Playful Curation: A Case Study of Doki-Doki Station Museum’s Role in Preserving Digital Game History in Indonesia

Abstract

Digital game preservation is a key element in framing the historical importance of digital game culture. Digital game preservation processes in the global north, particularly in countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom, is well documented because of a well-established game culture. By contrast, digital game preservation in the global south is not as well documented because of the peripheral nature of game culture in those societies. This article seeks to correct this imbalance by asserting the importance of digital game preservation in two ways. First, digital game culture is situated in local practices and culture while acknowledging its near-global presence. Second, we argue that digital games need to be understood as localized formative elements of culture. Our discussion focuses on the Doki-Doki Station Museum located in Bandung, West Java, Indonesia.