If you’re a fan of vintage video games, you might want to sit down for this one. A recent study by the Video Game History Foundation and Software Preservation Network has dropped a bombshell that might just make your joystick tremble. Brace yourselves, folks – 87% of all games released before 2010 are no longer available through legal means. And no, you didn’t misread that.
The Unsettling Stats
The study, which focused on the American market, found that these older games are no longer available for purchase on modern platforms. So, if you’re hoping to get your hands on a classic title, you might have to start practicing your pirate accent or dust off your library card.
Many of these now-unattainable games have been replaced by newer versions, which are the only available editions. Adding insult to injury, numerous digital stores have been shut down, further reducing access to these old-school treasures. The only options left for gamers are to hunt for second-hand copies, scour libraries, or resort to piracy. Not exactly a buffet of fantastic choices, huh?
The Preservation Paradox
The study also highlighted a frustrating paradox. Libraries and archives can preserve games, but only physical versions due to regulations. These institutions are not allowed to preserve digital versions of games, which could potentially provide a better range of options for people to find older games through legal means.
The Art Conclusion
So there you have it. The gaming world is slowly losing its history, one pixel at a time. If you’re a vintage game enthusiast, you might want to start hoarding those old cartridges and discs before they become as rare as a sober dwarf in a fantasy RPG.
And now, a little rhyme to lighten the mood:
In a world where old games fade and die,
We can but hope, wish, and sigh,
For a time when vintage games fly high,
In digital libraries, under the cyber sky.
Source: Feber.se
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