Retro gaming

{{Short description|Cultural activity with old video games}} {{More citations needed|date=May 2023}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2022}} [[File:Akihabara_-_Super_Potato_Retro_Game_Shop.jpg|thumb|Super Potato, a retro game store in Akihabara, Tokyo]] [[File:Lange Nacht der Computerspiele 1.JPG|thumb|Gameplay of ''Alex Kidd in Miracle World'' on a Master System, and others in the background, in 2012]]

'''Retro gaming''', also known as '''classic gaming''' and '''old school gaming''', is the playing and collection of personal computers, consoles, and video games from earlier decades. Usually, retro gaming is based upon systems that are outmoded or discontinued, although ported retro gaming allows games to be played on modern hardware via ports, emulations or compilations. It is typically for nostalgia, preservation, or authenticity. A new game could be retro styled, such as an RPG with turn-based combat and pixel art in isometric camera perspective, as well as chip-tune styled music.

Retro gaming has existed since the early years of the video game industry, and was popularized with the Internet and emulation technology.<ref name=":0"/> It is argued that the main reasons players are drawn to retro games are nostalgia for different eras,<ref name="NGenFit">{{cite magazine |title=Revival of the Fittest |magazine=Next Generation|issue=28 |publisher=Imagine Media |date=April 1997|pages=36–45}}</ref> the idea that older games are more innovative and original,<ref name="NGenFit" /> and the simplicity of the games.

Retro gaming and retrocomputing have been described as preservation activity and as aspects of the remix culture.<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/bitstream/handle/2142/38392/230.pdf?sequence=4|title=Retrocomputing as Preservation and Remix|author=Yuri Takhteyev |author2=Quinn DuPont |publisher=University of Toronto|quote=This paper looks at the world of retrocomputing, a constellation of largely non-professional practices involving past computing technology. Retrocomputing includes many activities that can be seen as constituting 'preservation.' At the same time, it is often transformative, producing assemblages that 'remix' fragments from the past with newer elements or joining together historic components that were never combined before. While such 'remix' may seem to undermine preservation, it allows for fragments of computing history to be reintegrated into a living, ongoing practice, contributing to preservation in a broader sense. The seemingly unorganized nature of retrocomputing assemblages also provides space for alternative 'situated knowledges' and histories of computing, which can sometimes be quite sophisticated. Recognizing such alternative epistemologies paves the way for alternative approaches to preservation.|date=2013|format=PDF|access-date=March 26, 2016|journal=IConference 2013 Proceedings|pages=422–432|doi=10.9776/13230|doi-broken-date=July 12, 2025|hdl=2142/38392|archive-date=February 13, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180213080351/https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/bitstream/handle/2142/38392/230.pdf?sequence=4}}</ref>

== Games == The distinction between retro and modern is heavily debated, but it usually coincides with either the shift from 2D to 3D games (making the fourth the last retro generation, and the fifth the first modern), the turn of the millennium and the increase in online gaming (making the fifth the last retro generation, and the sixth the first modern), or the switch from analog to digital for audiovisual output and from 4:3 to 16:9 aspect ratio (making the sixth the last retro generation, and the seventh the first modern). They can be played on original hardware or in modern emulation.{{fact|date=January 2025}} The retro game focused television program ''GameCenter CX'' determines that a console has to be 20 years or older to be included in the retro game challenges.<ref>{{Cite web |title=GameCenter CX Adds PlayStation 2, Nintendo GameCube, Gameboy Advance Games to Retro Game Line Up |url=https://www.crunchyroll.com/news/latest/2021/10/15/gamecenter-cx-adds-playstation-2-nintendo-gamecube-gameboy-advance-games-to-retro-game-line-up |access-date=2024-04-11 |website=www.crunchyroll.com |language=en}}</ref> The retro eSports company, Retro World Series, provides a more comprehensive definition, "Relating to or denoting a style of computer game programs of the late 20th/early 21st century that is characterized by pixelated artwork and text, recorded to disk storage or Read-Only Memory chips, and primarily intended to be displayed on standard-definition televisions or analog computer monitors."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Frequently Asked Questions |url=https://retroworldseries.com/info/faq/ |access-date=2026-04-04 |website=Official Site of the Retro World Series {{!}} Retro eSports |language=en-US}}</ref>

