Video Game History Foundation launches digital library in early access 

The Video Game History Foundation (VGHF) has launched its digital library in early access, making it publicly available on its website. 

The official website shows that the digital library currently features over 30,000 curated files and 1,500 fully text-searchable, out-of-print magazines, with more planned content. 

Highlights of the early access launch include guidebooks from the first 12 years of E3, a collection of FromSoftware promotional materials, and 100 CD-ROMs of GamePro magazine archives. 

It also includes over 100 hours of behind-the-scenes footage from the Myst series, and the 'Mark Flitman papers,' a collection of documents from his time at Konami, Acclaim, and Atari.

Founded in 2017 by game preservationist Frank Cifaldi, the non-profit foundation relies on donations to build its archives as it aims to catalogue, digitize, and preserve video game history through an extensive collection of related materials.

A new resource 

“There has never been a better way to research video game history," the foundation said in a statement last week. “By putting our rich collections in conversation with each other in a curated, text-searchable archive, we’ve turned them into a powerful, one-of-a-kind resource."

“Our library is for anyone who wants to study video game history - whether you’re a scholar who wants to supplement your academic resources, or a YouTuber making a video about the story of your favourite game.” 

“We think this is the start of something that will change how people study the history of video games."

We previously asked industry experts for their views on game preservation, exploring whether developers and publishers have a responsibility to maintain ongoing service and if preserving mobile games is an unrealistic goal.