The Video Game History Foundation calls on the ESA to offer "meaningful solutions" for preserving digital-only games

July 2, 2026 - 19:08

The Video Game History Foundation has publicly called out the Entertainment Software Association, urging the trade group to propose "meaningful solutions" for preserving games that exist only in digital form. In a pointed statement, the foundation dismissed the idea that simply downloading a copy of a modern title like Grand Theft Auto VI and hoping it will still function decades from now counts as a real preservation strategy.

The debate centers on the growing problem of digital-only releases. As physical media continues to fade, many games become inaccessible once their online storefronts shut down or servers go dark. The foundation argues that current industry practices leave historians, researchers, and future players with no reliable way to access these works. They claim the ESA has not offered any concrete plans to address this, despite years of discussion.

The foundation's criticism comes amid ongoing legal and logistical challenges. Copyright law often prevents libraries and archives from copying or modifying software for preservation purposes, even when the original publisher has abandoned the title. The group wants the ESA to support exemptions and tools that would allow institutions to legally archive and emulate digital games.

Without action, the foundation warns that entire eras of gaming history could vanish. They stress that preservation is not about hoarding files but about ensuring cultural and historical access. The call for "meaningful solutions" is a direct challenge to an industry that has yet to fully commit to protecting its own legacy.