==History== In the early to mid-1990s, a fanbase for older video games grew through self-published fanzines such as Tim Duarte's ''2600 Connection'', Joe Santulli's ''Digital Press'' and Frank Polosky's ''Video Magic''. In 1997, Ralph Barbagallo of ''Digital Diner'' magazine stated that the contemporary interest of older video games grew with the emergence of the internet through Usenet discussion groups like rec.games.video.classic and its own dedicated IRC channel. Several regulars from these discussion groups began developing their own personal web pages, such as popular sites like Greg Chance's ''The History of Home Video Games Homepage''.<ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=Digital Diner|title=Retro-Inter-Active|last=Barbagallo|first=Ralph|date=June 1997|volume=2|issue=2|publisher=Metropolis Publications|location=United States|page=70}}</ref>

Prior to the mid 1990s, older video games would occasionally be re-released for a few consoles with Barbagallos summarizing that "for a while it seemed the game industry had no memory of the years before 1985."<ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=Digital Diner|title=Retro-Inter-Active|last=Barbagallo|first=Ralph|date=June 1997|volume=2|issue=2|publisher=Metropolis Publications|location=United States|page=72}}</ref> In 1995, ''Next Generation'' highlighted the revival of long dormant video game franchises. This included Activision releasing ''Return to Zork'' (1993) and ''Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure'' (1994), Atari with ''Tempest 2000'' (1994), and Nintendo with Donkey Kong, with ''Donkey Kong Country'' (1994) and ''Donkey Kong'' (1994).<ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=Next Generation|title=Revival of the Fittest|date=February 1995|volume=1|issue=2|issn=1078-9693|publisher=GP Publications|pages=48–49}}</ref>

Following the new interest of these games, companies began re-releasing their back catalog in video game compilations commercially, such as ''Microsoft Arcade'' (1993) for Windows, and the 1995 releases of the first games in the ''Atari 2600 Action Pack'' series for home computers and the ''Namco Museum'' series for the PlayStation.<ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=Next Generation|title=Revival of the Fittest|date=February 1995|volume=1|issue=2|issn=1078-9693|publisher=GP Publications|page=48}}</ref><ref name="Barbagallo1997">{{cite magazine|magazine=Digital Diner|title=Retro-Inter-Active|last=Barbagallo|first=Ralph|date=June 1997|volume=2|issue=2|publisher=Metropolis Publications|location=United States|page=71}}</ref>

Fans also began developing releases independently, such as ''Stella Gets a New Brain'', a re-release on compact disc of cassette tape-based games for the Atari 2600. New games also began appearing for the Atari 2600, such as the 1995 release of Ed Federmeyer's rendition of ''Tetris'' titled ''EdTris 2600''.<ref name="Barbagallo1997" /> Barbagallo stated that Video game emulators became increasingly popular as personal computers were now fast enough to simulate hardware from consoles such as the ColecoVision, Nintendo Entertainment System, and the Game Boy as well as computers such as the MSX and Commodore 64.<ref name="Barbagallo1997" />

== Retro gaming methods == With increasing nostalgia and success of retro compilations in the fifth, sixth, and seventh generations of consoles, retro gaming has become a motif in modern games. Modern retro games impose limitations on color palette, resolution, and memory well below the actual limits of the hardware, to mimic the look of old hardware. These may be based on a general concept of retro, as with ''Cave Story'', or an attempt to imitate a specific piece of hardware, as with the MSX color palette of ''La Mulana''.

