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Title: life span of games Post by: wrldstrman on September 09, 2006, 11:02:31 PM How long will games actually last I know the atari 2600 is closing in on 30 years and all my carts still work..Ive heard and I dont know if its true or not that a disc game will only last 20 years..anyone have any info on this.
Title: Re: life span of games Post by: Pop Culture Portal on September 10, 2006, 08:27:26 AM I think it really depends on what the CDs/DVDs are coated with or what they're made of. I think most CDs are coated with aluminum and that can easily get corroded, making the disc unreadable.
Most manufacturers claim CDs, of any kind (music, movies, CD-Rs), will last between 20 and 100 years...BUT, a study back about 15 years ago (?) by the United States National Archives and Records Administration determined most, if not all CDs can, and often do, begin to deteriate within 2 years...I can't find the reference for that article I read, but it's somewhere on the National Archives' website. Ultimately, I think it depends on how the CDs are stored and how well you've taken care of them that will determine its lifespan. The study was 15+ years ago and you can assume technology has advanced alot since then. Plus, we can't assume all CDs are created the same. The cheap CD-Rs you buy at Wal-Mart or Best Buy can become unreadable within 5 years...I've experienced that first-hand. But as far as formats like those for the PS2, Cube...who knows. I believe CEDs and LaserDiscs are guaranteed by the manufacturers for 100 years. So, my point is....hell, I guess I don't have one! Title: Re: life span of games Post by: ganonbanned on September 10, 2006, 01:53:22 PM for CDs it depends on how good you take care of them. anywhere from 2-200 years. how long do cartridges last?
Title: Re: life span of games Post by: sailorneorune on September 10, 2006, 03:52:42 PM That would probably depend on how they are kept as well. My brother's poor abused Shining Force II cart quit on him (at least the battery backup did) after a mere decade), but my own Phantasy Star IV cart, that I've had for just as long, keeps rolling on.
All of my cart-based games save fine, and the disc-based games that haven't been scraped on the sidewalk work fine as well. I hope to have a nice, functional collection for years to come. :) Title: Re: life span of games Post by: Izret101 on September 13, 2006, 02:45:55 PM Last i knew (approx a year ago) Dans Zelda NES games still had saves on them from when he beat it as a kid(early 90's).
CDs i have had crap out on me in only a couple months. But that was because i used it as a drink coaster and it was a crappy brand anyways. Title: Re: life span of games Post by: Cobra on September 13, 2006, 11:47:51 PM I work at a recycling plant, and some people throw out games in with their recyclables, guess cause the plastic portion of them :s
Anywho, some guys at work collect 'em clean 'em, and they still run fine. So if a 2600 game still works after that, there maybe no limit to their life span when actually get taken care of. Something with a very limited life span tough, C64 data tapes. |