Tag

Game Preservation

All articles tagged with #game preservation

gaming2 days ago•4 min saved

Fan-Made Native PC Port of P.T. Reaches 1.0 with Modern Graphics Features

A modder has released a fully playable, native PC port of the 2014 horror demo P.T., the cancelled teaser for Silent Hills. The project, created by LoreanXavier, rebuilds the game logic in C++ and uses a Vulkan renderer, requiring users to provide their own dumped PS4 files. It adds modern features like DLSS 4.5, frame generation, and ray tracing, making the iconic horror experience accessible on current hardware for the first time.

via MP1st|

#game-preservation #gaming #hideo-kojima

gaming3 days ago•2 min saved

P.T. PC Port 1.0 Launches with Native Vulkan Engine and Modern Upscaling

A fan-made native PC port of the 2014 horror teaser P.T. has reached version 1.0, allowing players to experience Hideo Kojima's cancelled Silent Hills project on modern hardware. The project, developed by LoreanXavier, rebuilds the game's logic in C++ and uses a custom Vulkan renderer, requiring users to provide their own dumped PS4 game files. It supports modern features like DLSS 4.5, frame generation, and ray tracing, and is available for free on GitHub.

via Wccftech|

#game-preservation #gaming #hideo-kojima

gaming11 days ago•119 min saved

Xbox Disc-to-Digital Adds SEGA and Automates License Assignment

Microsoft’s Xbox disc-to-digital program has expanded to include SEGA titles, following Ubisoft’s recent addition. The feature, currently in testing, allows players to insert physical discs into Xbox One or Series X consoles to obtain permanent digital licenses. Recent updates have simplified the process by automatically linking licenses to user accounts upon launch, removing the need for manual claims. This expansion supports game preservation and digital-first strategies, with over 800 titles currently supported.

via Windows Central|

#disc-to-digital #game-preservation #gaming

gaming14 days ago•4 min saved

N64’s 30th Anniversary Highlights the Persistence of Unreleased Classics

As the Nintendo 64 marks its 30th anniversary, attention has turned to the console's significant gaps in modern re-releases. While the N64 pioneered 3D gaming, many beloved titles remain legally unplayable without original hardware due to licensing disputes and technical limitations. Key omissions include 'Diddy Kong Racing,' which is blocked by Microsoft's ownership of developer Rare, and 'Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness,' which Konami has not remastered despite reviving other series entries. The console's reliance on cartridges, which offered far less storage than PlayStation discs, also contributed to a smaller library and the departure of major third-party developers like Square and Capcom.

via svg.com|

#console-history #game-preservation #gaming

tech23 days ago•50 min saved

Xbox’s disc-to-digital pivot completes a 15-year quest toward digital ownership

Microsoft’s new disc-to-digital feature turns existing Xbox One discs into digital copies, a capability 15 years in the making that’s meant to bolster game preservation and backward-compatibility efforts; its ultimate success will depend on how discs were pressed, whether publishers sign on, and whether licensing evolves to let game ownership move across devices and platforms.

via The Verge|

#backward-compatibility #digital-ownership #disc-to-digital

gaming1 month ago•136 min saved

Xbox's disc-to-digital rollout turns physical games into reusable digital licenses

Microsoft’s new disc-to-digital feature is live for Xbox Insiders in the Alpha/Skip-Ahead rings. By inserting a compatible disc and selecting Claim Digital License (or launching the game), you unlock a digital entitlement that lets you install the game without the disc and can transfer the license if you sell or lend the disc. It covers hundreds of Xbox One and Series titles and supports Xbox Play Anywhere, marking a major preservation win, though many publishers aren’t participating yet. A broader rollout is expected after testing; disc phase-out pressures on the industry are also noted.

via Windows Central|

#digital-entitlement #disc-to-digital #game-preservation

gaming1 month ago•5 min saved

Disc-to-Digital Brings Some Delisted Xbox Games Back, With Limits

Microsoft’s Disc-to-Digital feature, now available to Xbox Insiders, can convert certain physical discs into digitally playable copies on Xbox consoles and Windows PCs. Several delisted titles are reportedly working (e.g., Deadpool, Rock Band 4, Minecraft: Story Mode), but not all games are compatible—Dead Rising 3, Destiny, and Titanfall are among those that don’t work, and Ubisoft titles are largely unsupported for now. Microsoft hasn’t confirmed full compatibility yet and says more titles may be added later.