This concept, known as deliberate retro<ref>{{cite web | title =Deliberately Retro | publisher =giantbomb.com | url =https://www.giantbomb.com/deliberately-retro/3015-996/ | access-date =May 4, 2017 | archive-date =December 27, 2016 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20161227235851/http://www.giantbomb.com/deliberately-retro/3015-996/ | url-status =live }}</ref> and NosCon,<ref>{{cite web | title =NosCon | publisher =giantbomb.com | url =https://www.giantbomb.com/noscon/3015-4537/ | access-date =November 3, 2017 | archive-date =November 7, 2017 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20171107003420/https://www.giantbomb.com/noscon/3015-4537/ | url-status =live }}</ref> gained popularity due part to the independent gaming scene,<ref>{{cite web | title =9 indie games shamelessly inspired by retro ancestors | date =April 25, 2014 | publisher =gamesradar.com | url =http://www.gamesradar.com/9-indie-games-shamelessly-inspired-retro-ancestors/ | access-date =November 3, 2017 | archive-date =November 1, 2017 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20171101043709/http://www.gamesradar.com/9-indie-games-shamelessly-inspired-retro-ancestors/ | url-status =live }}</ref> where the short development time was attractive and commercial viability was not a concern. Major publishers have embraced modern retro gaming with releases such as ''Mega Man 9'' which mimics NES hardware; ''Retro Game Challenge'', a compilation of new games on faux-NES hardware; and Sega's ''Fantasy Zone II'' remake, which uses emulated System 16 hardware running on PlayStation 2 to create a 16-bit reimagining of the 8-bit original (an actual arcade release of the game was also made in limited quantities as well).

=== Vintage retro gaming === {{Multiple image|direction=vertical|image1=|image2=|image3=Used Super Famicom consoles.jpg|width=220||caption3=Used Super Famicom consoles and games are sold in like new condition in Akihabara. Used games are sold with or without packaging.<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-09-12-crippled-by-nostalgia-the-fraud-of-retro-gaming|title = Crippled by Nostalgia: The Fraud of Retro Gaming|website = Eurogamer|date = September 12, 2012|access-date = November 6, 2016|archive-date = December 31, 2014|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141231124105/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-09-12-crippled-by-nostalgia-the-fraud-of-retro-gaming|url-status = live}}</ref>}} Vintage retro gaming can involve collecting original cartridge and disc media<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title = What is Retrogaming?|url = http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-retrogaming.htm|website = wiseGEEK|access-date = February 22, 2016|archive-date = March 4, 2016|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160304015819/http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-retrogaming.htm|url-status = live}}</ref> and arcade and console hardware, which can be expensive and rare.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://igcritic.com/what-happened-to-classic-video-game-packaging/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161106185618/http://igcritic.com/what-happened-to-classic-video-game-packaging/ |archive-date=November 6, 2016 |title=What Happened to Classic Video Game Packaging? - IGCritic}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.racketboy.com/retro/nintendo/snes/the-rarest-and-most-valuable-super-nintendo-snes-games|title=The Rarest and Most Valuable Super Nintendo (SNES) Games|date=February 21, 2018|access-date=November 6, 2016|archive-date=November 22, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161122102238/http://www.racketboy.com/retro/nintendo/snes/the-rarest-and-most-valuable-super-nintendo-snes-games|url-status=live}}</ref> Most are priced lower than their original retail prices.<ref name=NGenReal>{{cite magazine |title=The Real Thing |magazine=Next Generation|issue=28 |publisher=Imagine Media |date=April 1997|pages=44–45}}</ref> The popularity of vintage retro gaming has led to counterfeit media, which generally lack collectible value.<ref name=NGenReal/>

During the COVID-19 pandemic, prices for vintage hardware began to spike as the millennial generation pursued the hobby during lockdowns due to boredom as well as nostalgia.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://eandt.theiet.org/content/articles/2020/05/retro-gaming-boom-during-lockdown/|title=Retro-gaming boom during lockdown|first=Ben|last=Heubl|date=May 12, 2020|website=Institution of Engineering and Technology|access-date=January 25, 2023|archive-date=January 25, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230125024507/https://eandt.theiet.org/content/articles/2020/05/retro-gaming-boom-during-lockdown/|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Retro game emulation === {{Main|Video game console emulator|l1=Video game emulator}} Retro gaming may involve older game systems being emulated on modern hardware. It bypasses the need to collect older consoles and original games. Read-only memory (ROM) files are copied by third parties, directly from the original media. They are then typically put online through file sharing sites.<ref name=":1" /> They are often sold as re-releases, typically in compilations containing multiple games running on emulation software.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Classic Game Collections |magazine=Next Generation|issue=28 |publisher=Imagine Media |date=April 1997|pages=40–41}}</ref> The accessibility of emulation popularized and expanded on retro gaming.<ref name=":0">{{Cite magazine|title = Public Memory and Gamer Identity: Retrogaming as Nostalgia|url = http://gamescriticism.org/articles/heineman-1-1/|magazine = Journal of Games Criticism|date = January 22, 2014|access-date = February 22, 2016|first = David S.|last = Heineman|volume = 1|issue = 1|pages = 1–24|archive-date = February 14, 2016|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160214045400/http://gamescriticism.org/articles/heineman-1-1/|url-status = dead}}</ref>

