KEEPING ORDERS

Pennington (above) says it’s generally easier to approach smaller developers about preservation, noting that the Museum’s relationship with Gang Beasts developer Boneloaf facilitated an exhibition of the game’s design documentation. The VHS hopes to inform developers about what materials are most susceptible to being lost during development. “Making sure that those works are preserved is, in a way, preserving the game,” Pennington says. “It’s just not preserving its playability.” When we put this idea to Bohatsch, he admits to being “data messy” but says Broken Rules does hold onto its development materials: “I try to not throw these things away.”