The Virtual Games Preservation Revolution Gains Momentum as UNC Greensboro Project Revives Hope for Digital Game Archiving
In a major victory for game preservation enthusiasts, the University of North Carolina Greensboro’s (UNC Greensboro) digital games library project has been given new life after a tumultuous journey. Dr. Colin Post, assistant professor of information, library, and research sciences at UNC Greensboro, was on the brink of bringing together industry leaders, developers, and librarians to discuss the feasibility of preserving digital video games when Trump administration funding cuts threatened the initiative’s existence.
However, thanks to the efforts of attorneys general in over 20 states who filed lawsuits against the Institute of Museum and Library Services cuts, Post’s project is now back on track. The Digital Games in Libraries Virtual Forum, set to take place in October 2026, will bring together experts from various fields to explore the challenges and opportunities surrounding digital game preservation.
Post’s research emphasizes the urgent need for standardized methods to collect and preserve digital games, which are increasingly becoming a dominant force in the gaming industry. The recent announcement by Sony Interactive Entertainment that it will end physical disc production for new PlayStation games by 2028 highlights the importance of digital preservation. With more developers distributing their games digitally, there’s a growing concern about the long-term accessibility and availability of these games.
This shift has significant implications for game developers, who may not have control over how their creations are preserved or distributed after they’re released. As Post notes, “The entirety of a medium is at risk of not being preserved” if we don’t develop effective methods to collect and preserve digital games. The end of Flash support serves as a cautionary tale about the importance of preserving digital content.
Libraries and archives currently lack standardized procedures for collecting digital games, which often require online access and server connections. This presents a significant challenge for preservation efforts, particularly when considering the sheer volume of digital-only games being released every year. Post’s research suggests that there’s a growing interest among game developers to have their creations preserved in libraries, but the current infrastructure is not equipped to handle this demand.
The UNC Greensboro project’s revival is a testament to the power of perseverance and collaboration in driving positive change within the gaming industry. As digital games continue to dominate the market, it’s essential that we develop effective methods for preserving these experiences for future generations. With the Digital Games in Libraries Virtual Forum on the horizon, game preservation enthusiasts can look forward to a more comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities surrounding this critical issue.
The implications of this development are far-reaching, with potential consequences for the gaming industry as a whole. As Post’s research continues to shed light on the complexities of digital game preservation, it’s clear that there’s still much work to be done. However, with renewed momentum and a growing commitment from industry leaders, we may finally see significant progress in preserving our digital heritage.
Source: Game Developer XR — 2026-08-13