=== Ported retro gaming === Ported retro gaming involves original games being converted to native on new systems, just as in emulation but without original ROM files.<ref name=":1" /> Ported games are available through official collections, console-based downloads, and plug and play systems.<ref name=":0" /> Ported retro gaming is comparatively rare, since emulation is a much easier and more accurate method.

==== Remakes ==== {{Main|Video game remake}} Modern retro gaming may be more broadly applied to retro-style designs and reimaginings with more modern graphics. These enhanced remakes include ''Pac-Man: Championship Edition'', ''Space Invaders Extreme'', ''Super Mega Worm'', and ''3D Dot Game Heroes''. Some are based directly upon the enhanced emulation of original games, as with Nintendo's ''NES Remix''.

[[File:Paku-paku4-dos.png|thumb|''Paku Paku'' is a ''Pac-Man'' remake that targets the obscure 160×100×16 mode of the CGA graphic card.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.deathshadow.com/pakuPaku |title=Paku Paku – A game for early PC/MS-DOS Computers |first=Jason |last=Knight |publisher=deathshadow.com |access-date=January 16, 2013 |archive-date=January 19, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130119045715/http://www.deathshadow.com/pakuPaku |url-status=live }}</ref>]] When remakes are created by an individual or a group of enthusiasts without commercial motivation, such games sometimes are also called fangames. These are often motivated by the phenomenon of abandonware, which is the discontinuation of sales and support by the original producers. Examples of fan-made remakes are ''King's Quest I: Quest for the Crown'', ''King's Quest II: Romancing the Stones'', and ''Freeciv''.

The nostalgia-based revival of past game styles has also been accompanied by the development of the modern chiptune genre of game music. Chiptunes are characterized by severe limitations of sound imposed by the author's self-restriction to using only the original sound chips from 8-bit or 16-bit games. These compositions are featured in many retro-style modern games and are popular in the demoscene.

==== Re-releases ==== With the new possibility of online distribution in the mid-2000s, the commercial distribution of older games became feasible, as deployment and storage costs dropped significantly: {{Blockquote|... we can put something up on Steam, deliver it to people all around the world, make changes. We can take more interesting risks ... Retail doesn't know how to deal with those games. On Steam there's no shelf-space restriction. It's great because they're a bunch of old, orphaned games.|Gabe Newell|Rock, Paper, Shotgun<ref name=newell2007>{{cite magazine|magazine=Rock, Paper, Shotgun |url=http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2007/11/21/rps-exclusive-gabe-newell-interview/|title=RPS Exclusive: Gabe Newell Interview |date=2007-11-22 |access-date=2013-06-28 |first=John |last=Walker |quote=The worst days [for game development] were the cartridge days for the NES. It was a huge risk – you had all this money tied up in silicon in a warehouse somewhere, and so you'd be conservative in the decisions you felt you could make, very conservative in the IPs you signed, your art direction would not change, and so on. Now it's the opposite extreme: we can put something up on Steam, deliver it to people all around the world, make changes. We can take more interesting risks.... Retail doesn't know how to deal with those games. On Steam [a digital distributor] there's no shelf-space restriction. It's great because they're a bunch of old, orphaned games.}}</ref>}}

