Game Preservation
Ongoing coverage on Game Preservation.
Latest coverage
Games Inbox: Is buying physical video games becoming more popular?
Readers discuss the resurgence of physical game sales, drawing parallels to vinyl and other retro media. Concerns are raised about the future of the Fallout franchise under Bethesda and Todd Howard's direction, with a preference for Obsidian's involvement. The success of Pokémon Pokopia is highlighted as a risk rewarded, while the Nintendo vs. Sega rivalry is revisited, noting Nintendo's current dominance.
Game History and Preservation
A canceled Star Wars Battlefront 3 game for the Xbox 360 has been revived by fans. This fan effort highlights the ongoing interest in preserving and completing unreleased titles within the gaming community.
Microsoft Teases “Iconic” Xbox Games for Backwards Compatibility With “Entirely New Ways” to Play
Microsoft's Xbox division is expanding backwards compatibility with iconic older games playable in new ways, according to VP Jason Ronald. While not fully detailed, hints suggest these games could become available on PC, with Fuzion Frenzy being a notable example. The company is also developing a next-generation console codenamed Project Helix, designed as a hybrid PC/console machine with advanced ray tracing capabilities.
Xbox teases "some iconic games from the past" to be re-released in 2026, after its "game preservation team" spent years "working very hard in the background"
Xbox plans to re-release several classic, unnamed games in 2026 as part of its commitment to game preservation. Xbox's next-gen VP Jason Ronald stated that these titles will be playable in new ways, leveraging technologies like Auto HDR and FPS Boost. This initiative aims to make older games accessible to new generations of players.
‘This is a passion project for all of us here’: Xbox keeps pushing the envelope on preservation efforts
Xbox is prioritizing game preservation, aiming to keep older titles accessible and playable with modern enhancements like Auto HDR and FPS Boost. The company plans to release iconic retro games with new features as part of its 25th anniversary celebration later this year, potentially including remasters or remakes of titles like Fallout: New Vegas.
From GDC: Building the Next Generation of Xbox
Microsoft is developing a next-generation Xbox console, codenamed Project Helix, in partnership with AMD, aiming for significant advancements in rendering and ray tracing. The company is also rolling out 'Xbox mode' to Windows 11, enhancing cross-platform play and game preservation efforts, with alpha hardware versions planned for developers in 2027.
Cancelled LucasArts Star Wars shooter that 'would have just made Disney money' is playable online for the…
The cancelled LucasArts multiplayer FPS, Star Wars: First Assault, has been made playable online by a team of modders. The game, which was shut down by Disney in 2013, features rebel and stormtrooper teams battling on Tatooine. Footage suggests a polished experience, with designer Patrick Wren noting the game was close to launch and would have been profitable.
Microsoft Teases "New Ways To Play" Classic Games For Xbox 25th Anniversary
Microsoft is celebrating the Xbox's 25th anniversary by teasing "new ways to play" classic games, emphasizing its commitment to game preservation and backwards compatibility across four generations of Xbox. While specific details were not revealed, the company mentioned enabling iconic titles to be played by the next generation in familiar ways. Microsoft also announced that the Xbox Full Screen Experience will launch on PC in April.
Classic Zombie Panic! Mod Gets Steam Release After Two Decades
The classic survival-horror mod Zombie Panic! has officially launched on Steam after more than two decades. Developed by Tabajara, the release includes classic maps, restored community content, new characters, weapons, and an updated interface. This launch is highlighted as a significant achievement in game preservation, making a piece of gaming history accessible to a new generation.
The Mario Game and Watch isn't my favorite version, but it does at least have the real sequel you potentially…
The Nintendo Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros. handheld, released in 2020, includes the original Super Mario Bros. and its Japanese sequel, Super Mario Bros. 2 (The Lost Levels). While not the author's preferred version of the handheld, it offers official access to classic titles and a unique version of Super Mario Bros. 2, which is a reskin of Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic.
Amazon Raising A Pokemon Game Price To $80 Sets A Worrying Precedent
Amazon temporarily increased the price of the physical edition of Pokemon Pokopia from $70 to $80, sparking concerns about a worrying precedent for video game pricing. This move, especially for a game utilizing a game-key card format, has also raised questions among preservationists about the future of digital ownership and physical releases.
Valve’s Legacy DRM Locks Players Out of 150 Classic Games
Valve's legacy DRM system, Steam CEG, is preventing players from accessing approximately 150 older games, including major franchises like XCOM and Call of Duty. This issue is impacting speedrunners and modders who rely on older game builds, and raises concerns about game preservation and historical access.
Minecraft LCE Lives On: Fans Create Working Dedicated Servers
Community developers have successfully created working dedicated servers for the discontinued Minecraft Legacy Console Edition. This achievement breathes new life into the older version of the game, which was abandoned by Mojang, and highlights the power of community-driven game preservation efforts. The breakthrough allows players to reconnect and potentially revive old communities and content creation around the beloved console version.
Xbox-fans röstar om gamla Xbox-spel de vill ge nytt Xbox-liv på Series och Helix – The Simpsons i topp
Fans on XboxGamePreservation.com are voting on which original Xbox and Xbox 360 games they want to see made backward compatible on modern Xbox consoles like the Series X|S. The Simpsons: Hit & Run is leading the vote, followed by Silent Hill 4: The Room and Burnout 3: Takedown, with seven out of the top ten games being from the original Xbox era.
Gaming Community United: When ‘Too Late for Support’ Hits Different
A viral Reddit post titled 'Too Late for support!' has sparked a widespread discussion about game preservation and the ephemeral nature of digital gaming experiences. The post highlights the frustration gamers feel when servers shut down or games become inaccessible, emphasizing the need for better long-term support and transparent communication from developers. This sentiment reflects a growing desire within the gaming community to protect cultural heritage and ensure the longevity of virtual worlds.
Games Inbox: Will Project Helix be a successful comeback for Xbox?
Readers discuss the potential success of Microsoft's 'Project Helix' for Xbox, with concerns about its high cost and whether it's too late for a comeback. Other topics include the aging audience for single-player games, Nintendo's Direct presentations, and the challenges of reviving the Prince of Persia franchise.
One coder's 'winter madness project' was making the Dreamcast-era cityscapes of Crazy Taxi explorable in…
A programmer has recreated the cityscapes from the Dreamcast game Crazy Taxi, allowing players to explore them at their own pace. These recreations are part of 'noclip,' a digital museum of video game levels that uses open-source methods to render environments from various classic games.
Game History and Preservation
Palmer Luckey's retro gaming venture, ModRetro, is nearing a $1 billion valuation with the upcoming launch of its FPGA-based Nintendo 64 clone, the M64 console. The device will play original Nintendo 64 cartridges and support 4K resolution output.
The new fad of PC renting is a nightmare and I’m scared about the future of gaming
The gaming industry is shifting from hardware ownership to a rental and subscription model, exemplified by HP's OMEN Gaming Subscription and Sony's PlayStation 5 leasing program. This trend, driven by rising hardware costs and the growth of cloud gaming, raises concerns about long-term costs, the erosion of PC gaming's tinkering culture, and the preservation of game history.
Nintendo Is Suing The United States Government Over Tariffs
Nintendo of America is suing the United States government over tariffs imposed in 2025, seeking a refund for duties paid. The lawsuit claims the tariffs were unlawfully enacted. The article also details numerous new features and improvements for the recently launched Nintendo Switch 2, including enhanced online capabilities, a larger screen, improved performance, and backward compatibility with Nintendo Switch games.
