Fallout creator laments the loss of the game’s earliest development materials: ‘I had that in digital form and was ordered to destroy it’

Reflections on Game Preservation

Tim Cain, the visionary behind the original Fallout, has taken to YouTube to share insights from his diverse career in game development. His videos are a treasure trove of information, shedding light on the origins of one of gaming’s most iconic franchises. Among the intriguing revelations he has shared are the true purposes of the Vaults and the reasoning behind the game’s setting in the year 2161.

In a candid moment last year, Cain recounted a troubling episode from his past involving publisher Interplay. After departing from Black Isle, he faced the threat of legal action, prompting him to make the difficult decision to destroy a significant collection of early Fallout materials. This included everything from concept meeting notes to various game builds. Cain’s choice, driven by a desire to avoid conflict, highlights the challenges many developers face in protecting their work.

In his latest video, Cain revisits the critical issue of game preservation, emphasizing the industry’s shortcomings in safeguarding its history. “They lose the assets they were in charge of keeping,” he lamented, reflecting on his own experiences. “When I left Fallout, I was told ‘you have to destroy everything you have,’ and I did. My entire archive. Early design notes, code for different versions, prototypes, all the GURPS code: gone.”

This sentiment is echoed by a recent study commissioned by a digital library platform, which revealed that approximately 87% of games ever created are now unplayable without resorting to piracy, scavenger hunts, or visits to archives. While game preservation and the archiving of development materials are distinct topics, the industry has historically struggled with both, leaving a significant portion of its legacy at risk of being lost forever.

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Fallout creator laments the loss of the game's earliest development materials: 'I had that in digital form and was ordered to destroy it'