Estudo sobre métodos de preservação digital no contexto dos videojogos

Abstract

Video games are digital entertainment products that can be accessed through electronic devices and digital platforms, such as consoles, computers or cell phones. The evolution of technology and the launch of new devices allow for innovations in video games at various levels, such as visuals, sound, mechanics, performance, among others, but also sometimes causes discontinuity when it comes to older platforms. In addition, hardware manufacturers release new hardware quite frequently, which inevitably leads to the production of older hardware being discontinued, and consequently the hardware becoming obsolete. Another aggravating factor that can make it difficult to preserve video games is the growing supply and demand for games that are only available in digital format for purchase or download on online platforms. With the increase in the sale of games in digital format and the decrease in the sale of games in physical format (such as disks for consoles), access to these products could be compromised, as these games could be removed from the store, making them completely inaccessible to anyone who has not already bought them or installed them on their devices. Although there is a growing interest in old games and the re-release of titles previously present on obsolete devices, there still seems to be a focus only on the most popular games or those whose re-release or adaptation for current platforms is profitable for companies, without any real concern for the preservation of these games. The aim of this work is to make a comparative analysis of the methods used by the industry for the digital preservation of videogames in order to understand which methods have been adopted that best contribute to this.