The world of historical preservation is often associated with dusty artifacts, ancient texts, and the tangible remnants of bygone eras. However, the digital revolution has dramatically expanded the scope of what constitutes historical significance, and video games, once dismissed as ephemeral entertainment, are now recognized as vital cultural and technological artifacts. Dr. Flori Pierri, Associate Curator of Science and Technology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Museum, recently shared insights into the institution’s burgeoning commitment to video game preservation, highlighting the unique challenges and profound importance of safeguarding these dynamic digital experiences.

Dr. Pierri’s own path to video game preservation is as multifaceted as the collections they oversee. Their purview at the MIT Museum is broad, encompassing diverse areas from scientific photography and physics homework to, more recently, the burgeoning field of computer games. This expansive approach reflects a growing understanding within major cultural institutions that seemingly disparate areas of human endeavor are, in fact, interconnected and collectively tell the story of technological and societal progress. The MIT Museum’s intensified focus on computer games and the broader concept of "play" is a significant development, signaling a shift in how these digital forms are perceived and valued. This renewed emphasis is underpinned by substantial initiatives, including the acquisition of the Michael Dornbrook Collection, a pivotal step in building a robust foundation for their video game archives. Furthermore, the museum is actively planning a major exhibition dedicated to computer games, slated for 2028, which promises to offer the public a comprehensive and engaging exploration of this influential medium.

The Imperative of Original Equipment and the Dawn of Digital Preservation

A central tenet of Dr. Pierri’s curatorial philosophy, and a recurring theme in discussions about preserving older technological artifacts, is the critical importance of using original equipment. For video games, this means not just preserving the software but also the hardware upon which it was intended to be played. This extends to the very consoles, personal computers, and even the arcade cabinets that served as the gateways to these virtual worlds. The fidelity of the experience, the subtle nuances of graphics, sound, and control, are intrinsically linked to the original hardware. Emulators, while invaluable tools for accessibility and study, cannot fully replicate the sensory and operational authenticity of playing a game on its native platform. This reliance on original hardware presents a significant logistical and financial challenge, as these machines are often fragile, rare, and require specialized knowledge for maintenance and operation.

However, the challenges escalate exponentially when considering "born-digital" objects – items that have no physical counterpart and exist solely in digital form. Video games are a prime example. Preserving them requires grappling with issues of data degradation, file format obsolescence, and the ever-evolving nature of software and operating systems. Unlike a printed book or a physical sculpture, a digital game can become unreadable or unplayable simply because the technology to access it has been superseded. This necessitates a proactive and sophisticated approach to digital preservation, involving strategies such as format migration, emulation, and the meticulous documentation of the original technological environment.

Building Bridges: Engaging the Public and Empowering Researchers

The MIT Museum’s commitment to video game preservation is not confined to passive archiving. Dr. Pierri emphasized the museum’s dedication to engaging with a wide audience, fostering both public appreciation and scholarly research. For the public, this engagement can manifest through exhibitions that are not only informative but also interactive and inspiring. The planned 2028 exhibition is poised to be a cornerstone of this effort, aiming to demystify the history of video games and showcase their cultural impact.

For researchers, the museum aims to be a vital resource. This includes making collections accessible for study, facilitating new avenues of inquiry into the history of technology, design, and culture. The mention of a collection of unreleased Infocom game materials is particularly noteworthy. Infocom, a pioneering company in the adventure game genre, produced titles like "Zork" and "Planetfall" that are celebrated for their rich narratives and innovative gameplay. Unreleased materials, such as early drafts, design documents, and prototypes, offer invaluable insights into the creative process, the evolution of game design, and the challenges faced by developers in the early days of the industry. These materials can illuminate the iterative nature of game development, revealing discarded ideas, alternative pathways, and the collaborative efforts that shaped the final products.

A Historical Trajectory: From Early Computing to Interactive Entertainment

The journey of video games from niche experiments to a global cultural phenomenon is a fascinating chronicle that the MIT Museum is now actively documenting. The roots of video game history can be traced back to the early days of computing, long before the advent of commercial video game consoles.

• 1940s-1950s: The Dawn of Computing and Early Games: The seeds of interactive entertainment were sown in the earliest electronic computers. One significant early example is Whirlwind I, developed at MIT in the late 1940s and early 1950s. While primarily a military project for air defense, its interactive display capabilities hinted at future possibilities. Though not a "game" in the modern sense, it represented a monumental leap in human-computer interaction. In a similar vein, early academic explorations into game theory and computational challenges, such as those by Claude Shannon, the "father of information theory," laid intellectual groundwork for thinking about games and computation. The Royal Game of the Dolphin, a mechanical game from 1821, though centuries old, demonstrates a long-standing human fascination with interactive puzzles and strategic play, providing a historical continuum for the concept of gaming.

