National Videogame Museum Launches Landmark Survey to Map the Nation’s Videogame Heritage.
This industry-wide initiative calls on developers, publishers and collectors to help shape the future of UK videogame preservation
Complete the Survey
Videogame preservation is a relatively new field but one high on the agenda of heritage organisations.
To help ensure that the UK videogame industry’s legacy is preserved and accessible for future generations, the National Videogame Museum, in partnership with UK games industry trade body Ukie and with the support of the BFI Screen Heritage Fund, awarding National Lottery funding, have launched a first-of-its-kind survey designed to build a comprehensive picture of videogame-related collections across the UK.
As the UK’s only museum dedicated to preserving and celebrating videogame heritage, we are uniquely placed to lead this important national initiative.
The UK has played a defining role in the global videogames industry for over four decades. Unlike other artforms, no formal processes are in place across the games industry or heritage sector to preserve the groundbreaking work produced over this time.
Additionally, as the games industry moves towards digital distribution and produces fewer physical games and artefacts, the challenge of preserving the stories, objects and materials that document the sector’s development has never been greater.
“The UK games industry has created world-renowned games, studios and talent. We risk losing much of this history if we don’t actively preserve it. This survey is an important first step in understanding what already exists and how we can work together to protect the UK’s videogame legacy for future generations.”
John O’Shea, Co-CEO and Creative Director, National Videogame Museum
From game development materials and artwork to hardware, design documents, marketing assets and company archives, the survey seeks to understand what significant collections already exist and where opportunities lie to safeguard them.
The survey also provides an opportunity to explore awareness and attitudes towards videogame preservation and heritage, particularly within the videogames industry.
The results of the survey will inform discussions about how the UK can best preserve, celebrate and share its videogame heritage. By establishing a clearer national picture of existing collections and current attitudes towards preservation, the project aims to encourage greater collaboration across the industry.
This survey forms one part of a wider project, Behind The Screens.
Do you currently work in the Videogame Industry, or have you in the past?
We’re encouraging developers, publishers, studios, former industry professionals and anyone responsible for videogame-related collections to take part.
Complete the Survey Now
