Post
The fight to keep games from vanishing when companies flip the off switch.
Unlike books or films, games can literally stop existing. When servers shut down, storefronts delist titles, or DRM systems go offline, games become unplayable. The problem is accelerating as more games are digital-only and live-service dependent. Preservation efforts range from community-run emulation projects to institutional archives, but they constantly clash with copyright law. The industry has no equivalent of a film archive or library deposit system.
Example
When Ubisoft announced it would shut down The Crew's servers, making a game people paid for completely unplayable, it triggered a regulatory complaint in France and reignited the preservation debate. The Video Game History Foundation has documented hundreds of games that are now impossible to legally play.
Why it matters
If you care about gaming as a cultural medium, preservation matters. Without it, entire eras of game history disappear. The debate also touches on digital ownership, because if a company can delete a game you bought, did you ever really own it?
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