Most games won’t ever be reprinted and, with major ROM websites facing down the legal teams of large game companies, game preservationists argue that the current state of commercial video game preservation is abysmal.

But there’s something you can do, no matter your profession, to make sure video game history isn’t lost to the sands of time, explains Digital Eclipse’s Frank Cifaldi in his talk on game preservation from GDC 2019. 

Cifaldi offers general advice on how to contribute to the preservation of video game history, as well as tips for developers looking to reprint classic games on how to ensure that those reprinted titles best represent their original releases.

About the GDC Vault

In addition to this presentation, the GDC Vault and its accompanying YouTube channel offers numerous other free videos, audio recordings, and slides from many of the recent Game Developers Conference events, and the service offers even more members-only content for GDC Vault subscribers.

Those who purchased All Access passes to recent events like GDC or VRDC already have full access to GDC Vault, and interested parties can apply for the individual subscription via a GDC Vault subscription page. Group subscriptions are also available: game-related schools and development studios who sign up for GDC Vault Studio Subscriptions can receive access for their entire office or company by contacting staff via the GDC Vault group subscription page. Finally, current subscribers with access issues can contact GDC Vault technical support.