Uncompiled source materials for games like this, particularly that haven’t been released, rarely make it to the public. This discovery provides a rare glimpse behind the curtain of modern game development, and stands as one of the rarest artifacts in the Library of Congress’ growing video game collection.
Since 2006 the Library has acquired roughly 400 games per year through copyright registration, 90-percent of which are physically published console titles. Along with physical copies of the published games, these submissions frequently include printed support materials and video recordings of gameplay. The acquisition of such a complete look into the design process is unprecedented for the Library’s collection, and could serve as an important touchstone for the evolving future of digital preservation.
The staff of the Library of Congress’ Moving Image collection, in which the games are housed, strongly encourage other developers to share similar materials in the future to better help preserve their legacy for future scholars and enthusiasts.
Editors' Recommendations
- Ken and Roberta Williams are back to evolve the adventure game genre
- Gearbox Software sues 3D Realms over the embattled Duke Nukem franchise
- A ‘Duke Nukem’ movie is actually in the works, and it could star John Cena
- Windows 95, Duke Nukem 3D are strange bedfellows on the Xbox One console
- U.S. government grants DMCA exemption for defunct video games
