As platforms evolve, old games become unplayable. Open sourcing them will help us preserve them for future generations.

A lot of old games have become unplayable on modern hardware and operating systems. I wrote an article about how making games open source will keep them playable far into the future.

I also discuss how making games open source could be beneficial to developers and companies.

Feedback and constructive criticism are most welcome, and in keeping with the open source spirit, I will give you credit if I make any edits based on your feedback.

    • DarkThoughts
      11•5 months ago

      I think a compromise could be that developers would have to open source their games if they drop support, like entire support not just maintenance mode, so that the community can maintain them from then on. They could still have some sort of licensing to ensure the code isn’t used for something else or the product used for profit (this would not include something like maintenance cost for online titles so that community ran servers could be paid for).

      • @Maalus
        2•5 months ago

        And then the developer goes out of business or gets bought by 15 other companies, with the rights to the game being so muddy it’s not even funny anymore.

        It’s unfeasible. Not one serious publisher will let their game be open source for fear of reverse engineering, copycat games, using engines that a company has worked on for years, etc.

        • DarkThoughts
          4•5 months ago

          If users have to agree to every bullshit license terms then I’m sure companies can do so too when it comes to some open source license that would give them legal liabilities over those who breach those terms. This is not unfeasible at all, just has to be done on a legislative level that would enforces it. The EU has done quite a few regulations for the consumer so I don’t think it is out of question. But I do think it is unlikely because video games are like an enigma to most politicians and still kinda stigmatized within older generations especially.

          • @Maalus
            0•5 months ago

            Nah, because then the question becomes “what if all software is open source”. It’s a mad man’s dream, nothing more. No publisher would agree to it.

            • DarkThoughts
              2•5 months ago

              If it were EU law they’d have to, or forsake the entire EU market.