What we know of history is preserved in the art we create, and what we leave behind. Cave paintings tell stories of great hunting feats, crumbling texts give us a glimpse into ancient cultures, and film reels show us how far life has come. In the same way, these artifacts represent the breadth of human experience, culture, and talent, video games can tell us a lot about the times we lived in.
The value of preserving this history is misunderstood and often fraught with complications. Copyright law typically means publishers — and sometimes developers — control the IP of anything produced, meaning preservationists are often breaking the law while they work to document the history and talent behind lost creations.
Preservation doesn’t just illuminate gaming history though: the work often has knock-on effects for consumers and future projects. When Kingdom Hearts was…
