The Preservation of Video Games
Preserving media is an absolute necessity to understand the mentality and important issues in every generation. Whether it’s books or movies, each piece of media gives us a glimpse into the mind of the creators and their takes on society. This has now extended to one of the most popular forms of entertainment in the last few decades - video games.
The National Library of Spain or BNE is dedicated to gathering Spain’s history and preserving it for years to come. Originally created three centuries ago, the National Library was to preserve printed pieces of Spanish history and culture and it has been vigilant in adapting to the new artistic ways of Spanish culture. Ana Santos, along with Javier Garcia Fernandez, proposed the:
“regulation of conservation of video games, web sites, electoral propaganda posters, and bookmarks, among other formats based on the reform of the Law on Legal Deposit of 2011” and that “Video games will be of Cultural Interest (BIC) in the future, because they have a very important cultural value as an artistic creation.”
This new proposal would allow the institution to adapt and conserve Spanish artistic pieces that may not have been on printed material.
The Law of Legal Deposit in Spain was founded by Felipe V at the end of 1711 but the Library did not begin depositing pieces until 1712 and today houses almost half a million deposits.
Spanish director points out the need for reform of the law of 1985 to reflect the current reality of culture in Spain and has stressed the need for preserving Spain’s digital heritage as well as the printed.
Let us know what you think this might bring for the future of gaming, historically for the future gamer generations.
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