Hidden Levels podcast explains how the industry has grown from the arcade into a global juggernaut

NPR | By Mallory Yu,

Jeanette Woods, Emily Kwong

Published February 21, 2026 at 5:16 PM EST

Last year, the video game industry generated around $190 BILLION in revenue. More than the music and film industry combined. How did this medium go from the arcade into a global juggernaut? That's the subject of a new podcast series called Hidden Levels.

Mallory Yu

See stories by Mallory Yu

Jeanette Woods

Emily Kwong

Emily Kwong (she/her) is the reporter for NPR's daily science podcast, Short Wave. The podcast explores new discoveries, everyday mysteries and the science behind the headlines — all in about 10 minutes, Monday through Friday.

See stories by Emily Kwong

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