ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Video game lovers from around the world have descended on Rochester to learn more about their favorite hobby.

For the first time, the Strong National Museum of Play is hosting “Save the Games: A Digital Preservation Symposium.”

The museum is showing how it preserves the 70,000 video game objects in its possession. The goal of saving these items and keeping them in good shape is to make sure we continue to understand their impact on our culture for years to come.

“We’re preserving the things that many people play with whether it’s toys or video games they’re part of popular culture. They’re things that millions of people are enjoying, millions of people around the world. It’s a multi-billion dollar industry. This work will make sure none of that is forgotten,” said Jon-Paul Dyson, vice president for exhibits and director of the International Center for the History of Electronic Games at The Strong.

The Strong doesn’t just preserve older games. It’s also working to preserve some that are just a few years old, to make sure they remain playable in the future, as well.

The symposium continues Thursday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Click here for tickets.

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