Out of print and hard to access.
A new study from the Video Game History Foundation and the Software Preservation Network says that 87% of “classic” games released in the United States of America are now out of print.
The study included more than 4,000 titles released before 2010, including the entire Game Boy US library; with the closure of the 3DS and Wii U eShops earlier this year, only 5.87% of Game Boy titles are currently available.
In another interesting statistic, three Stadia exclusive titles have been lost to time with the closure of the platform.
“We should be thinking ahead to the infrastructure needed to address the problems of the present and the future,” the Video Game History Foundation said over on Twitter.
“Access to video game history shouldn’t have to be reserved for only the most dedicated and in-the-know fans,” it added, acknowledging piracy’s current position as one of the most common ways of accessing classic games.
You can access the full study here.
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