87 percent of your favorite video games are likely to become unplayable in due time, according to studies by The Video Game History Foundation (VGHF) and the Software Preservation Network (SPN). Researchers called older video games “critically endangered” and pointed to a lack of accessibility for titles past their prime, and they aim to fix it.
Currently, all titles purchasable on the market make up 13 percent of all video games ever created. All other video games throughout history have either become distant memories or require things like emulators to get on screens. This led researchers to call for a change in “outdated” copyright legislation in the July 10, 2023 study.
“Anyone should be able to easily explore, research, and play classic video games, in the same way that they can read classic novels, listen to classic albums, and watch classic movies,” the VGHF states.
Its solution was to create libraries similar to those that house everyone’s favorite books.
The thing that seems to be in the way is the video game industry itself. The video game industry’s lobbying group, The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has apparently been a thorn in researchers’ side.
According to the VGHF, the ESA has “fought against expanding video game preservation within libraries and archives.” You need only look to the financial success of recent releases of remakes and remasters to see why companies may not want to make their old games available free of charge.
The goals of the VGHF and the SPN are to make the countless video games throughout history accessible for those who wish to take a deep dive into the rich history of gaming.
Libraries currently possess the right to share digital media like books, film, and TV. However, for games, they’re allowed to “possess”, but not share digital video games. Without action, the VGHF believes the situation is “unlikely to get better.”