A digital distributor specialized in bringing older games out of abandonware is ''GOG.com'' (formerly called ''Good Old Games'') who started in 2008 to search for copyright holders of older games to re-release them legally and DRM-free.<ref name="arspreview">{{cite web |url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2008/09/first-look-gog-revives-classic-pc-games-for-download-age.ars |title=First look: GOG revives classic PC games for download age |access-date=December 27, 2012 |first=Frank |last=Caron |date=September 9, 2008 |website=Ars Technica |quote=''... [Good Old Games] focuses on bringing old, time-tested games into the downloadable era with low prices and no DRM.'' |archive-date=December 20, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211220150816/https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2008/09/first-look-gog-revives-classic-pc-games-for-download-age/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Other companies have also been established to rerelease retro games, including Limited Run Games and iam8bit.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.gamesradar.com/lets-get-physical-meet-the-companies-reissuing-retro-classics-for-audiences-new-and-old/ | title = Let's get physical: Meet the companies reissuing retro classics for audiences new and old | first = Nick | last = Thorpe | date = January 1, 2021 | access-date = January 2, 2021 | work = GamesRadar | archive-date = January 1, 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210101213644/https://www.gamesradar.com/lets-get-physical-meet-the-companies-reissuing-retro-classics-for-audiences-new-and-old/ | url-status = live }}</ref>

Online platforms for older video game re-releases include Nintendo's Virtual Console and Nintendo Classics, and Sony's PlayStation Network.

Mobile application developers have been purchasing the rights and licensing to re-release older arcade games on iOS and Android operating systems. Some publishers are creating spinoffs to their older games, keeping the core gameplay while adding new features, levels, and styles of play.

==== Plug-and-play systems ==== Plug-and-play systems have been released or licensed by companies such as Atari, Sega, and Nintendo. These systems include stand-alone game libraries and plug directly into the user's television.<ref name=":1" />

== Retro gaming community == thumb|''The Art of Video Games'' premiered at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in 2012. The retro gaming market is active with online and physical spaces where retro games are discussed, collected, and played.<ref name=":0" />

=== Online === Several websites and online forums are devoted to retro gaming. The content on these online platforms typically includes reviews of older games, interviews with developers, fan-made content, game walkthroughs, and message boards for discussions.<ref name=":0" /> Many gameplay videos posted online feature attempts at breaking speedrun or high score records.

Some YouTube channels dedicated to retro gaming have gained a considerable following, such as the ''Angry Video Game Nerd''<ref>{{cite news |last1=Truitt |first1=Brian |title='Angry Video Game Nerd' tackles Atari cartridge legend |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2014/09/02/angry-video-game-nerd-the-movie-exclusive-clip/14986761/ |access-date=3 August 2024 |work=USA TODAY}}</ref> and ''Game Sack''.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Deleon |first1=Nicholas |title='Game Sack' Went On Hiatus Because It's Hard to Be in YouTube's Middle Class |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/game-sack-goes-on-hiatus-from-youtube/ |website=Vice |access-date=3 August 2024 |language=en |date=10 February 2016}}</ref>

