GOG teams with European game archivist organization to continue preservation efforts

Digital game storefront GOG is furthering its recent game preservation efforts by joining with the European Federation of Game Archives, Museums, and Preservation Projects (EFGAMP).

The European group collects and preserves digital games, and represents “over 20 heritage institutions and other organizations dedicated to preserving video games as cultural heritage.” GOG is the first Polish organization in its ranks, which includes the French-based MO5, Berlin’s Computerspielemuseum, and the Video Game Museum in Rome.

GOG’s preservation effortsGOG launched its titular preservation program in November, which pledged to keep classic games (read: 10 years or older) up to date with current and upcoming Windows hardware. In December, the initiative expanded to include titles delisted by their developers, such as Blizzard’s first two Warcraft games. Players who purchased them on GOG before their delisting can still access them, and the company pledged all delisted games joining the program will “remain compatible with modern systems, preserving their experience for years to come.”

“Classic games and the mission to safeguard them for future generations have always been at the core of our work,” said GOG’s managing director Maciej Gołębiewski. “As a European company, we feel a responsibility to lead in preserving gaming heritage. Joining EFGAMP reinforces this commitment.”

EFGAMP COO Andreas Lange noted the storefront’s “unique perspective” in game distribution “complements the work of our existing members by bringing further digital expertize to our collective efforts. GoG is a fantastic addition to EFGAMP, whose members are primarily rooted in the cultural heritage sector.”

Now that it’s part of the EFGAMP, Gołębiewski said GOG will “expand institutional collaboration with museums and governmental and non-governmental organizations worldwide. […] We are also discussing exciting new game preservation projects, which we look forward to sharing soon.”

About the Author

Contributing Editor, GameDeveloper.com

A Kansas City, MO native, Justin Carter has written for numerous sites including IGN, Polygon, and SyFy Wire. In addition to Game Developer, his writing can be found at io9 over on Gizmodo. Don’t ask him about how much gum he’s had, because the answer will be more than he’s willing to admit.