via PCMag|

#delisted-games #disc-to-digital #game-preservation

gaming1 month ago•145 min saved

Xbox's Disc-to-Digital Catalog Tops 800 Titles and Expands

Windows Central reports a growing database shows over 800 Xbox discs are compatible with the disc-to-digital program (codenamed Positron), letting players attach digital rights to physical games with perks like Xbox Cloud Gaming and Play Anywhere. A master list is being compiled, with hundreds of titles currently supported and more added as publishers come online. The feature is in Alpha testing with broader rollout expected in coming weeks, potentially by October 2026. Several major publishers are not yet on board (notably Sega, Square Enix, Bandai Namco, and Ubisoft), highlighting ongoing publisher negotiations as Microsoft pushes disc libraries toward a digital-first era.

via Windows Central|

#digital-rights #disc-to-digital #game-preservation

gaming1 month ago•4 min saved

Xbox Insiders turn physical discs into digital licenses this August

Microsoft will start testing a disc-to-digital feature for Xbox Insiders on August 31, enabling a digital entitlement for supported physical games when you insert the disc and launch the title; Play Anywhere and Cloud Gaming unlock on the digital copy, the disc remains unchanged, and only one revocable digital license per disc can be issued; thousands of titles are supported at launch with more added over time, as part of a broader push to preserve access to games people own.

via gamesindustry.biz|

#digital-entitlements #disc-to-digital #game-preservation

technology1 month ago•7 min saved

Xbox Trials Disc-to-Digital, Turning Physical Games Into Digital Copies

Xbox announced a disc-to-digital feature that lets players convert supported physical Xbox discs into digital versions by inserting the disc and launching the game; Xbox Insider testing begins August 31 with thousands of titles initially supported, offering access across Xbox Play Anywhere and Cloud Gaming, while a general public launch date has not been announced.

via Game Informer|

#digital-versions #disc-to-digital #game-preservation

technology1 month ago•2 min saved

Sony Phases Out Physical Game Discs by 2028, Sparking Industry Debate

Former PlayStation executive Shuhei Yoshida responds to Sony's plan to end physical game discs in 2028, saying it's not a major issue for most players since patches, DLC, and updates require downloads anyway; collectors may miss physical media and concerns about pricing, the secondhand market, and preservation arise, while Ubisoft's Yves Guillemot sees mixed but not disruptive effects; the move aligns with PS6 timing and ongoing component shortages.

via GameSpot|

#digital-distribution #game-preservation #physical-discs

gaming1 month ago•5 min saved

Keep It Online: The push to save games from server shutdowns

Ars Live hosts Ross Scott discussing the Stop Killing Games movement, which argues publishers should preserve online access or switch to affordable end-of-life servers instead of turning games off with little notice. Scott says planning for end-of-life can be inexpensive, and urges better protections and harmonized policy, including potential inclusion in the EU’s Digital Fairness Act. The debate highlights technical and legal hurdles as momentum seeks broader action from governments and publishers alike.

via Ars Technica|

#digital-fairness-act #eu-policy #game-preservation

technology1 month ago•9 min saved

Pokémon Bank Shutdown Sparks Preservation Challenge for Collectors

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.

via Hackaday|

#digital-preservation #game-preservation #nintendo-3ds

technology2 months ago•4 min saved

Sony Signals End of Physical PS5 Games with 2028 Digital-Only Shift

Sony is steering PlayStation toward a digital-only future by 2028, with new PS5 units shipping a sticker warning that starting January 2028, new game releases will be digital-only while discs from before that date remain compatible. The move sparked backlash, including protest plans like a consumer blackout, and it raises concerns about game preservation and a potential disc-free PS6.

via Wccftech|

#digital-distribution #disc-sunset #game-preservation

technology2 months ago•8 min saved

Disc-Based Games Often Need Internet to Function, Threatening Preservation

A DoesItPlay study shows about 27% of physical game releases require downloads to fix bugs or access missing content (34% on PS5, 50% on Xbox Series X), highlighting a growing online dependency that could render discs unplayable as servers shut down. The piece also notes Sony’s limited disc production, the rise of online-prompted progress in several titles, and a push from preservation advocates for offline-capable, DRM-free options.

via Ars Technica|

#console-gaming #digital-downloads #game-preservation