The Video Game History Foundation Digital Library Is Now Available In Early Access

I'm actually most interested in seeing how the front end to all of this looks and functions now, as that's the difference between meh and something potentially great imo. The early footage still looked like something designed for nerds to browse rather than just general users, when it needs to look like something even casuals could access and use easily and intuitively and actually be visually and functionally compelling as a UI out the gate imo. It's the difference between say most PC retro game emulators that often look and function like they're made to be operated by programming nerds, and OpenEmu that looks and function like an actual finished and polished piece of commercial software that anyone could use for example. So here's hoping it's come a long way and is truly ready for prime time as I would like it to be. Although I'm sure nerds will still get something from it either way.

Also, can you use or at least also provide X/Twitter links, please, as nobody actually uses BluSky or whatever it's called:

https://x.com/GameHistoryOrg/status/188250739782390597

Edit: According to recent data, X has approximately 586 million users. In contrast, Bluesky has grown to around 25 million users as of the latest updates. So let's use the platform the vast majority of people are actually going to for this kind of information to keep it simple.

So glad to see this finally getting off the ground. I wonder how VGHF got the legal rights for this. I know they wouldn't launch without answering that question.

@RetroGames only nerds still use Twitter or whatever it's called

@GhaleonUnlimited Well over half a billion of them vs whatever other pithy option for apparently "not nerds".

@RetroGames The last time I signed into Twitter, the recommended/"trending" topics were all racists. For years I had normal suggestions, then suddenly that.

This is amazing! I'm really happy this is happening!

@KingMike Learn to manage and use your feed better if you want to see more content that suits your specific interests and tastes, as all the options for doing that are usually there. No matter what "social" media platform you're on, if you don't do that, you'll eventually get flooded with crap. And that crap will also be largely defined by your own tastes and views and ideologies and actions and so on, because the algorithms for all these "social" media platforms thrive on views and clicks and ultimately conflict breeds more view and clicks, which means you're more likely to see content that can be divisive if you don't manage your feeds and act accordingly yourself.

Also, you should make sure you're fully informed about the stuff you decide to speak out on too, as there's a very real possibility you're spouting off rubbish about something that you've been completely lied to and manipulated about for years at this point, so it's highly likely you're not actually seeing and reading what you think and believe you're seeing and reading at all. How many times have you posted with comments like the one above for example, where you blanket accuse everyone in the recommended section or the like on whatever "social" media platform or similar of being a racist?

All I see in my main feed is lots of fun interesting news on video games and movies and such. That's not a coincidence, but by deliberate action both in terms of how I manage my feed and the kinds of things I myself post, share, and perpetuate.

But you gotta put in the work on all those things, or your feed will just be largely junk either way, which you are possibly even contributing to by your very actions and posts. And, like I said, this is true of any "social" media platform either right now or in due time. Nothing is immune from these new algorithms, and only you can manage that as much or as little as you choose to. So manage your feed, and be the things you want to see more of, and not potentially part of the cause of the things you want to see less of.

@RetroGames No, sorry, there is no possible way I have said or done anything to suggest I have any interest in racists.
Twitter is just that dead.
Social media can insert whatever it wants into "recommendations". I know youtube had inserted its own recommendations into my Watch Later (or save for later or whatever it's called) category because I sure have never clicked the button for that on a video in my life. If I ever need to "watch later", there's already a history. And whatever junk youtube suggested is surely not something I would have clicked on.

@KingMike Let me explain to you how these algorithms work: You say something like this "The last time I signed into Twitter, the recommended/trending topics were all racists." and the algorithm picks up a keyword like "racists" and starts putting more stuff into your feed that aligns with the things you have specifically mentioned and/or viewed, especially if it's the kind of thing that tends to generate more views and clicks, which antagonistic and argumentative and combative posts always do. So, if you don't want to see a bunch of stuff about racism, stop bringing racism and especially random accusations of people being racists into the conversation, which I suspect you have done on occasion on Twitter by your very words in here. The Twitter/X algorithm is being influenced by people like you who keep talking about racism whether it was there beforehand or not, especially if they're doing so with post that create conflict and increase views and click and likes, etc. So, like I said, be the thing you want to see more of. Get back to talking about games if that's what you're interested in rather than accusing everyone who doesn't agree with your ideology or whatever of being a "racist", which, even if you've never done directly on Twitter/X, you did just do in here. Now if you see Time Extension suddenly post lots more articles about "racism" in gaming or whatever, you might have an idea of why. Do you understand?

Well this just looks amazing - congrats to everyone involved. I'll enjoy digging into this.

Looking forward to digging through some of this, and already enjoying the reminder of how incredibly weird video game journalism was back in the day. It didn't seem so odd at the time, but it's a far cry from the long-form reviews and discussion we see today.

Just as a random example I already stumbled across... a preview for Silver Surver (NES) in Issue 9 of EGM reads "Good graphics and a lack of color round out the cart." What a bizarre and seemingly self-contradictory sentence.

I also recall a review of Castlevania Bloodlines that noted "I admit it. Konami is the king of Castlevania games." Like... yeah, they're the only publisher that makes them?

This will be a nostalgic kick for those of us who grew up in that era, but also an interesting adventure for younger players who are used to modern games journalism and want to see what the culture looked like a few decades ago.