The Internet Archive’s patchy collections of scanned magazines have been supplemented by the Video Game History Foundation’s digital archive, offering a treasure trove of historical resources for gamers and historians alike. Founded in 2017, VGHF has digitised over 1,500 issues of mostly American games mags, as well as art books and printed items. The online archive provides fully tagged and searchable content, making it easier to track down references to classic titles like Minecraft and John Romero.
VGHF Librarian Phil Salvador explains that the organisation aims to make its digital archive “useful and easy for anyone studying video game history.” This mission is part of a growing trend of archives, academic institutions, and museums dedicated to preserving games history. Magazines, in particular, provide vital context to understanding the industry’s development.
John O’Shea, creative director and co-CEO of the National Videogame Museum, notes that magazines “represent people’s relationships to video games” and offer insight into trends and narratives. The majority of characters featured in old mags were men, highlighting the industry’s past demographics. The VGHF’s archive also sheds light on player culture through letters pages, providing a unique perspective on gaming history.
The preservation of vintage magazines is crucial, as many publishers have patchy records or lost entire collections. Donations from collectors and publishers are essential to this effort. By preserving games mags, we can gain a deeper understanding of the industry’s complexities and resist simplistic notions of technological determinism.
As we look back on video game history, it becomes clear that contemporary reporting often reflected uncertainty and competition in the market. The voices of vintage magazines, though dimmed, are more important than ever in this era of gaming history.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/games/2025/jan/28/video-game-history-foundation-digitised-archive-games-magazines