International Center for the History of Electronic Games

05/26/2026

Red Faction first released on May 22, 2001, meaning last week was its 25th anniversary! This video, from the currently-procession Volition collection at The Strong Museum, showcases THQ Milestone 1 from June 2000, nearly a year prior to the release. Shown are levels that Volition had highlighted at e3.

Want more video game preservation insight? Join us for Save the Games in July. Tickets and a list of presentations are now available!

https://www.museumofplay.org/save-the-games-a-digital-preservation-symposium/

05/06/2026

Early bird tickets for Save the Games are now on sale! Save the Games: A Digital Preservation Symposium, held at The Strong in Rochester, New York, is designed to advance the field of video game preservation. Featuring information sessions, networking opportunities, and tours of museum collections, the event will bring together international leaders in the field.

This symposium, held at The Strong in Rochester, New York, is designed to advance the field of video game preservation. Featuring information sessions, networking opportunities, and tours of museum collections, the event will bring together international leaders in the field.

02/11/2026

Come celebrate the opening of a new display on Japanese indie gaming on February 27, 2026! HANDSUM, the developers of MotionRec, will be in town for a discussion and Q&A on all things related to independent game development in Japan!

The discussion starts at 3:00PM, and is included with general admission. Even better, admission is just $12.50 beginning at 2 p.m. for the day, so come early, enjoy some games, a great discussion, and celebrate Japanese indie games with us.

https://www.museumofplay.org/event/japanese-indie-games-panel-discussion/

01/27/2026

The Strong Museum is honored to announce the acquisition of the Curt Vendel Atari Collection. While the museum has been home to the Atari Coin-Op Division Corporate Records for some time, this collection represents the other side of Atari, that of the home computer and console divisions.

It includes hundreds of pieces of computer media, along with schematics of both released and unreleased products, press material, retail product, source code, and more.

Curt's impact on recording Atari's history cannot be overstated. He was a pioneer in the space, contacting and befriending then-current and former Atari employees long before museums started to seriously explore video game history.

The collection is massive, and will take quite some time to fully process, let alone digitize and explore all of its contents. But this collection has something for everyone interested in video games, and we cannot wait to share more.

10/16/2025

Soundtrax kicks off tomorrow, with Director of Digital Preservation Andrew Borman serving as moderator on the first panel of the day, Music for Video Games! Esteemed video game composers Guy Whitmore, Garry Schyman, and Seth Wright will lead a discussion about music design and composition for video games. You can attend the session for free!

07/18/2025

Follow the yellow brick road to Pinball Playfields, where Jersey Jack's Wizard of Oz Pinball makes its return, with an upgrade!

In addition to being serviced, cleaned, and waxed, the game has received the official Wizard of Oz 2.0 lighting update kit. The lighting kit is more reliable, building on the experience Jersey Jack has gained since Oz's initial release, and looks great! Of course, we will still preserve the original lighting system in the collection.

Wizard of Oz isn't the only game making its return to Pinball Playfields, as another BIG game will soon make its gargantuan return...

07/08/2025

The Strong was delighted to host Don Rawitsch, co-creator of the original Oregon Trail game, and his family for a museum tour.

06/19/2025

The conference on BIPOC Game Studies (C-BIPOC) is an event dedicated to exploring the intersection of gaming culture, technology, and the experiences of BIPOC communities worldwide. This September, join scholars, game developers, industry professionals, and enthusiasts to engage in critical discussions, share research findings, and foster collaboration in the field! Registration is now open. https://conference.blackgamestudies.com/

Sponsored by Empire State Development and EntertainmentSoftware Association.

06/05/2025

Happy Nintendo Switch 2 Day! For those able to get their hands on one, or those picking one up in the future, what are you playing?

04/23/2025

Announcing the Volition collection, which represents nearly 30 years of the company's history. The Strong Museum is honored to preserve the work of so many on such iconic games as Descent, Red Faction, and Saints Row.