Videogame preservation : a legal analysis

Abstract

Videogames are quite unique as a medium. They can consist in quite an immersive experience, dealing with various aspects such as storytelling, interpretation, depiction of art as well as requiring user focus and skill. The landscape of the medium is forever changing; henceforth the need to preserve such medium arose. The aim of the paper is to delve into the legal aspects which videogame preservation might entail. Aspects of intellectual property will be inspected especially in the realm of copyright law. More precisely the aim of the study is to provide a deeper inspection of video game preservation within the realm of European Union Copyright law, and the exemptions which might exist in terms of the said medium. The main objective is to see whether such a practice is catered for, especially in terms of emulation and ROMS.