Older video games can become difficult or impossible to run as computers and operating systems change. GOG’s Preservation Program aims to keep classic titles playable on current machines, and its work has received an award at the 2026 Digital Preservation Awards, held in Warsaw on October 15.
Launched in November 2024 with 100 games, the program had grown to cover 267 titles by February 2026, with more than 1,400 fixes and improvements, according to figures provided by GOG. The goal is not simply to put older games back on sale, but to make them work on modern computers without requiring players to install patches or adjust system settings themselves.
GOG says its teams work on each game individually. That can involve adapting software to current computer specifications, rebuilding installers or restoring content. The company also commits to maintaining the compatibility of games in the program with future operating systems.
The program received the Research Data Alliance award in the category for digital preservation initiatives in commerce, industry and the voluntary sector. The Digital Preservation Awards recognize efforts to protect digital content outside traditional institutions such as libraries and national archives. The jury praised GOG for bringing preservation issues to an audience that may not usually engage with archiving.
The recognition highlights that preserving a game means more than keeping its files: the technical conditions needed to run it must also be maintained. GOG’s award came in competition with a project preserving archives related to American civil rights and an AI-powered cataloguing tool developed by Diageo. The source notes that keeping selected games commercially available does not, by itself, preserve the full history of video games.
Sources: Jeuxvideo.com.