A team of skilled individuals on the Bitcoin (BTC) network has successfully embedded an emulator for the popular Nintendo 64 (N64) home video game console. Their objective is to use blockchain technology to safeguard classic video games. Trevor Owens, the CEO of Ninjalerts, a Bitcoin Ordinals portfolio tracker, disclosed this development as part of their ongoing “Pizza Ninjas” initiative. Owens emphasized that their developers were able to inscribe the N64 emulator on Bitcoin using the Ordinals protocol, with the aim of preserving games that are considered to be “critically endangered.”
Although the notion of putting games on the blockchain may raise concerns regarding copyright infringement, Owens assured the community that their project is being conducted within legal boundaries. He clarified that they are not inscribing any copyrighted games on-chain. Instead, they have chosen games that fall within the public domain to encrypt and preserve. Owens further explained:
“This isn’t Ninjalert’s initial endeavor to preserve games via the Bitcoin network. On January 8th, the Ninjalerts team successfully inscribed the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) emulator on Bitcoin. In addition to game preservation, the project aimed to elevate the technical standards for Bitcoin Ordinals projects.”
Several weeks later, another developer, known as “Mini Doge,” followed in Ninjalerts’ footsteps by inscribing the popular 1990s-style first-person shooter game, Doom, on the Dogecoin blockchain using the Ordinals protocol on January 23rd. This implementation allows users to access and play the free version of the classic game through the Dogecoin network.
Owens believes that the trend of inscribing games on-chain will endure. He stated, “I think that’s really cool, and I do think this trend will continue. People want to preserve cultural history, and games are a huge part of that.” However, he cautioned community members against violating copyright laws and encouraged them to explore legal avenues to preserve games on the blockchain.
Furthermore, Owens highlighted the fact that the blockchain is a permissionless platform where individuals can store any type of data they desire. Once the data is on the blockchain, it becomes challenging for intellectual property owners to remove it. He stated, “The interesting thing will be watching how the IP holders react. It is likely impossible to take this data down once it is uploaded onto the blockchain, especially on Bitcoin.”
Owens cited a study that revealed nearly 90% of classic games released before 2010 are at risk of being lost. He emphasized the significance of preserving gaming history and drew parallels between games, film, and music, describing them as vital components of culture that should be safeguarded. He concluded by saying, “If we care about preserving history and culture, there is no better place to immortalize the data than on Bitcoin.”