a family business selling textile remnants and pencil boxes before expanding into school supplies, children’s art products, and toys. Innovations such as Mr. Potato Head established the company as a toy maker, while G.I. Joe became a major success before the Vietnam War damaged its popularity and left Hasbro in a precarious position. The company avoided Atari’s early console market during this period, only to return to prominence in the 1980s through G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, Transformers, and the acquisition of Milton Bradley. Later, Hasbro’s purchase of Tonka brought Tom Dusenberry into the company. His enthusiasm for video games and belief in the potential of Windows 95 led to the formation of Hasbro Interactive, beginning with a successful adaptation of Monopoly developed by Westwood Studios. The division expanded through games such as Frogger, whose appearance on Seinfeld came after the show’s producers sought Dusenberry’s permission. He agreed so Hasbro could ensure stores were heavily stocked with the game when the episode aired. Dusenberry also secured the games.com domain as Hasbro Interactive prepared to launch an internet portal. The company then moved through a rapid series of acquisitions, including Atari Corporation, MicroProse, Avalon Hill, and Wizards of the Coast. Hasbro Interactive became the third-largest game publisher by 1998, but growing concern over retail returns, a downturn in Hasbro’s toy business, and changing priorities within the company ultimately led to its sale to Infogrames as the dot-com bubble burst.

TNG - It is Green: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6k_9qZtzjY
Mr. Potato Head (1960s): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICGrjmJouWA
The Story of G.I. Joe 1945 Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0XDlHb8w2U
The Story of G.I Joe Movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWN0eEgYnuc
1960's G.I. Joe Commercials: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9X382bCvVvo&list=PLfajEMFGfE5iOrphlddDTxw4o7wIgWha6
G.I. Joe Marvel Comics Animation Commercials: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXY8BMXDKSA
G.I.Joe A Real American Hero (NES): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccctePkN7w4
TCW 133 - Rolling Dice With the Parker Brothers: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW133-rolling-dice-with-the-parker-brothers
G.I. Joe Cobra Strike (Atari 2600): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrCuBJDPy8Y
TCW 262 - Vectrex: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW262-vectrex
Why the world went nuts for Windows 95: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ol8ZSE-PEk
Monopoly (Windows 95): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EN8bFQwNQuU
Risk (PC): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfQI0FxGegk
Frogger (PSX): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqL6uqfvtt8
Frogger (Windows): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGoivXOUA-0
Hasbro Interactive Frogger TV News Story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYqDRkhmP_8
Seinfeld - The Frogger: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5etwHVarNgI
Centipede (PSX): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ab-F_fCJXiE
TCW 192 - Microprose Part 1: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW192-microprose-part-1
TCW 193 - Microprose Part 2: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW193-microprose-part-2
TCW 050 - Civilizing Sid Meier: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW050-civilizing-sid-meier
PacMan - Adventures in Time (PC): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wF1mSc1tEA4
Q*Bert (PSX): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XvceGQ02mA
Roller Coaster Tycoon (PC/Windows): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPSSsU8SXcE
Furby Commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHWcBbf0Eng
TCW 064 - Rise and Fall of Infogrames Part 1: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW064-rise-and-fall-of-infogrames-part-1
TCW 065 - The Rise and Fall of Infogrames Part 2: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW065-the-rise-and-fall-of-infogrames-part-2

New episodes are on the 1st and 15th of every month!

TCW Email: feedback@theycreateworlds.com
BlueSky: @theycreateworlds.bsky.social
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theycreateworlds
Alex's Video Game History Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com
Alex's book: http://bit.ly/TCWBOOK1

Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode - Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download: http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode
Outro Music: RoleMusic - Bacterial Love: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love

Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/