More archives to come
Video games are a young industry, and the entire history of the medium fits into the space of just a few decades. Even though the industry at large always seems to be focused on the Next Big Thing, there are a few who are committed to preserving the history of the medium so that future generations can learn from the past.
Frank Cifaldi is a former games journalist and developer, probably best known from his time at Gamasutra and 1UP. I first became aware of him and his interest in video game history through theRetronauts podcast. You may also have seen hisGDC talk from last year about emulation. He’s been working to help archive games and their ephemera for nearly two decades, spending his own money to purchase unreleased titles and ensure they’ll still be available in the future. you may read about these efforts on his website,LostLevels.org.
Preserving games is often thankless work, and it can sometimes be difficult to work with collectors who want to own the only known copy of a given item. Preservation efforts also have to work against “bit rot,” the breakdown of physical media like magnetic tape and CD-ROMs.
To celebrate the launch and help get the word out, IGN partnered with the foundation to show off some of the rare games preserved by the efforts of historians, and games likeDaytona: Netlink Edition,aFinal Fantasy 2(NES) prototype, and a rare PC title calledWhere in North Dakota is Carmen Sandiego?were streamed. If you’d like to contribute to the foundation, they’ve set up aPatreon, or you can make a tax-deductible donationdirectly through the website.
