The start of 2026 promises to be full of new features: Halo: Campaign Evolved, Marvel’s The Wolverine or even The Duskbloods are at the top of the most anticipated releases. But for many gamers, it’s the classics of yesterday that continue to spark excitement.
Whether it’s playing again Luigi’s Mansion, Final Fantasy VII Or Metal Gear Solidretrogaming remains a perennial practice. However, accessing these games is becoming more and more complicated. Aging physical media, controversial remakes or fragmented subscriptions: the retro player must often demonstrate patience… and resourcefulness.
Legal solutions, but limited
Platforms like Nintendo Switch Online, PlayStation Plus Premium Or GOG allow you to replay certain classics… but the catalogs are far from exhaustive.
For example, GameCube games are now exclusive to the Switch 2. Owners of a “classic” Switch do not have access to them, which creates obvious frustration. For his part, GOG actively works to preserve old titles, making them compatible with modern systems.
But some remasters are problematic. The most emblematic? Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – Definitive Editionthe original versions of which have been withdrawn from the market. Conversely, Final Fantasy VII features both its modern remake and its classic PS1 version, giving players a choice between two experiences.
Emulation, between cultural safeguarding and legal vagueness
Faced with the limits of official offers, many players turn to emulation. THE emulators are perfectly legal, but downloading ROMs remains a legally controversial practice, even if you own the original.
However, it is often the only way to rediscover games that have been forgotten or are unavailable on modern consoles. The majority of emulation sites act in a logic of cultural preservationno profit. But the industry continues to reject this practice.
Preserving the past in a 100% digital future
Physical media will inevitably fade. Cartridges, CDs, consoles will eventually stop working. In this perspective, give back legally accessible retro games should be a priority for publishers.
Video games are a heritage. As everything becomes digital, it would be unfortunate if part of its history was lost due to business decisions or legal rigidities. It’s time for developers and platforms to find common ground to offer players full access to their collective memory.