The Point: The fight to preserve dead video games
Oh hey, what's up?
Welcome to the point.
I'm your host Danny O'Dwyer.
So early this week, Konami decided to take PC off the Playstation network.
Meaning anyone who didn't already have it downloaded to their Playstation 4 won't be able to access it even if they have it on their Playstation library.
Oh my god.
So what does this mean?
Well for Konami it means that it's served its commercial purpose, they're not gonna make Silent Hills cause there's no point in having that demo up there.
But what about its other uses?
What about its other values?
Its value as an educational tool for designers, its value for the, the grand scope of video game's culture or for video game history?
This is nothing new.
Video games disappear all the time.
Lost cartridges, evolving hardware, and defunct companies all make getting access to old games much more difficult than other mediums.
Like books, music, or film.
You can stream loads of old music and movies or play DVDs or have a library collection of your favorite books.
But software is tied to constantly evolving hardware.
So to play many old games today we need to copy and emulate them on modern machines.
Meaning for decades it's been the role of pirates to be criminal protectors.
Of our video game history.
Well, we have a new problem.
Online games.
Games that require servers to run.
How do we keep these playable when a publisher decides they don't wanna pay for the server upkeep anymore?
For instance, how will gamers 50 years from now be able to go back and see one of the most important games of this era, World of Warcraft?
Well, one way would be to allow fans and preservation groups to run private Servers, but sadly this form of preservation is illegal without consent, and as a recent scuffle between the electronic frontier foundation and the games industry publisher group the ESA showed, publishers aren't interested in giving consent, no matter how long the game's been dead.
So what are we to do?
This is a real crisis for game preservation, with decades-old copyright laws making it nigh on impossible to legally preserve With software, is there any hope for saving this milestone in gaming's heritage, or are we on the verge of losing thousands of games forever.
We're here in Oakland, California to find out.
We're here to talk to the good folks at the Museum of Art and Digital Entertainment about the battle for video game preservation.
The Point.
Season three, episode 12: The War on Game Preservation.
[MUSIC]
Welcome to the MADE, the Museum of Arts and Digital Entertainment
Up Next
Is Titanfall 2's single-player a worthy addition?
Up Next
Is Titanfall 2's single-player a worthy addition?
How does Battlefield 1 compare to past Battlefield games?
How does Battlefield 1 compare to past Battlefield games?
Top 6 new features in Battlefield 1
Top 6 new features in Battlefield 1
Duke Nukem 3D: 20th Anniversary - Raw Meat gameplay
Duke Nukem 3D: 20th Anniversary - Raw Meat gameplay
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare graphics comparison
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare graphics comparison
GameSpot's The Lobby: What games are left for 2016?
GameSpot's The Lobby: What games are left for 2016?
GameSpot's The Lobby: Does Modern Warfare hold up?
GameSpot's The Lobby: Does Modern Warfare hold up?
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered -- 'Shock and Awe' gameplay
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered -- 'Shock and Awe' gameplay
NES Classic System impressions
NES Classic System impressions
Dishonored 2's Clockwork Mansion will astound and frustrate you
Dishonored 2's Clockwork Mansion will astound and frustrate you
Tech Shows
Latest News All latest news
PlayStation 5 Pro Leaked: Everything We Know
PlayStation 5 Pro Leaked: Everything We Know
Everything Just Revealed at Nvidia's GTC AI Conference
Everything Just Revealed at Nvidia's GTC AI Conference
Nvidia Reveals Omniverse Cloud Streams to the Vision Pro
Nvidia Reveals Omniverse Cloud Streams to the Vision Pro
Nvidia Shows Project GROOT and Disney Bots at GTC Conference
Nvidia Shows Project GROOT and Disney Bots at GTC Conference
Expert vs. AI: Is Now the Time to Buy an EV?
Expert vs. AI: Is Now the Time to Buy an EV?
The PlayStation Portal Built-In Volume Is too Loud: Here's How to Keep It Low
The PlayStation Portal Built-In Volume Is too Loud: Here's How to Keep It Low
Most Popular All most popular
First Look at TSA's Self-Screening Tech (in VR!)
First Look at TSA's Self-Screening Tech (in VR!)
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Review: More AI at a Higher Cost
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Review: More AI at a Higher Cost
'Circle to Search' Lets Users Google From Any Screen
'Circle to Search' Lets Users Google From Any Screen
Asus Put Two 14-inch OLEDs in a Laptop, Unleashes First OLED ROG Gaming Laptop
Asus Put Two 14-inch OLEDs in a Laptop, Unleashes First OLED ROG Gaming Laptop
Samsung Galaxy Ring: First Impressions
Samsung Galaxy Ring: First Impressions
Best of Show: The Coolest Gadgets of CES 2024
Best of Show: The Coolest Gadgets of CES 2024
Latest Products All latest products
First Look: The $349 Nothing Phone 2A Aims to Brighten Your Day
First Look: The $349 Nothing Phone 2A Aims to Brighten Your Day
Best of MWC 2024: Bendable Screens, AI Wearables and More
Best of MWC 2024: Bendable Screens, AI Wearables and More
This Concept Laptop from Lenovo Has a Transparent Display
This Concept Laptop from Lenovo Has a Transparent Display
Motorola's Rollable Concept Phone Wraps on Your Wrist
Motorola's Rollable Concept Phone Wraps on Your Wrist
See Adobe Lightroom on the Apple Vision Pro
See Adobe Lightroom on the Apple Vision Pro
This $400 Cane Has a Built-In Phone
This $400 Cane Has a Built-In Phone
Latest How To All how to videos
Windows 11 Tips and Hidden Features
Windows 11 Tips and Hidden Features
Vision Pro App Walkthrough -- VisionOS 1.0.3
Vision Pro App Walkthrough -- VisionOS 1.0.3
Tips and Tricks for the Galaxy S24 Ultra
Tips and Tricks for the Galaxy S24 Ultra
TikTok Is Now on the Apple Vision Pro
TikTok Is Now on the Apple Vision Pro
Get Your TV Ready for the Big Game: Super Bowl Setup Tips
Get Your TV Ready for the Big Game: Super Bowl Setup Tips
How to Use a Quest 3 Like the Vision Pro