GOG, the popular games marketplace, has recently become part of the European Federation of Video Game Archives, Museums, and Preservation (EFGAMP). This comes after GOG unveiled its Preservation Program back in November 2024. The initiative is all about making sure beloved games continue to be playable on today’s hardware, even if they’re no longer available for purchase on GOG or similar platforms. Currently, the program boasts over 100 DRM-free titles—meaning you can play them without needing a special license—and new games are being added on a regular basis.
Preserving video games is crucial, yet it often goes unappreciated. The past year alone has seen the disappearance of numerous games as they become unavailable, largely due to dwindling developer support. This issue is further compounded by ongoing studio shutdowns and layoffs, which quite often result in the loss of valuable legacy content or projects in development. Such setbacks could have otherwise served as resources for future game creators.
The collaboration between EFGAMP and GOG is stirring some intrigue, especially since GOG is the first game distributor to join this federation. There might be potential for GOG to make some of its archived games accessible again, although this is purely speculative at this point. Even if such plans were in motion, it’s doubtful we’d see immediate developments. Although you can’t directly contribute to EFGAMP through donations, various organizations they align with, including the Video Game History Foundation, always appreciate any financial support if you wish to lend a hand.
