The Legend of SwordQuest

iHeartPodcasts•www.iheart.com

What started as a promotion for a new Atari game would become one of the most controversial moments in ‘80s pop culture, with a central mystery that’s consumed fans for decades: what happened to the missing SwordQuest prizes?

To unlock the biggest mystery in video game history, host Jamie Loftus is going on a treasure hunt 40 years in the making.

Last refreshed: August 22nd, 2025 at 3:44 AM ⓘ

Follow this podcast in the Metacast mobile app to refresh it and see new episodes.

Follow on

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

RSS

Podcasts are better in Metacast mobile app

Don't just listen to podcasts. Learn from them with transcripts, summaries, and chapters for every episode. Skim, search, and bookmark insights. Learn more

Episodes

Very Special Episodes: Live From New York, It's Your Grandmother

During its first 50 seasons, Saturday Night Live has welcomed legendary actors, superstar athletes, and notable politicians. But for one memorable night in 1977, Lorne Michaels turned the show over to an 80-year-old amateur. * On the Very Special Episodes podcast, we tell one incredible story each week. Follow Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English down a different rabbit hole every Wednesday. Search 'Very Special Episodes' wherever you listen to podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener fo...

Feb 14, 2025•51 min

Bonus Episode: The Landfill

A waste management specialist unearths thousands of Atari games buried in a New Mexico landfill. As gaming historians rejoice, he plots to turn Atari’s unwanted trash into cash. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 14, 2024•26 min

8: Endgame

After decades of speculation, a mysterious source emerges that may solve the mystery of the missing SwordQuest treasures once and for all. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oct 31, 2024•43 min•Season 1Ep. 8

7: The Swordsman

The trail to find the missing SwordQuest treasures leads back to one of the most controversial figures in Atari history. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oct 24, 2024•36 min•Season 1Ep. 7

6: Plunder

An unreleased SwordQuest game suddenly surfaces online; the fate of the missing prizes undergoes fresh scrutiny by gaming historians. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oct 17, 2024•37 min•Season 1Ep. 6

5: Stay Gold

Years after SwordQuest came to an abrupt and disappointing end, a gamer makes a surprising discovery in a Brooklyn thrift shop. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oct 10, 2024•41 min•Season 1Ep. 5

4: Descent Into Darkness

Atari’s financial problems force the company to issue an ultimatum to SwordQuest players—one that may involve a top-secret gaming tournament closed to the public. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oct 03, 2024•40 min•Season 1Ep. 4

3: The Chalice

SwordQuest players discover that being video game rock stars comes at a price. Meanwhile, delays in the contest raise suspicions among contestants that Atari may not intend to see it through to the end—and that the prizes may not even exist at all. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sep 26, 2024•36 min•Season 1Ep. 3

2: Gentlemen, Start Your Joysticks

Expert gamers are invited to an all-expenses paid trip to California for the first round of Atari’s SwordQuest contest and a chance at the first treasure: a $25,000 medallion. The problem? Solving the game’s central puzzle will prove nearly impossible. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sep 19, 2024•37 min•Season 1Ep. 2

1: The Sword and the Stoned

In the early 1980s, Atari is one of the biggest entertainment brands in the world and seeks to promote the biggest video game contest to date, promising $150,000 in prizes. But what starts out as a promising adventure quickly devolves into chaos. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sep 13, 2024•39 min•Season 1Ep. 1

Introducing: The Legend of SwordQuest

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sep 05, 2024•2 min

Hosted on Omny Studio

For the best experience, listen in Metacast app for iOS or Android