All articles tagged with #digital preservation
Nintendo will shut down Pokémon Bank on February 25, 2027, ending cross‑title Pokémon transfers and long‑term storage for up to 3,000 Pokémon; while Pokémon HOME remains, some Pokémon can only be obtained in 3DS games, risking permanent gaps in the Pokédex and underscoring preservation concerns as online services end.
Sony plans to phase out physical PS game discs by 2028, but the bigger hurdle for preserving software history is DRM and online-authorization schemes that tie titles to publishers’ servers. While archives like the Internet Archive and the Video Game History Foundation work to preserve history, many modern games require continuous online access and encrypted launchers, making true, bit-perfect preservation difficult and often pushing archivists toward legal grey areas or gaps in the record.
John Romero addressed reports of significant layoffs at id Software amid Xbox’s restructuring, offering condolences and urging digital preservation of the studio’s history as its legacy faces upheaval. With rumors of heavy cuts—ranging from roughly 50% of the Texas studio to as high as 95—the story notes the broader shift away from independence toward core franchises. Romero also highlights his own archival efforts and hopes others preserve id’s ongoing legacy (the Doom/Quake/Wolfenstein era), and mentions a plan to donate saved materials to The Strong National Museum of Play after his death.
John Romero expresses sympathy for id Software staff amid Xbox-wide layoffs and stresses preserving the studio's history and assets as The Dark Ages DLC launches, arguing the industry's legacy depends on digital preservation.
The European Commission says it will not impose a legal mandate to ensure video games stay playable; instead it plans a voluntary industry code of conduct to safeguard long‑term access and compatibility for players, avoiding a binding rule.
RPG Maker's official forums will shut down on December 11, 2026 as Gotcha Gotcha Games restructures community management; with no official archive planned, fans are racing to manually back up posts, guides, and resources—an immense task given the forums host about 1.4 million messages across thousands of threads.
Anna's Archive claims to have scraped and archived metadata for 256 million tracks from Spotify, creating the largest publicly available music database aimed at preservation, though this activity violates copyright laws and Spotify has taken measures against such scraping.
The article discusses the recent cracking of Spotify's DRM, enabling large-scale downloading of music, which raises concerns about piracy, research datasets, and the music industry's response. It highlights the ideological motivations behind archiving efforts like Anna's Archive, debates the value and impact of piracy on artists and the industry, and touches on the broader implications for digital rights, AI training, and cultural preservation.
The UK House of Commons discussed the need for stronger consumer protections for digital games, citing Concord's sudden shutdown as an example, and emphasizing the importance of preserving gaming culture and safeguarding players' investments, despite the government's stance to maintain current laws.
Cambridge University Library is working to rescue valuable historical data stored on old floppy disks, including materials from Stephen Hawking, amid concerns that digital data from the past 50 years could be lost due to degradation and obsolete technology, risking a 'digital dark age.'
Game historian Bruno de Figueiredo has successfully preserved and shared online the ISO of TRIPITAKA, one of the rarest video games with only one known physical copy, highlighting ongoing efforts and challenges in video game preservation amid industry shifts and legal hurdles.
The BBC is in talks with major tech companies to explore using artificial intelligence to improve access to its vast archives, aiming to make it easier for users to find and view historical content. The broadcaster is looking to collaborate with companies like Google and Microsoft to develop AI tools that can help with tasks such as tagging and categorizing content, as well as preserving digital materials for future generations.
A study of over seven million digital publications found that more than two million articles with active DOIs were not properly archived, highlighting the failure of systems to preserve papers online. This poses a significant challenge to the long-term sustainability of the research ecosystem, as the inability to verify past research could lead to a reliance on blind faith. The study suggests measures to improve digital preservation, including stronger requirements at DOI registration agencies and better education and awareness among publishers and researchers.
After 32 years, New Mexico State University announced the closure of its Hobbes OS/2 Archive, a significant resource for IBM OS/2 users. The archive, set to shut down on April 15, 2024, contains a wealth of OS/2 software, games, and utilities dating back to 1987. Despite efforts to mirror the files elsewhere, the closure marks the end of an era in Internet history. OS/2, once a competitor to Windows, continues to have a legacy in specialized applications, and the loss of Hobbes underscores the importance of preserving digital heritage for future generations.
Curators and conservators are facing the challenge of preserving and updating artworks that were created using obsolete technology. Museums are relying on businesses like CTL Electronics, which specializes in repairing video artworks made with outdated hardware. The rapid pace of technological advancements poses a dilemma for art institutions, as they must find ways to protect and conserve art that relies on technologies that are no longer in use. Some solutions include replacing old hardware with newer alternatives, using emulation techniques, or even exploring unconventional methods like archiving art in DNA. The preservation of digital art and the prevention of digital obsolescence are becoming increasingly important in the art world.