Overview
Games disappear. Disks rot, cartridges fail, companies lose source code, servers shut down. Game preservation fights this entropy through emulation, archiving, and documentation. Community efforts preserve what corporations often neglect, ensuring future generations can experience gaming history firsthand.
Fast facts
- Threats: Media decay, format obsolescence.
- Methods: Emulation, ROM archiving, documentation.
- Challenges: Legal ambiguity, corporate resistance.
- Importance: Cultural heritage at risk.
Preservation methods
| Method |
Purpose |
| ROM dumping |
Preserve software |
| Emulation |
Run old software on modern hardware |
| Documentation |
Preserve knowledge |
| Hardware preservation |
Maintain original machines |
Key archives
| Resource |
Focus |
| Internet Archive |
Broad preservation |
| MAME |
Arcade documentation |
| No-Intro |
Verified ROM sets |
| TOSEC |
Multi-platform cataloguing |
| Archive |
Platform |
| HVSC |
C64 music (SID) |
| World of Spectrum |
ZX Spectrum |
| Lemon64 |
Commodore 64 |
| GameBase |
Multiple platforms |
| Mobygames |
Game database |
Threats to preservation
| Threat |
Impact |
| Bit rot |
Physical media decay |
| DRM |
Prevents archiving |
| Always-online |
Server shutdown = unplayable |
| Legal action |
Takedowns of archives |
| Lost source code |
No official preservation |
Legal complexity
| Aspect |
Status |
| Copyright |
Still applies to old games |
| Abandonware |
No legal definition |
| DMCA |
Complicates archiving |
| Library exemptions |
Limited protection |
| Effort |
Achievement |
| Volunteer archivists |
Massive catalogues |
| Emulator developers |
Software preservation |
| Documentation projects |
Hardware knowledge |
| Oral histories |
Developer interviews |
Notable losses
| Example |
Cause |
| Sega source code |
Company moves, storage failures |
| MMO shutdowns |
Servers off, game gone |
| Prototype games |
Never properly archived |
See also