=== Fighting games === The competitive Fighting game community comes from arcades, such as ''Street Fighter'' and ''Mortal Kombat''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.polygon.com/features/2014/2/6/5361004/fighting-game-diversity|title=Why the fighting game community is color blind|first=Mitch|last=Bowman|website=Polygon|date=February 6, 2014|access-date=September 29, 2016|archive-date=December 22, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222112413/http://www.polygon.com/features/2014/2/6/5361004/fighting-game-diversity|url-status=live}}</ref> Some fighting games have continued to receive arcade releases after the end of the arcade era.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://blog.hardcoregaming101.net/2010/10/brief-history-of-2d-fighting-games.html|title=A Brief History of 2D Fighting Games|access-date=September 29, 2016|archive-date=October 2, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161002120508/http://blog.hardcoregaming101.net/2010/10/brief-history-of-2d-fighting-games.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Face-to-face competition of ''Super Street Fighter II Turbo'' has been featured in the Evolution Championship Series.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://shoryuken.com/2015/06/05/evo-2015-super-street-fighter-ii-turbo-side-tournament-announced-registration-now-live/|title=Evo 2015 Super Street Fighter II Turbo Side Tournaments Unveiled, Registration Now Live|first=Ian|last=Walker|access-date=September 29, 2016|archive-date=October 9, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161009120620/http://shoryuken.com/2015/06/05/evo-2015-super-street-fighter-ii-turbo-side-tournament-announced-registration-now-live/|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Exhibitions === [[File:36. Międzynarodowy Festiwal Komiksu i Gier - strefa gier.jpg|thumb|A visitor plays a retro racing game at the retrogaming zone of the 36. International Festival of Comics and Games, 2025]] Events typically include vendors, gameplay, tournaments, costumes, and live music. The Classic Tetris World Championship has been streamed online to millions of views and recaps have been broadcast on ESPN2.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Organize This - Talking Tetris Champs With Vincent Clemente |url=https://www.twingalaxies.com/feed_details.php/66/Organize%20This%20-%20Talking%20Tetris%20Champs%20With%20Vincent%20Clemente/1 |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=www.twingalaxies.com |language=en}}</ref> The International Festival of Comics and Games in Poland annually features a large retro gaming area open to all visitors.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Strefa gier wideo |url=https://komiksfestiwal.com/o-festiwalu/strefa-gier/ |access-date=2025-10-07 |website=Międzynarodowy Festiwal Komiksu i Gier w Łodzi |language=pl-PL}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-09-17 |title=Łódź zaprasza miłośników retro i grania. Międzynarodowy Festiwal Komiksu i Gier rusza już we wrześniu |url=https://www.eurogamer.pl/lodz-zaprasza-milosnikow-retro-i-grania-miedzynarodowy-festiwal-komiksu-i-gier-rusza-juz-we-wrzesniu |access-date=2025-10-07 |website=Eurogamer.pl |language=pl}}</ref> Since 2016, the Retro World Series has hosted over 500 retro gaming tournaments at conventions and events across the United States.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Home |url=https://retroworldseries.com/ |access-date=2026-04-04 |website=Official Site of the Retro World Series {{!}} Retro eSports |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Retro World Series - Challonge - Challonge |url=https://retroworldseries.challonge.com/tournaments |access-date=2026-04-04 |website=retroworldseries.challonge.com |language=en}}</ref>

=== Museums === Retro gaming is recognized by museums worldwide. For example, the ''RetroGames'' arcade museum of Karlsruhe, Germany was founded in 2002<ref>{{Cite web |title=RetroGames e.V. {{!}} Erhalt und Pflege der Videospielkultur in Deutschland |url=https://www.retrogames.info/ |access-date=2023-12-16 |website=www.retrogames.info |language=de}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/29231 |title=Erster eingetragener Verein für Computer- und Konsolenspiele-Oldies eröffnet |publisher=Heise.de |first=Peter |last=Schmitz |date=July 19, 2002 |access-date=June 1, 2012 |language=de |archive-date=November 21, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071121061128/http://www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/29231 |url-status=live }}</ref> and the Computerspielemuseum Berlin was founded in 1997. Some classical art museums bear a video gaming retrospective, as with 2012's Smithsonian American Art Museum exhibition titled ''The Art of Video Games''<ref name="USAT">{{cite web |url=https://www.usatoday.com/life/lifestyle/story/2012-03-12/video-games-smithsonian/53502696/1 |title=Are video games art? Draw your own conclusions |first=Mike |last=Snider |work=USA Today |publisher=Gannett |date=March 13, 2012 |access-date=June 2, 2012 |archive-date=June 26, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120626134532/http://www.usatoday.com/life/lifestyle/story/2012-03-12/video-games-smithsonian/53502696/1 |url-status=live }}</ref> or as part of the Museum of Modern Art "Applied Design" exhibition in 2013.<ref>{{cite web |date=November 29, 2012 |url=http://www.moma.org/explore/inside_out/2012/11/29/video-games-14-in-the-collection-for-starters |title=Video Games: 14 in the Collection, for Starters |first=Paola |last=Antonelli |work=Inside / Out. A MoMA/MoMA PS1 Blog |publisher=Museum of Modern Art |access-date=November 29, 2012 |archive-date=November 30, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121130082752/http://www.moma.org/explore/inside_out/2012/11/29/video-games-14-in-the-collection-for-starters/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Starting in 2015, The Strong National Museum of Play adds games annually to the World Video Game Hall of Fame. In 2016, the first museum dedicated solely to the history of the videogame industry, The National Videogame Museum, was opened in Frisco, Texas.

