Inside the Embracer Games Archive: Preserving Video Game History 10,000 Items at a Time

May 29, 2026 - 22:12

Deep in an old warehouse in Karlstad, Sweden, a small team is building one of the most ambitious video game archives ever attempted. The Embracer Games Archive currently holds 90,114 objects, with about 87 percent of that collection being games. The rest includes consoles, computers, and accessories. It is still in its early stages, but the archive is already being used by researchers, authors, and companies who need access to gaming history.

David Bostrom, CEO of the archive, said the facility is already active. "We have worked with authors, including Lost In Cult, who create detailed books and have spent time here photographing items," he said. "We also assist companies that no longer have their own legacy materials. When they own the IP, we can scan original releases for reissues. We have hosted researchers, supported university collaborations, and lent items to exhibitions."

One of his favorite examples involved helping with the development of the Atari 2600+. Developers brought prototype hardware to the archive to test compatibility with original games. The team is now assisting with the upcoming Neo Geo AES+ as well.

The archive was born from the collection of Embracer Group co-founder Lars Wingefors. He founded Nordic Games in 1993 at age 16, selling used video games by mail order. Over time, he built a private collection. About seven years ago, he started thinking about how that collection could serve a greater purpose. When the archive was announced in 2022, it already had about 50,000 items.

Bostrom and his team of four faced the challenge of building an archive from scratch. The collection arrived in more than a thousand boxes packed onto about 100 pallets. "It was an incredible sight, and something that still gives me goosebumps thinking about it," Bostrom said. "Those months were a lot of fun. Together with my colleagues, we unpacked every single box and were constantly surprised by what we found. It felt like Christmas multiplied by a hundred."

The team first created a basic database with just a few fields: title, object ID, platform, storage location, and collection origin. Now the archivist is working through what they call iteration three. "In this phase, we will open every single game and document its contents in detail, both through metadata and high-resolution photography," Bostrom said.

The archive is actively expanding. It prioritizes acquiring larger collections, ideally complete sets from dedicated collectors. Bostrom noted they are in the process of acquiring a major collection from the United States. "American releases are an area where our collection has been relatively limited, so this will significantly strengthen that part of the archive," he said. The acquisition includes complete sets for Nintendo 64, Nintendo Entertainment System, and Sega Genesis.

Preservation is a key concern. The facility monitors temperature and humidity, and the team plans to add a specialized area for items needing extra care. All visits are supervised, and handling is done by staff to minimize wear.

Access to the collection is currently limited, but the team plans to make the database publicly available through their website. In the meantime, a technical engineer developed an AI chatbot that can access a CSV export from the database. Researchers and exhibition planners can use this tool to get an overview of what the archive holds.

Bostrom said the Embracer Group funds the archive as a non-profit, seeing it as a meaningful long-term investment in preserving video game cultural heritage. "Games are one of the largest cultural and entertainment forms today," he said. "Like with other cultural media, it is important to be able to look back and understand how it has evolved."

The archive holds about 700 handheld games and a large number of handheld consoles. One surprising find was a Nintendo Game Boy-branded sewing machine that can stitch Nintendo-themed patterns. Another favorite is a special Swedish edition of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past for the Super Nintendo, known as the Gold Pack. Someone from Bostrom's hometown kept it since its original release and wanted to ensure it would be preserved.

Bostrom said the work has taught him how much he did not know. "We look forward to continuing to build and grow this important collection," he said.