The Internationale Computerspielesammlung (ICS), aimed at creating the world's largest video game archive, has been abandoned after €1.5 million in funding expired. The decision to wind down the project follows the federal government's refusal to renew funding, leaving the status of its extensive database of over 60,000 games uncertain.
The Internationale Computerspielesammlung (ICS) was established to create a vast publicly accessible video game archive. It curated over 60,000 games across various media types including cartridges, CDs, and DVDs.
Launched in April 2019, its online catalog contained tens of thousands of entries, making it a critical resource for game preservation.
Funding for the ICS, provided by the Berlin Senate and the federal culture commissioner, ended in April 2023. The shareholders' vote to close the project was unanimous as they faced uncertainty about future financial support.
Germany's Federal Ministry of Research and Technology reviewed potential models for ongoing funding but deemed them economically unviable.
Earlier warnings from Berlin economics senator Franziska Giffey indicated that continued support beyond April was uncertain.
The closure comes amidst broader concerns for game preservation; a recent study highlighted that 87% of classic U.S. games are out of print. This situation threatens the availability of historical video games, much like earlier film preservation issues.
Previously, the U.S. Copyright Office denied a request to allow libraries to share preserved games, further complicating efforts by organizations like ICS.
While ICS has closed, other fan-driven repositories also face funding and hosting challenges. For instance, Myrient, which stores a collection of preserved games, plans to go offline due to rising costs before its volunteers provided backups.
The ICS shutdown reflects a broader trend in the industry where physical media is declining, evidenced by Sony's recent confirmation to halt physical PlayStation disc production.
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The Internationale Computerspielesammlung (ICS), aimed at creating the world's largest video game archive, has been abandoned after €1.5 million in funding expired. The decision to wind down the project follows the federal government's refusal to renew funding, leaving the status of its extensive database of over 60,000 games uncertain.