About the Project
In October 2008, Jacob and Andrew started discussing video game history and how it’s been largely ignored except for in small circles. Because video games had an intricate relationship with social history worldwide for at least the last 30 years, it would have been a shame to let this aspect be lost due to lack of interest on the part of historians and academia. There was also a concern that came up about the fact that kids who seemed to grow up with 3D games tended to have an unfavorable bias toward the 2D classics. The two guys felt that there should be a way to allow the history to be presented in an appealing manner to a wide audience while also making modern gamers appreciate the roots of what they play.
Eventually they came to the realization that they could help preserve this history and teach others about it by having an interactive museum that could be fun for everyone. After researching to see if such a place existed, we found that there was a worldwide touring exhibit called “Game On” that drew large crowds of people, but no large museums dedicated solely to this fascinating aspect of social and technological history. Knowing they had a great sponsor to start them off, Jacob and Andrew decided that they should take the initiative to make this happen. They started with further research and planning potential ways to exhibit their findings in a fun, interactive method. More recently, they have started to expand their collection of classic games and systems to become more prepared for the future of their project.
The two came up with plans for exhibits, in some cases emphasizing technological breakthroughs, in other cases focusing on the nature of competitive market at the time, and still in others concentrating on how games were affected by attitudes and behavior in cultures (e.g. cases of censorship, changes in game content across countries, differences in game popularity across cultures, etc.). Of course, there are also plans being made for which situations better call for demonstrations and which ones are better suited for allowing players to go at it firsthand. There is even an intention to have an area mimicking a 1980s style arcade, although buying the necessary machines for that is a long way down the road due to both lack of space and insufficient funds.
Jacob and Andrew decided that it was time to publicly release information about their project in November 2008. It was apparent that in order to make their dream a reality, more sponsorship and public support would be needed at earlier stages. This website was created to be seen by their YouTube fanbase and other people who may be interested in helping. As more progress is made, it will be posted on the site and the forums. Donations, sales, and sponsorships are currently being accepted. The links can be found on the tabs at the top of the page.. If you have questions regarding the project, please email electronicgamingmuseum@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
About the Project Members
Andrew: Researcher/Project Manager
Andrew is currently a university student focused in the fields of history and political science. He has been playing video games since he was a toddler and was first exposed to the hobby by playing Super Mario Bros. + Duck Hunt on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). His interest in gaming history was awakened during middle school when he was given a Game & Watch handheld, Mario’s Cement Factory, previously owned by his uncle. He has since been very curious about the roots of the gaming industry and how it evolved over time, making the decision to try eventually building a gaming museum very easy for him. He has researched for the team in his spare time and organized much of the project to date.
Jacob: Researcher/Planner
Jacob is currently an independent game developer and bassist for a metal band. He grew up playing the NES, Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), Sega Genesis, Playstation, and Nintendo 64. He became particularly interested in gaming history after doing a research project as a freshman in high school on the very first electronic games created in the 1950s. He has remained an avid gamer who plays several titles, old and new, on both the PC and consoles. He has a keen interest in freeware and independently developed games, helping him learn to become a programmer/developer himself. He has helped Andrew research and make plans for purchases and the future of the gaming museum project.
Marc-André: Finances/Advisor
Marc-André is an awesome student who loves music. He particularly loves Radiohead. He loves Radiohead a lot. Chances are, he loves Radiohead more than you. He is also a product of the NES generation, but is an absolute fanatic about SNES games. He is an extremely strong fan of Earthbound and the Mother series as a whole. He has been a great asset to the team, providing a unique third perspective to ideas planned for the project and also helping Andrew keep track of finances.
Joe: Researcher/Planner
