Metadata and video games emulation: an effective bond to achieve authentic preservation?
| Pages | 192-204 |
| Published date | 17 July 2017 |
| Date | 17 July 2017 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/RMJ-10-2016-0037 |
| Author | Giovanni Carta |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management,Information management & governance |
Metadata and video games
emulation: an effective bond to
achieve authentic preservation?
Giovanni Carta
Department of Media Studies, Universiteit van Amsterdam,
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Abstract
Purpose –The aim of this paper is to rethink the concept of signicant properties in relationship to video
game emulation.
Design/methodology/approach –In this paper, video games are examined as complex digital objects,
that is digital objects that are constituted by multiple layers that are interconnected with other objects.
Starting from the assumption that metadata are fundamental to individuate the authenticity and accuracy of
a complex digital object, the research is based on the analysis of the most recent frameworks that propose a
substantial use of metadata to perform gaming emulation.
Findings –Technical metadata are being used within emulation frameworks to describe digital
environments and objects. Although metadata cannot be considered a denitive solution for preserving
signicant properties of video games, they should be used in a more extensive way across frameworks.
Originality/value –This paper tries to provide insights on video game properties that can help to rene
the debate on emulation.
Keywords Metadata, Authenticity, Video games, Emulation, Essential properties,
Signicant properties
Paper type Conceptual paper
Video games need to be preserved
In 2015, over $20 billion were spent by Americans on video games (also including accessories
and hardware) (ESA, 2016), whereas the Western European game market is expected to
generate earnings of nearly fteen and a half billion euros in 2016 (Newzoo, 2016). The global
video game market is estimated to be worth approximately 120 billion by 2019 (Newzoo,
2016).
Besides being a worldwide money-making business, video games can be considered
cultural artefacts (Greeneld, 1994), educational and learning tools (Squire, 2003;Gee, 2003),
“a new lively art” (Jenkins, 2000, p. 118) and, nally, of course, an enjoyable activity. Despite
having been partially disregarded (Wolf and Perron, 2003), games have increasingly become
a serious and recurrent subject of study within academia.
Yet, regardless of their economical and cultural weight, video games normally go from
being a lucrative asset to requiring specic strategies of digital preservation in a short span
of time. Games are constantly menaced, similarly to many other digital objects, by digital
obsolescence.
Preserving such digital objects, which constitute an important expression of our
contemporary culture, is fundamental to allow future historians and scholars to study
artefacts of the past from a privileged point of view. Game designer and researcher Bartle
(2014, pp. 13-17) summarises this point by considering that future scholars may want to
analyse a digital object:
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/0956-5698.htm
RMJ
27,2
192
Received 1 October 2016
Revised 28 January 2017
28 April 2017
11 May 2017
Accepted 12 May 2017
RecordsManagement Journal
Vol.27 No. 2, 2017
pp.192-204
©Emerald Publishing Limited
0956-5698
DOI 10.1108/RMJ-10-2016-0037
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