Ten Games You Need to Play: The Digital Game Canon

Speakers: Christopher Grant, Henry Lowood, Matteo Bittanti, Steve Meretzky, Warren Spector

Track: IGDA

Format: Panel

Experience Level: All

Description: Computer and video games are more popular than ever. It's all too easy to forget the rich history of the medium. As that history approaches the half-century mark, it is past time to take stock of what we can learn from it. This year, the U.S. Library of Congress considered game history important enough to include the preservation of computer and video games in a new program for preserving this country's digital cultural heritage. This panel takes inspiration from the challenge of preserving game history and gets right to the key question: What is the canon of digital game history? What games should be first on the list for preservation? What games should game researchers and designers study? In other words, what games do you really need to play? Our panel mixes up game designers, researchers, and journalists -- all players, too -- to answer this question. And expect to hear an appeal or two about the need to solve the problem of long-term preservation of these games as part of our cultural heritage . . . before they disappear forever.

Idea Takeaway: Developers will learn about what the best games of the past can teach game designers now and in the future; game researchers will learn about the history of game development; and everybody will learn why it is important that we preserve the games you need to play.

Intended Audience: Anyone interested in learning from the history of digital games -- or eager to help preserve that history.