NFSA to collect and preserve Australian video games. National Film and Sound Archive of Australia. September 26 2019.
The Archive announced they will start collecting Australian video games for archival preservation. "Today we welcome video games into our collection of more than 3 million items. The collection represents the cultural diversity and breadth of experience of all Australians, and it is constantly evolving just like our creative industries." "It is essential that games be collected alongside other audiovisual media, to ensure their continued preservation and access."
An initial list of eight games has been selected for preservation. They span almost 40 years of gaming history, from 1982 to 2019, across all platforms, from cassette tape to mobile devices and virtual reality headsets. This will provide "an overview of the evolution of the medium, as well as an opportunity to identify the archival challenges in preserving the different technologies employed - both software and hardware."
The Archive will work with game developers to develop solutions for long-term preservation of their work which will benefit future generations. The initial selection will "allow the NFSA to explore what components and documentation must be collected in order to paint a complete picture of the game’s creative process from concept to finished product. It will also identify challenges around software and hardware obsolescence, long-term storage and access, rights and proprietorial platforms, etc., to inform the ongoing preservation strategy. Following this phase, Australian games will be collected on an ongoing basis."
