logo
episode-header-image
Feb 2025
45m 36s

The Best Idea Yet 🐂 Oregon Trail: Trick...

Nick & Jack Studios
About this episode

Subscribe to The Best Idea Yet here: https://wondery.com/links/the-best-idea-yet/


Pop quiz: What’s the longest-running video game in history? It’s not Pac-Man or Donkey Kong or even Pong
 it’s The Oregon Trail. A true pioneer (and we don’t just mean the ones in the covered wagons), the Oregon Trail has sold more than 65 million copies (that’s more than the Beatles’ White Album) and it spawned an “edu-tainment” industry now worth over $6B. But this wholesome game was created by three Minnesota student teachers, without a single thought towards making money
 which is exactly why Oregon Trail made so much of it. Find out why this iconic game is a textbook MVP (Minimum Viable Product)
 how an acquisition by Shark Tank’s “Mr. Wonderful” almost led to a collab with Barbie
 and why the Oregon Trail is the best idea yet.


Subscribe to The Best Idea Yet for the untold origin stories of the products you’re obsessed with, and the bold risk takers who brought them to life. 


Episodes drop every Tuesday, subscribe here: https://wondery.com/links/the-best-idea-yet/

—-----------------------------------------------------


GET ON THE POD: 

Submit a shoutout or fact: https://tboypod.com/shoutouts 


FOR MORE NICK & JACK: 

Newsletter: https://tboypod.com/newsletter 

Connect with Nick: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolas-martell/ 

Connect with Jack: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-crivici-kramer/ 


SOCIALS:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tboypod 

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tboypod

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tboypod 


Anything else: https://tboypod.com/ 


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Today
👑 “iCEO” — Apple’s new leader. Psychedelics’ stock pop. Tariff refund day. +Prego AI
Tim Cook is out, John Ternus is in
 Apple’s new CEO reflects a swing back to product-first.Joe Rogan DM’d Trump and got an executive order
 so psychedelic stocks surged Monday.Tariff Refunds just went live and Costco is paying ya back
 It’s the greatest marketing opportunity of t ... Show More
22m 11s
Yesterday
đŸ€  “Yellowstone Tax” — NYC’s Pied-a-Terre Fee. Goop’s $9M ghost kitchen. Gatorade’s unathletic pivot. +Deal-Blind Dudes
NYC’s pied-a-terre tax, NJ Transit’s World Cup surge pricing
 Both inspired by John Dutton.The most successful ghost kitchen? It’s Goop
 Gwyneth’s miso bowls make $9M/store.Gatorade is pivoting from athletes to anyone, Michael Jordan to Michael Scott
 cause LiquidIV stole their m ... Show More
22m 51s
Apr 17
⛳ “FOOOORE” — LIV’s golf miss. Storage Unit Millionaires. QVC’s final deal. +Pro Coffee Snobs
LIV Golf is reportedly shutting down
 sportswashing failed, so Saudi Arabia’s pivoting.Storage Units are America’s hottest real estate
 but are getting banned by NIMBYs #StorageShamingQVC invented “shoppertainment” but is declaring bankruptcy
 because it missed Netflix’s DVD 101 ... Show More
22m 50s
Recommended Episodes
Jan 2025
🐂 Oregon Trail: Tricking Kids into Liking School Since 1971 | 13
Pop quiz: What’s the longest-running video game in history? It’s not Pac-Man or Donkey Kong or even Pong
 it’s The Oregon Trail. A true pioneer (and we don’t just mean the ones in the covered wagons), the Oregon Trail has sold more than 65 million copies (that’s more than the Bea ... Show More
45m 49s
Apr 2025
đŸ”«Super Soaker: Invented by a Rocket Scientist (Literally) | 27
Lonnie Johnson was already a brilliant Air Force engineer working on cutting edge, planet-saving inventions
when a surprise bathroom discovery (we’ve all been there) sparked an idea that changed water fights forever. This nuclear scientist's side hustle—a game-changing water gun ... Show More
40m 59s
Feb 2025
đŸŽ© Monopoly: The Shocking Scandal Behind the World’s Favorite Game | 17
Monopoly: the game that taught you to ruthlessly bankrupt your friends and family, one hotel at a time. With 250 million copies sold worldwide, ⅔ of American homes have a copy. But you probably don't know its shocking origin story: Monopoly rewards runaway greed — but was origina ... Show More
42m 45s
Jan 2023
The story of "Monopoly" and American capitalism
Monopoly is one of the best-selling board games in history. The game's staying power may in part be because of strong American lore — the idea that anyone, with just a little bit of cash, can rise from rags to riches. Mary Pilon, author of The Monopolists: Obsession, Fury, and th ... Show More
22m 25s