Preserving Game History at The Strong's International Center for the History of Electronic Games

The International Center for the History of Electronic Games (ICHEG) at The Strong National Museum of Play serves as a primary model for the systematic collection, interpretation, and preservation of video game history. Established in 2009 in Rochester, New York, the center addresses the unique challenges of archiving interactive digital media, which is often subject to rapid technological obsolescence and physical decay. By framing video games within the broader context of play, the institution seeks to bridge the gap between technological history and cultural studies, ensuring that both the artifacts and the human experience of gaming are preserved for future scholarship.

The collection has grown to include approximately 50,000 items, ranging from hardware, consoles, and arcade cabinets to extensive documentary materials such as game guides, industry magazines, and personal archives from prominent designers like Ralph Baer and Will Wright. The center employs a multifaceted preservation strategy, including the acquisition of physical hardware, the migration of data from at-risk formats, and the creation of video documentation for gameplay. This latter approach is particularly vital for preserving Massively Multiplayer Online games that rely on external servers, which are otherwise prone to permanent loss once support ends.

Methodologically, the center utilizes a constructivist approach, drawing on historiographical models from the history of science and book history to analyze the production, dissemination, and consumption of games. By integrating these materials into public exhibits like eGameRevolution, the institution promotes a deeper understanding of electronic games as significant cultural artifacts. The center emphasizes that successful game preservation requires ongoing collaboration between museums and the scholarly community, as the questions posed by researchers directly inform the strategic acquisition and conservation priorities of the archive.