== Legal issues == An exemption in the United States' Digital Millennium Copyright Act allows consumers to modify video games they already own to make them playable.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.wired.co.uk/article/dmca-game-preservation-exemptions-abandoned-games|title=Explained: new US copyright exclusions for abandoned games|last=Orphanides|first=K. G.|magazine=Wired UK|date=October 28, 2015|access-date=June 17, 2023}}</ref> However, the duration of copyright on creative works in most countries is far longer than the era of home computing, leading to criticism that software piracy is the only way to preserve some titles. In some cases, such as ''No One Lives Forever'', the rights remain ambiguous, preventing legal distribution.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.techradar.com/news/gaming/why-it-shouldn-t-be-left-to-pirates-to-keep-our-games-alive-1293355|title=Why it shouldn't be left to pirates to keep our games alive|last=Cobbett|first=Richard|work=TechRadar|date=May 10, 2015|access-date=June 17, 2023}}</ref>

Emulators are typically created by third parties, and the software they run is often taken directly from the original games and put online for free download.<ref name=":1" /> While it is completely legal for anyone to create an emulator for any hardware, unauthorized distribution of the code for a retro game is an infringement of the game's copyright.<ref name=NGenEmu>{{cite magazine |title=Emulations |magazine=Next Generation |issue=28|publisher=Imagine Media |date=April 1997|pages=42–43}}</ref> Some companies have made public statements, such as Nintendo, stating that "the introduction of emulators created to play illegally copied Nintendo software represents the greatest threat to date in the intellectual property rights of video game developers".<ref>{{Cite web|title = {{!}} Nintendo – Corporate Information {{!}} Legal Information (Copyrights, Emulators, ROMs, etc.)|url = https://www.nintendo.com/corp/legal.jsp#helping|website = www.nintendo.com|access-date = February 22, 2016|archive-date = June 18, 2016|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160618141515/http://www.nintendo.com/corp/legal.jsp#helping|url-status = live}}</ref> However, video game developers and publishers typically ignore emulation.<ref name=":1" /> One reason for this is that at any given time, most of the games illegally distributed for emulation are not presently being sold by the company which owns the game, and so the financial damages in a successful lawsuit would likely be negligible.<ref name=NGenEmu/>

=== Copyright infringement cases ===

==== ''Nintendo of America Inc. v. Tropic Haze LLC, No.'' ==== Nintendo filed a lawsuit in 2024 against Tropic Haze, claiming Yuzu, Tropic Haze's emulator, infringed copyright by reverse engineering Nintendo's hardware. The settlement that was reached included Tropic Haze paying $2.4 million and halting their emulator projects.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lyles |first=Taylor |date=2024-03-04 |title=Yuzu Creators Will Pay Nintendo $2.4 Million in Damages and End Development of Switch Emulator |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/yuzu-emulator-lawsuit-settled-for-24-million-between-nintendo-and-tropic-haze |access-date=2024-03-07 |website=IGN |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-03-04 |title=Makers of Switch emulator Yuzu quickly settle with Nintendo for $2.4 million |url=https://www.engadget.com/makers-of-switch-emulator-yuzu-quickly-settle-with-nintendo-for-24-million-203204698.html |access-date=2024-03-07 |website=Yahoo Finance |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Carpenter |first=Nicole |date=2024-03-04 |title=Nintendo wins $2.4M in Switch emulator lawsuit, Yuzu to shut down |url=https://www.polygon.com/24090351/nintendo-2-4-million-yuzu-switch-emulator-settlement-lawsuit |access-date=2024-03-07 |website=Polygon |language=en-US}}</ref>

