This is a project that dates back to 2017, when the Foundation began to build a historical collection on the universe of video games, incorporating development documents, content behind the scene, publications and catalogs of rare video games, magazines, memories, ephemeral.
No hardcore lover of video games can continue without knowing this new online resource publicly available to know the history of the sector thoroughly. This is the Public Library of Video Game History Foundation (VGHF), which on January 30 launched anticipated access to its digital archive of research materials on the history of video games, in Library.gamehistory.org.
Now, anyone can access this free online repository, and access content that they could not enjoy otherwise. As they assure from the VGHF, users will be able to access unpublished documents for the development of games, illustrations, press dosers and promotional materials of iconic video games.
In total, more than 1500 video games exhausted with full text search, including commercial magazines of the video game industry that are rarely available to the public.
With Myst or Gamepro files
As they expose on its website, Mark Flitman’s archive is the main protagonist of the launch collection. Flitman, retired video game producer, worked in companies such as Konami, ACCLAIM, MIDWAY and MINDSCAPE during the 1990s and 2000s.
With its authorization, Video Game History Foundation obtained access to its personal archive, allowing the digitalization and dissemination of a large number of digital documents and digital files preserved for more than 20 years. Even without knowing the games in which he participated, his files represent an invaluable testimony about the production and video game marketing industry.
The library also opens with more than 100 hours of unpublished material on the production of the MyST saga, developed by Cyan. Among the files are the original FMV video recordings for MyST and Riven: The Sequel To Myst, as well as extensive interviews never seen before with the Cyan team. These materials were digitized in support of the next documentary The Myst documentary. Cyan has provided unprecedented access to its internal files, allowing you to share this content with the public.
In addition, the collection includes the first 100 CDs of the Art Archive and Press Communicates of Gamepro Magazine, reformatado for their navigator visualization. There are also ephemeral guides and materials of video game events, such as directories and maps of the first 12 years of Electronic Entertainment Expo.
We will also find a wide international collection of promotional from Fromsoftware, gathered by the citizen archivist Kris Urquhart and donated with the authorization of the company itself.
Digital Library
From the Foundation they ensure that its digital library system facilitates more than ever the exploration of the history of video games. For years, an extensive and detailed set of metadata for collections has been developed, with the aim of finding the best way to share these materials. What they have created, as they claim, goes beyond a simple data file, but is a powerful tool for video game research, with advanced discovery functions.
The Library uses Archivespace and Preserva, two archival management platforms that allow cataloging, preserving and sharing the materials. Thanks to these professional level tools, it is possible to explore the collections through detailed searches and filters, as well as visualize digital elements directly in the browser, they point out.
