Video Game History Foundation in partnership with Software Preservation Network held the first ever study commercial availability of classic video games. His results were gloomy: 87% of classic video games released in the US are in danger of extinction, and this picture is getting worse every year.
The object of the study was games published on the US market before 2010. From a wide list of projects, 4,000 games were randomly selected. And analysts report that only 12% of the games released on the PlayStation 2 are now easy to get and run. As for projects with the Game Boy, this number drops to less than 6%.
The closure of the digital store for 3DS and Wii U games resulted in the loss of about 1,000 unique games. All classic projects are stored in special archives and libraries, but by law they are not allowed to distribute them in digital form – only to provide access locally.
To get access to almost 9 out of 10 classic games, there aren’t many options for fans of the classics. They may collect vintage collectible games and platforms, travel to a specialized library, or resort to piracy. And that means most video games are out of reach for all but the most dedicated — or not-too-scrupulous — fans.