==== ''Nintendo of America Incorporated v. Mathias Designs LLC.'' ==== Nintendo sued the owner of LoveROMs.com and LoveRETRO.co in 2018 for hosting copyrighted game files and facilitating piracy. The court awarded Nintendo $12,230,000 in damages, leading to the shutdown of the sites.<ref>Zwiezen, Z. (2021, August 14). Nintendo orders ROM site to 'Destroy' all its games, or else. Kotaku. Archived from the original on 14 August 2021. Retrieved from [https://www.kotaku.com. https://www.kotaku.com.]</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Valentine |first=Rebekah |date=2018-11-12 |title=Nintendo reaches final judgment agreement with ROM site owners |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/nintendo-reaches-final-judgment-agreement-with-rom-site-owners |access-date=2024-03-07 |website=GamesIndustry.biz |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-07-23 |title=Nintendo Suing Pirate Websites For Millions |url=https://kotaku.com/nintendo-suing-pirate-websites-for-millions-1827790323 |access-date=2024-03-07 |website=Kotaku |language=en}}</ref>

==== ''Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. v. Connectix Corp.'' ==== {{Main|Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. v. Connectix Corp.}} In 1999, Sony sued Connectix, and the court issued a preliminary injunction against Connectix for copyright infringement on their Virtual Game Station, an emulator enabling PC users to play PlayStation games, violating Sony's BIOS copyright.<ref name=":2">Lee, C. A. (2022). Video game modding in the U.S. intellectual property law: Controversial issues and gaps. Digital Law Journal, 3(4), 8-31.</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=CNN - Judge rules against PlayStation emulator - April 21, 1999 |url=http://www.cnn.com/TECH/computing/9904/22/sony.connectix/ |access-date=2024-03-07 |website=www.cnn.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |last= |first= |title=Court Upholds PlayStation Rival |url=https://www.wired.com/2000/02/court-upholds-playstation-rival/ |access-date=2024-03-07 |magazine=Wired |language=en-US |issn=1059-1028}}</ref> The Ninth Circuit Court reversed the district court's decision both on the copyright infringement and the trademark tarnishing claims, lifting the injunction against Connectix. Video game emulation advocates have asserted that ''Sony vs. Connectix'' established the legality of emulators within the United States.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pettus |first=Sam |title=EmuFAQ Addendum - Sony v. Connectix |url=http://www.worldofspectrum.org:80/EmuFAQ2000/EmuFAQ_Y2KAddendum1.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200123065047/http://www.worldofspectrum.org:80/EmuFAQ2000/EmuFAQ_Y2KAddendum1.htm |archive-date=2020-01-23 |access-date=2025-11-05 |website=www.worldofspectrum.org}}</ref>

==== ''Sega Enterprises Ltd. v. Accolade, Inc.'' ==== {{Main|Sega v. Accolade}} Sega Enterprises sued Accolade in 1992 for reverse engineering Sega's technology to develop compatible games for the Sega Genesis console. The court sided with Accolade, supporting certain reverse engineering efforts for compatibility.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Coats |first1=William |last2=Rafter |first2=Heather |date=1993-01-01 |title=The Games People Play: Sega v. Accolade and the Right to Reverse Engineer Software |url=https://repository.uclawsf.edu/hastings_comm_ent_law_journal/vol15/iss3/1 |journal=UC Law SF Communications and Entertainment Journal |volume=15 |issue=3 |pages=557 |issn=1061-6578}}</ref>

==== ''Lewis Galoob Toys, Inc. v. Nintendo of America, Inc.'' ==== {{Main|Lewis Galoob Toys, Inc. v. Nintendo of America, Inc.}} In 1992, Lewis Galoob Toys was sued by Nintendo over the Game Genie, a device allowing game modifications for personal use. The 9th District Court of Appeals ruled in favor of Lewis Galoob Toys, stating such modifications did not infringe copyright, permitting the continued sale of the Game Genie.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{cite news |date=18 November 2020 |title=When Nintendo fought a device that gave Mario 'new superpowers' |url=https://www.cbc.ca/archives/super-mario-enhancer-1990-1.5799393 |work=CBC News |access-date=11 May 2026}}</ref>

== References == {{reflist}}

== External links ==

Category:Nostalgia Category:Video game culture Category:Retro style

Retro gaming

Connections

Linked from (60 total)

Links to (118 total)