Non-Profit Tissue The Video Game History Foundation (hereinafter, VGHF) announced a statement that appeals to the historical storage of the game against Nintendo, etc. on February 18. It is a reaction in response to the online shop end notice for some consoles, announced on February 16.

VGHF is a non-profit organization aimed at preserving, commemorating and educating video game history. In addition to delivering lectures that collect game related documents and delivering lecture content that convey the history of the game, we are doing a wide range of activities such as promoting project “Video Game Source Project” for the purpose of saving old games. (Related article). Video games have a relatively new culture, while the early commercial successful work “PONG” has been produced and has a yearly about a half century. Culture is also VGHF that protects that video game maturation continues to advance, and the former valuable historical material does not dissipate.

Background of the VGHF statement is the announcement of Nintendo 3DS series and the Nintendo E-shop for Wii U, announced on February 16. In the same store, the game main unit and additional content can be purchased online. However, with August 30, 2012, the rest of the store balance can not be added, and the game / DLC purchase service will end in late March 2023. It is also expected to end in the future for redownloading the purchased title. And there are works that can not be obtained by the end of the store. The way to get the game work is disappeared, but not only the user but also the pouring VGHF for the preservation of historical materials.

Among the current statements, VGHF has an understanding of Nintendo policies as “business realistic decisions can be understood” for the end of the e-shop described above. On the other hand, if the sales channel has been disrupted, the fans also have questions about how to obtain works. VGHF also attracts problems for lobby activities (political activities) led by ESA (Entertainment Software Association). The association also conducts lobby activities on intellectual property privileges in the United States. VGHF claims that such activities also prevent game software preservation and provision at educational objective organizations like libraries. Nintendo shows the view that it is funded and supported by lobby activities as a member of ESA.

VGHF said that Nintendo ends the E-shop while supposing such lobby activity is “an act like destroying the history of the game”. And, for ESA member companies involved in Nintendo, we have reported to review our position again, and we want you to find solutions to the problem with preservation agencies. In other words, VGHF is a series of statements, and game companies such as Nintendo are changing the way to leave the game, despite the closing of the availability.

This VGHF statement is also spreading to the discussion by many users on SNS. On the threw dealing with the VGHF’s ​​tweet comments or threads dealing with the same voices of the overseas bulletin board REDDIT, there is also an opinion that the store is not exit based on the cost side, while the clisum is criticized for the posture of the game. Also seen. Also, many users are mentioned, but it is a concern to the pirated version of the game. As the content, the opinion is observed with the “if a title that does not have legal acquisition means occurs, the demand will flow to the pirated version.”

Whether or not to end the store is just judgment of the enterprise. However, on the other hand, the works that spinning the game history will be difficult to avoid it for future generations. The end of the digital store is not available to the game that the game is not available, is not a story that is limited to the end of the Nintendo E shop of Nintendo 3DS / Wii U. Is the game industry coming to answer the challenges of saving the game?