The Video Game History Foundation calls on the ESA to offer “meaningful solutions” for preserving digital-only games
The Video Game History Foundation is urging the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) to develop concrete legal mechanisms for preserving digital-only games. The call comes in response to Sony’s announcement that it will discontinue physical game disc production by 2028, effectively transitioning the PlayStation ecosystem to digital-exclusive releases.
Frank Cifaldi of the Video Game History Foundation has highlighted that the current approach to game preservation is inadequate. The foundation argues that simply asking museums and archives to download digital copies of games like GTA 6 and hope they remain functional decades later is not a viable preservation strategy. Without proper legal frameworks, institutions face significant barriers to archiving and maintaining digital games for historical research and public access.
The announcement underscores a broader industry challenge: as publishers shift toward digital-only distribution, games become vulnerable to obsolescence and loss. Digital titles depend on server infrastructure, licensing agreements, and proprietary technology that may not survive the test of time. The Video Game History Foundation is calling for the ESA to establish formal processes that would allow museums, libraries, and academic institutions legal access to preserve games for posterity, ensuring future generations can study and experience games as cultural artifacts.