Preserving a game means preserving more than a copy of its software. A particular release may rely on a specific operating system, proprietary console, controller, documentation, or online service. The files can survive while the game is no longer runnable, understandable, or accessible in its original form.
What does it mean to preserve a game?
There is no single preservation target. An archive might aim to retain the game’s source code or release build, make its behavior playable again, document how people used it, or preserve the platform context that shaped the experience. Those goals overlap, but one does not automatically achieve the others.
The Library of Congress’s 2025–2026 Recommended Formats Statement for software and video games treats game content, operating systems, platforms, and related materials as distinct components. That approach reflects a practical fact: a file is evidence of software, not necessarily a working game.
Why can’t an archive just save the game files?
Different versions serve different purposes
A game’s uncompiled source code, gold master build, and distribution files are not interchangeable. Source code can help explain or reconstruct how a program was made, while a gold master or distribution copy represents a particular released version. Identifying and keeping the relevant versions matters because “the game” may refer to several different artifacts.
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The operating system may be part of the preservation target
A game can depend on an operating system or runtime that is no longer commonly available. The Library of Congress recommends an operating-system image when a game does not run on commonly available operating systems. Retaining such an image preserves context that a stand-alone game file may lack; it does not, by itself, guarantee that the software will run on future equipment.
A console release is not just a PC build in a box
Games can behave differently across platforms, including in how players interact with them. The Library of Congress notes that a release for each platform may be needed. When a proprietary platform is required, its guidance calls for supplying the preferred platform virtually or through emulation where possible; if emulation is unavailable, the institution may retain the original hardware, controllers, and power supply.
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That hardware is not incidental packaging. A controller’s layout and platform-specific behavior can affect the experience, so preserving only the game’s data may omit part of what made that version distinct.
What happens when a game depends on an online service?
Some games rely on an external service or gameplay server. Keeping local files does not recreate a server, its content, or the interactions that happened through it. This creates a fundamental difference between preserving a playable game and recording evidence of how it was used.
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The Library of Congress accepts video of software in use when a preservation copy is absent or significant online dependencies cannot be recreated. Video can document activity, but it is not an interactive substitute for the original service.
How do rights and access limit preservation?
In the United States, preserving a copy and making it available are separate legal questions. The Copyright Office says Section 1201 generally prohibits circumvention of technological protection measures, with limited, temporary exemptions created through a rulemaking process; its Section 1201 FAQ explains that framework.
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A particular rule in 37 CFR 201.40 provides a narrow route for qualifying museums, libraries, and archives. It concerns lawfully acquired, complete games that are no longer reasonably available and do not require an external gameplay server, and it imposes conditions including on-premises access. The regulation defines “complete games” as “video games that can be played by users without accessing or reproducing copyrightable content stored or previously stored on an external computer server.”
This is not a general permission for individuals to download or distribute games, for institutions to provide unrestricted remote access, or for every game whose servers have shut down. The rule’s eligibility and conditions matter; being out of print alone does not make copying or sharing unrestricted.
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Why do cataloguing and documentation matter?
A preserved object needs enough description for people to identify what it is, how it relates to other versions, and what is needed to use or interpret it. Documentation can connect software with its platform, operating system, controls, and release context. Without those records, files and equipment may survive but remain difficult to discover or understand.
The Library of Congress identifies acquisition, description, preservation, and access as challenges for interactive media. Its National Audio-Visual Conservation Center holds more than 5,000 videogames collected through copyright deposit and private donation, illustrating the scale of the collecting work without implying that every title has the same preservation needs. See the Library’s “Would You Like to Save Your Game?” for more on the collection and its context.
Which preservation approach fits which goal?
| Approach | What it can preserve | What it does not establish on its own |
|---|---|---|
| Keep source code, gold master, or distribution files | Software artifacts and particular versions | A working runtime, the original platform experience, or access rights |
| Keep an operating-system image | A runtime environment for software that will not run on commonly available operating systems | Compatibility with future hardware or a recreated external service |
| Use emulation or retain original hardware | A route to platform-specific behavior; original hardware may include the controllers and power supply | Every aspect of the original experience, or permission for unrestricted public access |
| Record video of use | Audiovisual documentation when an interactive preservation copy or online dependency cannot be recreated | Playable software or an interactive service |
| Retain documentation and descriptive records | Context for identifying, discovering, and interpreting collected materials | The software, platform, or service itself |
These approaches can complement one another. The appropriate combination depends on the game’s versions and dependencies, whether its platform can be emulated, and the access an institution is legally able to provide. The Library of Congress also offers general information about preservation and its challenges.
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