’Save file empty’ : ABM-institutioners och spelföretags tankar kring digitalt spelbevarande

Sammanfattning: ‘Save file empty’: ALM institutions’ and game developers’ thoughts regarding digital games preservation This master’s thesis examines attitudes towards the preservation of digital games in Malmö, Sweden. Malmö is one of Europe’s largest gaming hubs and is home to many game studios. Digital games are one of Sweden’s largest cultural exports but very little has been done in order to preserve this heritage. Through examining the relationship between two sectors as well as the attitudes towards games preservation in each sector, the aim is to clarify the current situation and build a base upon which further research can be conducted. The research is carried out by interviewing four representatives from the games industry and four archival institutions, as well as a representative from one museum. To help us understand the relationship between the two sectors (ALM and games industry) we apply Pierre Bourdieu’s field theory and Terry Cook’s archival paradigm theory. Our research shows that there is very little contact and interaction between gaming companies and archives. There are several reasons for this, the most prominent being that the companies do not see their own cultural value. This means that gaming companies do not seek to collaborate with the heritage sector. The heritage sector is working with limited resources – both temporal and monetary. Therefore it does not seek out the gaming companies. The game industry’s focus on future projects is another obstacle. As their main driving force is revenue, preserving games is at best an afterthought. However, all interviewees from both sectors had a positive attitude towards games and games preservation and recognized its cultural significance and importance.