Disappearance of Video Games Permanently: A Concern Worthy of Attention
Digitalization of Video Games: A Preservation Crisis
The digitalization of video games has brought about a new era of convenience and distribution, but it also poses significant challenges for the preservation of video game heritage. This issue has come to the forefront with the impending closure of the Xbox 360 digital store, set for July 2025.
The closure of legacy digital stores like Xbox 360’s underscores the fragility of digital-only game availability. With over 2,000 Xbox 360 titles, only a fraction is available on newer platforms like Xbox Series X|S, meaning many digital-only games will effectively become inaccessible indefinitely.
For the gaming industry, this closure reflects broader challenges: balancing commercial viability versus long-term preservation. Companies often cease support for older servers and services once profitability ends, leading to a gap in the industry's history. Lobbying groups defend companies' rights to end online game support, warning that mandating indefinite preservation increases development risks and costs. However, some companies are beginning to respond to public pressure from preservation movements, with changes like adding offline modes.
Gamers face the loss of access to purchased digital games and online modes, especially for server-dependent titles like Halo 3's multiplayer, as server shutdowns render such content unplayable. The community attempts to mitigate losses via used physical copies, backups, and forums sharing preservation strategies, but these are limited by server dependency and proprietary platforms. The closure renews interest in physical media and fully downloadable platforms like GOG.com, which allow true ownership detached from server requirements, seen as a preservation-friendly alternative. Subscription services like Xbox Game Pass partially offset gaps by offering some legacy titles, but many games remain unavailable, leaving holes in game libraries and gaming history.
The closure of the Xbox 360 store spotlights the crisis in preserving the cultural legacy of video games, analogous to older console eras like the Super Nintendo, where physical media ensured longevity. Current industry efforts at preservation often concentrate on private archives within major corporations, such as Embracer Group, which critics argue is insufficient for public cultural heritage. Advocacy campaigns push for legal or industry-wide solutions to guarantee ongoing access, but industry resistance persists due to cost and commercial considerations.
Video game preservation is complicated by digital rights management, server dependencies, and a lack of clear responsibility, leading to fears that entire swaths of gaming history might be lost in future digital transitions. Conkerax, a 33-year-old YouTuber specializing in documentaries about video games, believes that players are willing to contribute financially to ensure the continuation of games. He proposes connecting players and publishers to allow accreditation of unofficial servers. Conkerax's collective aims to clarify and make visible the purchase/rental denomination in video game licenses.
A petition titled Stop Destroying Videogames was launched to ensure access to video games even if the servers are closed. Microsoft's strategy now seems to focus on Game Pass, a service similar to Netflix for video games. However, the closure of games like The Crew, suddenly removed from libraries, and its servers shut down, highlights the unpredictable nature of digital preservation. The YouTuber believes that increasing transparency by clarifying the purchase/rental denomination would be a relevant lever. He admits that some methods for obtaining decommissioned games may not be legal.
In summary, while digitalization enables convenient access and new distribution models, it also creates vulnerable dependencies on corporate platform support and online services. The closure of legacy digital stores like Xbox 360’s catalyzes industry and community debates on how to ensure digital games remain accessible to future generations and how to preserve the interactive cultural heritage of video games as a medium.
- The closure of legacy digital stores, like the Xbox 360’s, highlights a crisis in video game preservation, as hard-to-find games, such as gadgets from the Xbox 360 era, may become difficult or impossible to access in the future due to technology constraints.
- The impending closure of the Xbox 360 digital store has brought about discussions within the gaming industry and community about the need for balance between commercial viability and preserving video game heritage, with some advocating for the use of gadgets and technology that enable true ownership of digital games for long-term accessibility.
