Game Preservation
Ongoing coverage on Game Preservation.
Latest coverage
MMOs You’ve Never Heard Of: Phantom Line, Idle Clans, and Dragon Awaken
This article rounds up lesser-known multiplayer games, including Phantom Line, a co-op shooter in development by Antistatic Studios. It also features Idle Clans, a PC and mobile idle game celebrating its third anniversary with a new expansion, and Dragon Awaken, a 2017 heroic fantasy MMORPG now managed by Games Hollywood, with one fan attempting to archive it.
Leaks suggest Xbox Cloud Gaming could bring back lost classics
Leaks suggest Microsoft is testing the reintroduction of classic Xbox 360 titles, including Aegis Wing and Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, through Xbox Cloud Gaming. This initiative aligns with Microsoft's broader goals for backward compatibility and could potentially be packaged in a new Game Pass tier.
Game History and Preservation
The Hiryu no Ken Collection has been announced for PC, with Gematsu reporting on the news. Additionally, Eurogamer.net has revealed the discovery of an astonishing, never-before-seen deleted cutscene from Elden Ring, highlighting ongoing interest in game history and preservation.
Stop Killing Games praises French lawsuit against Ubisoft, preps to speak at EU parliament April 16
Consumer advocacy group Stop Killing Games, led by Ross Scott, is praising a lawsuit filed in France against Ubisoft over the sunsetting of The Crew. Scott is scheduled to speak at the EU parliament on April 16th regarding a citizens' initiative petition related to game preservation. The lawsuit's success in France could set a precedent for other European countries.
This Nightdive-remastered 3DO shooter shows why it took Halo to break PC gaming's FPS hegemony
This analysis discusses PO'ed, a 1995 first-person shooter originally developed by Any Channel and published by The 3DO Company, which has been remastered by Nightdive Studios. Despite its innovative features for the time, such as a chef protagonist and a jetpack, the game is criticized for its clunky controls, disorienting level design, and crude humor. The article also touches on Nightdive Studios' mission of game preservation, using PO'ed as an example of a flawed but historically significant title.
Xeno Genesis - A possibly unheard of Amiga shoot'em up action game has been recovered
A previously unreleased Amiga shoot 'em up game titled Xeno Genesis by Demantoid Productions has been recovered from a user's loft. Originally intended for release by Microvalue and distributed by Cat Computer Club, the game was found on an old Amiga disk and has been successfully preserved. Searches on major Amiga databases have yielded no prior results for this title.
Nintendo Switch Triumphs: Star Fox and Mario Steal the ... | TAG
Several gaming news outlets report on recent updates and releases. Star Fox titles are now available on Nintendo Switch Online, while Slay the Spire 2 enters early access. Bungie is buffing the Recon class in Marathon, and Marvel and DC are set for a Spider-Man/Superman crossover in 2026. Additionally, Take-Two has reportedly laid off members of its AI team.
OpenGOAL project adds the Naughty Dog classic Jak 3
The OpenGOAL project has released a native PC port for the PlayStation 2 classic Jak 3, completing the trilogy's availability on PC alongside Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy and Jak II. This open-source initiative provides quality-of-life improvements and modding support, though users must supply their own game assets. Support for Jak 3 is currently in beta, and the project has deprecated its Steam Deck plugin in favor of its own launcher.
Marvel MaXimum Collection First Impressions: Preserving the Past As-Is While Also Providing Optional New Features
The Marvel MaXimum Collection brings together classic arcade Marvel titles like X-Men Arcade and Silver Surfer, with a focus on preserving the original pixelated experience. Limited Run Games appears to be upholding its reputation for meticulous game preservation while also offering optional new features.
French consumer advocacy group sues Ubisoft for taking The Crew offline, almost two years since Stop Killing Games first protested it
French consumer advocacy group UFC-Que Choisir has filed a lawsuit against Ubisoft over the removal of The Crew, arguing that players were deprived of access to a purchased game. The lawsuit challenges Ubisoft's EULA clauses that limit player rights and seeks to establish property rights over game copies and prevent publishers from revoking access. This action is supported by the Stop Killing Games initiative, which protests the practice of shutting down online-only games.
Game History and Preservation
GOG has released optimized ports of the original PC Resident Evil trilogy on Steam, making these classic titles more accessible. This move highlights ongoing efforts in game preservation, ensuring older games can be played on modern platforms.
The most hardcore Jak & Daxter heads in the world have finished their native PC ports of the entire trilogy
The OpenGOAL team has completed its native PC port of the Jak and Daxter trilogy, with Jak 3 being the final title released. This project offers a superior experience to emulation, featuring fewer bugs, more configuration options, and modding capabilities. While the PSP spinoffs are not included, the team has not ruled out Jak X: Combat Racing.
This Neopets mini-game collection proves it's actually good to preserve bad games, scratching my nostalgia-addled…
Neopets: Mega Mini-Games Collection offers a nostalgic trip back to the early 2000s with its collection of 26 revived Adobe Flash games. While many are unoriginal and clunky, the game's value lies in its preservation of these digital artifacts and the personal nostalgia they evoke for players who grew up with Neopets.
Review: Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection Preserves More Classics
Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection is a commendable compilation that preserves the trilogy with all its original content, including previously Japan-exclusive elements and online functionality. The collection offers numerous quality-of-life improvements and display options, making it a strong offering for fans of the series and a good example of Capcom's game preservation efforts, despite minor UI and filter quibbles.
Nintendo's physical price split is "a pro-consumer move," says ex-sales lead, and the company is just passing profits on cheaper digital games back to you while it swims in "Scrooge McDuck money"
Nintendo is implementing a price split for first-party games on the Nintendo Switch, with digital versions being $10 cheaper than physical ones. A former Nintendo sales lead, Sean, suggests this is a pro-consumer move to pass savings from digital sales onto players. He also believes that while some premium physical games might remain expensive, the majority will stay at their current price point, and collectors who value physical copies won't be deterred by the surcharge.
Major French consumer group sue Ubisoft over always-online game shutdowns
French consumer group UFC-Que Choisir is suing Ubisoft over the publisher's decision to shut down online servers for The Crew. This action will render the game unplayable for users who purchased it, raising concerns about game preservation and consumer rights.
French consumer group sues Ubisoft over shutdown of The Crew
French consumer association UFC-Que Choisir has filed a lawsuit against Ubisoft over the shutdown of the online racing game The Crew. The association alleges that Ubisoft misled consumers about the permanence of their purchase and imposed abusive clauses, leading to player backlash and the formation of the 'Stop Killing Games' movement.
Stop Killing Games Campaign Reaches EU Parliament in Historic Push
The 'Stop Killing Games' campaign has reached the EU Parliament, initiating policy discussions on game shutdowns and digital art preservation. The movement advocates for legislation to prevent publishers from making older games unplayable by shutting down servers, arguing it destroys cultural heritage. While facing industry pushback regarding costs and technical challenges, the campaign leverages the EU's strong stance on consumer rights and digital regulation.
France's leading consumer association has filed a lawsuit against Ubisoft over The Crew's online shutdown
France's leading consumer association, UFC-Que Choisir, has filed a lawsuit against Ubisoft concerning the shutdown of the online racing game The Crew. The lawsuit alleges that Ubisoft misled consumers about the permanence of their purchase and imposed abusive contractual clauses. This legal action could have significant implications for game preservation and consumer rights in the industry.
Enjoy Marathon Now Before Sony Kills It
The article discusses the potential shutdown of the game Marathon by Sony, urging players to enjoy it while it's still available. It highlights concerns about game preservation and the impact of online-only services on older titles.
