Fan preservation of ‘flopped’ games and systems: The case of the Virtual Boy in Spain

This article presents Planet Virtual Boy (PlanetVB) and Virtual Boy enthusiast practices in Spain as a case study for fan preservation of failed games and systems. Using a historical approach and contributions from cultural studies, fan studies and game studies, practices and motivations for fan curation are discussed. Online communities serve as a common ground where fandom collaborates and negotiates at different levels in order to support video game preservation. The tensions that arise and the practices that take place are explained and connected to previous theory. Virtual Boy in Spain illustrates how the fragile, ambivalent and chaotic nature of online communities can also contribute to a successful preservation of game culture and video game history.