Internationale Computerspielesammlung at gamescom
– 2 min read
The preservation of digital games is also the focus of this year's Internationale Computerspielesammlung (ICS) presence at gamescom, also in the context of the EU petition 'Stop Destroying Videogames'.
The focus of this year's Internationale Computerspielesammlung (ICS; International Computer Games Collection) presence at gamescom is preserving games. The current debate surrounding the EU petition 'Stop Destroying Videogames' (originally launched as 'Stop Killing Games'), which has gathered over 1.4 million signatures, demonstrates the importance of this issue. The spotlight is on the question of how games, as a digital medium, can be preserved in the long term from a cultural policy perspective. Given the significant cultural and pop-cultural relevance of games, there is a risk that a cultural treasure will be lost. This makes professional and public preservation even more important. The ICS is therefore inviting gamescom visitors to discuss this issue.
"Preservation is not nostalgia; it is work for the future. At the Internationale Computerspielesammlung, we recognise the cultural significance of games, acknowledging them as a repository of social experiences and a catalyst for research and innovation. This is precisely the area in which the ICS aims to make a significant impact," says Sandra Winterberg, the ICS's Managing Director. The ICS is guided by European and international role models, such as the National Library of France, the Royal Library of Sweden, and the National Library of Canada, all of which already treat digital games as state-recognised cultural assets.
On 21 August 2025, Sandra Winterberg will participate in the gamescom congress panel discussion, "Collecting and Preserving Gaming Cultural Heritage: Status Quo and Challenges", moderated by Andreas Lange, who is the curator and founding director of the Computer Game Museum in Berlin, as well as the COO of the European Federation of Game Archives, Museums and Preservation Projects (EFGAMP). Bringing together international experts including Marco Accordi Rickards (GAMM Game Museum, Rome), Natalia Kovalainen (Embracer Games Archive, Karlstad), Piotr Gnyp (GOG, Warsaw), and Prof. Dr. Melanie Fritsch (Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf), the panel will explore how games can be collected, preserved, and made accessible as cultural heritage.
The ICS has set itself the ambitious goal of assembling the world's largest collection of digital games. Following the model of the German National Library, this unique archive will be accessible not only for research and academic purposes, but also to the public worldwide. The Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM) and the State of Berlin have approved funding for the 2025 project phase, titled Inventory of the Cultural Asset Games. With this, the ICS is now officially recognized within Germany's cultural and scientific policy framework.
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