The Association of Archives and Projects for the Conservation of Video Games (AAPCJV) proposes the creation of a museum dedicated to video games in Bucharest, named “Video Games Museum”. This initiative, supported by the Romanian Video Game Developers Association (RGDA) and financed by private donations, aims to preserve and highlight the heritage of Romanian and international video games as a cultural phenomenon that has influenced entire generations since its inception, writes the national press .
According to a press release, the official opening of the Museum of Video Games is planned for the last quarter of 2024, and the exact location of the museum is to be announced soon.
As part of this initiative, AAPCJV brought into the project team Andreas Lange, the curator of the ComputerSpieleMuseum in Berlin, the largest video game museum in Europe, who will take care of the universal wing of the museum.
By collaborating with RGDA and with the support of Romanian gaming industry leaders, the museum will highlight the significant contributions of Romanian developers to the global video game industry, through the wing dedicated to games created in Romania.
The Video Games Museum will offer visitors a journey through the history of video games, showing their evolution from simple pixels to complex universes that fascinate the imagination. The exhibits will include a variety of artifacts such as game consoles, original software, concept art and developer interviews, creating an immersive and educational experience for all ages.
Among the games presented in the museum, visitors will be able to interact with the first game developed in Romania, “Astro 64”, in 1978, by Viorel Darie for the Felix C-256 calculator.
“The gaming industry continues to expand globally, approaching $200 billion in 2024, surpassing the music and film industries combined. Romania deserves to be represented on the international map of countries that have a museum dedicated to gaming. This initiative underlines not only the legacy left by Romanian game and hardware enthusiasts and developers, but also the increased interest of brands and companies to be actively involved in the world of gaming, in order to access new audiences”, emphasized Vlad Popovici, an expert in the gaming industry gaming and co-founder of AAPCJV.
“Interactive games set us apart from other species. Since the dawn of man, we have played analog. In the last 50 years, we have started playing digitally, and our realities are succeeding from virtual to real. It’s normal to be nostalgic and think of ourselves as video game characters. Imagine a journey from Pong to Mario, an Xbox next to a Tetris, which is opposite a Solitaire, where two moves to the left lead to Quake, and where above is Prince of Persia seen through the new Apple Vision. The interactive history of humanity in RGB, with hundreds of consoles and thousands of games. This will be the Video Games Museum,” said Miloš Jovanović, creative director and co-founder of AAPCJV, a gamer since the 70s.
“We are excited to launch this landmark project that marks the recognition of video games as fundamental elements of contemporary culture. The Museum of Video Games will be a space where enthusiasts of all ages can explore, learn and find inspiration in the history and art of video games. This initiative underlines our commitment to recognize and celebrate video games not only as a form of entertainment, but as an important part of cultural heritage, influencing entire generations”, added Adrian Ștefănoiu, co-founder of AAPCJV.
