The Quagmire of Video Game Preservation

摘要

Video games hold a place of modern cultural significance, and with that comes a responsibility to preserve them and their systems. The video game industry has been thriving and advancing over the past 50 years, spurred on by global adoption. When there are assets that are embraced by popular culture, occasionally mirroring the events of the times we are living in, the call for preservation rises. As the video game industry grows alongside technology, so do the mediums used for games and systems. When an industry is constantly evolving, preservation challenges follow. Video game preservation is complex, with many moving parts. Preservation efforts can include the physical game, associated ephemera (original packaging, manuals, posters, etc.), the system or platform used for gameplay, accessories (controllers, cables, etc.), and so on. Alternatively, it could also take the form of a binary image of game code or a recording of gameplay.