Here’s a sobering fact: almost nine in ten video games released in the US before 2010 have become critically endangered. No, they aren’t being hunted for their hides or precious horns. Instead, they’re disappearing into the digital abyss as game companies cease to support them, and stringent copyright laws stifle efforts to preserve them.
According to a collaborative report by the Video Game History Foundation and the Software Preservation Network, some 87 percent of these classic games have been relegated to the land of obsolescence. Classic games, as defined by the VGHF, are those released before 2010, a benchmark year that marked the rise of digital game distribution.
Take the case of the popular 2006 game Yakuza on PlayStation 2, a classic that’s no longer in print and yet holds a special place in the gaming landscape. While a complete remake from the ground up, Yakuza Kiwami, was released in 2016, it’s a different entity altogether, a fact stressed by the VGHF. This underscores the dire straits many classic games find themselves in today.
The irony of our situation is tragically comic. As a society, we have transformed gaming into a billion-dollar industry, yet we seem woefully inept at preserving its history. In fact, only 13% of game history is reportedly archived in libraries. It’s akin to building towering skyscrapers on quicksand: the grandeur of the present is undermined by a fast-fading past.
The Digital Millennium Copyright Act has proved a formidable roadblock in the quest for game preservation. Despite libraries and researchers receiving exemptions to archive digital material, video games have been explicitly left out. To draw an analogy, it’s as if the only way to watch a classic movie like Titanic was to find a used VHS tape and maintain vintage equipment to view it. Except, in this case, we’re talking about a $180 billion industry.
Despite this grim reality, there’s hope on the horizon. In a 2024 copyright hearing, the VGHF intends to make a case for exemptions for games. But the journey is fraught with resistance from industry powerhouses. The Entertainment Software Association, for instance, has actively lobbied against game preservation efforts, arguing that these efforts could dent their bottom line.
The commercial availability of these classic games is in a sorry state. According to the VGHF study, the Commodore 64 has a dismal 4.5% availability rate, while even the more popular PS2 registers a disappointing 12% availability rate. The Game Boy, once a proud bearer of 12.33% availability, saw a drastic fall to 5.87% following the closure of the 3DS and Wii U digital storefronts.
When we look at it objectively, it’s a grim picture. No five-year period of game releases before 2010 boasts more than 20% commercial availability today. While the nostalgia of the early ’90s and late ’00s games hold a slightly better representation, it’s still in bad shape. In essence, for every available mainstream title like Mario, Pokemon, Zelda, Call of Duty, Final Fantasy, and more, at least nine others are on the brink of a disappearing – an alarmingly high number, all things considered.
Attempts at preserving these pieces of digital history often get bogged down by legal battles and debates around piracy. Community efforts, however, have had a significant impact in preserving the legacy of these games, as have countries like Denmark where citizens can borrow games from local libraries and archives.
As we move forward in an age of digital proliferation, it’s essential we do not lose sight of the past. Like novels, music, and movies, video games are an integral part of our cultural fabric and should be preserved for future generations. To quote the VGHF, “Outdated copyright laws are preventing institutions like ours from doing our jobs.”
So, while fans today can look forward to remakes and remasters like the Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters and Resident Evil 4, among others, it’s important to remember that some would like to visit the titles that inspired the said games in the first place.
