logo
episode-header-image
Apr 2020
37m 42s

Abdullah: Escape in an Oil Barrel

BBC Sounds
About this episode

The astonishing true story of Abdullah, who risked his life to escape the Syrian Civil War and then made a video game about it.

Aoife Wilson and Julia Hardy are best mates who love video games and have worked in the industry for years. They find the most shocking, moving and inspiring true stories about how gaming changed people’s lives forever. Join them to hear about the guy who works for NASA because of a game, the couple who fell in love on an MMORPG, the man who turned his escape from civil war into a video game and the gamers who caught a killer in real time.

Producer: Nathan Jones

Do you have a great, true story about a video game? Email us at thisgamechangedmylife@bbc.co.uk

Up next
Jan 2021
Maroon: Tracking a Killer
In 2019, gamers from across the globe turned detective in order to track down and apprehend an active killer in a nerve-shredding manhunt. This is Maroon's true story.Aoife Wilson and Julia Hardy are best mates who love video games and have worked in the industry for years. They ... Show More
23m 20s
Jun 2020
Laurie & Josh: Love and Warcraft
What happens when a druid catches feelings for a rogue? A love story, as told by world of Warcraft.Aoife Wilson and Julia Hardy are best mates who love video games and have worked in the industry for years. They find the most shocking, moving and inspiring true stories about how ... Show More
21m 48s
May 2020
Jim: Fight, Flight or Freeze
Since childhood, Jim has suffered from a terrifying form of psychosis. In 2017, a game called Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice helped him come to terms with it. Jim tells us his story and meets with the game's developers: actor Melina Juergens and director Tameem Antoniades.Aoife Wil ... Show More
27m 39s
Recommended Episodes
Jan 2025
Dangers of the Dark Web: Kill List, with Carl Miller
We've all heard of the Dark Web -- and it's often mischaracterized in popular media. But what happens when you find a site people genuinely think will help them pay for murder? In tonight's special interview, Ben and Matt join the award-winning tech researcher and author Carl Mil ... Show More
1h 12m
Sep 2024
Part Five: Stalked by Shadows
Ivan arrives at his final destination. Anna trusts a stranger to help navigate their new home country. In “The Deserter,” the journalist Sarah A. Topol reports the story of Ivan, a deserter who served as a captain in the Russian Army, fought in Ukraine and then ultimately fled th ... Show More
53m 12s
Sep 2024
Part One: The Ballad of Ivan and Anna
We meet Ivan and Anna, who fall for each other at a club and later marry. Ivan dreams of adventure but confronts the reality of life in the military, and Anna worries that Ivan’s talents are wasted in the army.Ivan gets a corrupt new commander, “Pig,” who brings conflict and a de ... Show More
42m 5s
Nov 2024
Woman Of The Hour with Ian McDonald
In 1978, a Texan-born man went on national TV, competing in and ultimately winning an episode of the popular American game show The Dating Game. This man was, according to host Jim Lange, a "successful photographer" who you might find "skydiving or motorcycling." Left out of that ... Show More
59m 26s
May 2023
From War to Warflower - Robert Stark's Alaskan odyssey to redemption
Robert Stark is the author of Wildflower and a lifelong Alaskan who has truly triumphed over adversity and risen above life's challenges. In this episode, we dive into Robert's experiences as an airborne infantryman in the United States Army, and the defining moments from his dep ... Show More
2h 42m
Jan 2025
Hunting the Unabomber
During a 17-year bombing campaign, an elusive terrorist known as the Unabomber killed three and injured 23 Americans.In 1995, he contacted The New York Times and The Washington Post promising to stop his terror attacks if they published his 35,000-word manifesto. The document exp ... Show More
10m 2s
Mar 2025
#178 Ben Owen - Inside the Life of an Addict
Ben Owen is an Army Infantry veteran, a father to eight children, graduate of the University of Alabama, and American Patriot. From startups to Fortune 500 companies, Ben has excelled in leadership, strategy, raising brand awareness and sales. He is the President of digital media ... Show More
5h 27m
Oct 2024
What Jack Reacher did next — Lee Child on our favourite lone wolf
How a Birmingham boy became best-selling thriller writer, Lee Child, and the creator of one of the literary world's most popular loners. (R)James Grant grew up in Birmingham when it was a bustling industrial city.While huge workforces would pour of the factories as men ended thei ... Show More
51m 42s
Dec 2024
Ep 208 | Katurah Topps | Civil Rights Lawyer, Motivational Speaker, and Fan Favorite on Survivor 45
The Lawyer Stories Podcast Episode 208 features Katurah Topps, a NYC civil rights lawyer and motivational speaker, most recently known for her appearance on CBS’ Hit Reality TV Show “SURVIVOR,” season 45. While on Survivor, Katurah revealed that she spent her childhood raised in ... Show More
1h 37m
Jun 2024
#25 - AJ Jacobs - The Power of Social Experimentation
How literally should we take the US Constitution? What about the bible? Should we experiment with radical honesty with strangers? Those are just some of the questions human guinea pig A.J. Jacobs spends his life trying to answer. An author and journalist, he regularly immerses hi ... Show More
1h 39m