• 1950s-1960s: Academic Experiments and the First True Video Games: The 1950s saw the emergence of what are often considered the first true video games, primarily as academic projects. "Tennis for Two" (1958), created by physicist William Higinbotham at Brookhaven National Laboratory, is a prime example, displaying a simple tennis game on an oscilloscope. In the 1960s, Steve Russell and his colleagues at MIT developed "Spacewar!" on the PDP-1 mainframe computer. This game, featuring two spaceships battling each other, was highly influential and spread to other academic institutions, becoming a de facto standard for early computer game enthusiasts. These early creations were not commercial products but rather demonstrations of computing power and ingenuity.

• 1970s: The Arcade Revolution and Home Consoles: The 1970s marked the commercial explosion of video games. Nolan Bushnell’s Atari, founded in 1972, released "Pong," which became an arcade phenomenon, popularizing video games for a mass audience. This decade also saw the introduction of the first home video game consoles, such as the Magnavox Odyssey (1972) and the Atari Video Computer System (later the Atari 2600, 1977), bringing interactive gaming into living rooms.

• 1980s: The Golden Age of Arcades and the Home Computer Boom: The 1980s are often referred to as the "golden age" of arcade games, with iconic titles like "Pac-Man," "Donkey Kong," and "Galaga" dominating arcades. Concurrently, the rise of home computers like the Commodore 64 and Apple II facilitated a burgeoning software industry, with companies like Sierra On-Line and Infocom developing sophisticated adventure and role-playing games. The mention of Infocom’s unreleased materials is particularly relevant here, as this era represents a critical juncture in narrative-driven gaming.

• 1990s-Present: The Evolution of Consoles, PC Gaming, and Digital Distribution: The 1990s witnessed the advent of 3D graphics and the dominance of consoles like the Super Nintendo Entertainment System and the Sony PlayStation. PC gaming continued to evolve with genres like first-person shooters and real-time strategy games gaining prominence. The internet’s widespread adoption in the late 1990s and early 2000s paved the way for online multiplayer gaming and digital distribution platforms, fundamentally changing how games are sold, played, and preserved. The concept of "born-digital" preservation becomes increasingly acute from this period onward.

The Significance of the Michael Dornbrook Collection

The acquisition of the Michael Dornbrook Collection is a significant event for the MIT Museum’s video game preservation efforts. While the article doesn’t provide specific details about the collection’s contents, Michael Dornbrook was a prominent figure in the early computer game industry, particularly associated with Compute! magazine and later with his involvement in game development and publishing. Collections like these often contain a wealth of primary source materials, including:

• Development Documents: Design documents, storyboards, code snippets, and internal memos that reveal the creative and technical processes behind game creation.
• Marketing Materials: Advertisements, press kits, and promotional artifacts that shed light on how games were introduced to the public and the market trends of the time.
• Correspondence: Letters and emails between developers, publishers, and even players, offering insights into the industry’s dynamics and community engagement.
• Software and Hardware: Copies of games, including rare or unreleased versions, and potentially even early development hardware.

The inclusion of such a collection solidifies the MIT Museum’s commitment to treating video games not just as entertainment but as significant cultural and technological historical documents. It provides a tangible link to the people, ideas, and processes that shaped the digital entertainment landscape.

Facing the Future: The Enduring Importance of Preservation

Dr. Pierri’s insights underscore a critical contemporary challenge: how to preserve digital heritage in a world where technology evolves at an unprecedented pace. The MIT Museum’s proactive approach, encompassing both the preservation of original hardware and the development of strategies for born-digital content, positions it as a leader in this vital field. The planned 2028 exhibition and the ongoing efforts to engage researchers and the public are crucial steps in ensuring that the history of video games is not lost to obsolescence but is instead accessible, understood, and appreciated for generations to come.

The implications of this work extend beyond the realm of gaming. The methodologies and challenges faced in preserving video games are directly applicable to other forms of digital art, software, and data that are increasingly integral to our cultural and scientific record. As Dr. Pierri and the MIT Museum continue their work, they are not just saving games; they are safeguarding a significant chapter of human innovation and cultural expression in the digital age.

The Video Game History Hour podcast, where these discussions take place, is available on Patreon, Spotify, and the Video Game History Foundation’s website, serving as another vital platform for disseminating this important work and fostering a broader community invested in game history. The foundation’s ongoing support for initiatives like the MIT Museum’s underscores the collective effort required to ensure that the rich and complex history of video games is meticulously documented and preserved.