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| The box art for Super Mario Bros. Special |
In a move that underscores the fragile state of video game archiving, Japan’s renowned Game Preservation Society (GPS) has launched a Patreon campaign to achieve financial independence. This comes after a turbulent clash with the Japanese government over funding, which has also accelerated plans to establish a sister organization in the United States. The story is a stark reminder of the legal and financial hurdles facing those dedicated to saving our digital heritage.
The crisis began in the summer of 2025. The Japanese government abruptly halted its financial support for the nonprofit, citing alleged regulatory violations. The issues? GPS’s standard practices of scanning magazines, game covers, and creating a digital library for preservation—actions the government stated were prohibited under Japanese law.
“It was nasty,” recounted GPS head, Josh Redon, in an exclusive interview with Time Extension. “They told us the funding will be cut; we are not giving you subsidies for the next round. They said you won’t get any subsidies unless you correct the situation. But they wouldn’t explain why.”
Read the full interview with Josh Redon on Time Extension here.
Faced with this opaque mandate, GPS was forced to hire legal counsel to navigate the dispute with Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs. The resolution allowed funding to resume, but with a punitive 20% fine. Fortunately, a surge in public donations in April 2025 helped the organization cover the gap.
Perseverance in Preservation
Despite the bureaucratic battle, GPS’s vital work never stopped. This fiscal year alone, the team has expanded its Tokyo headquarters, indexed over 855 classic Famicom strategy guides, and preserved a staggering 7,000+ vintage magazine advertisements. These aren’t just collectibles; they are primary sources documenting the culture, marketing, and context of gaming’s evolution.
However, the experience was a wake-up call. Relying on government subsidies or a handful of large donors, Redon realized, left the society’s mission vulnerable to external pressure. The launch of the Patreon is a direct strategy to build a sustainable, community-driven foundation.
How the Patreon Supports Preservation
The new Patreon offers tiers for every supporter. A free tier provides regular updates, while a $5 monthly subscription delivers news directly via email. GPS is also developing higher tiers that promise behind-the-scenes access, including livestreams from their archive base and in-depth long-form features.
Redon was quick to clarify the use of funds: “Nothing would be spent on purchasing ‘content’... all funds would go toward archiving and preserving video game memorabilia.” This means direct support for the painstaking work of cataloging, digitizing, and storing physical media that is rapidly deteriorating.
The Goal: 300 Backers for Independence
The initial goal is modest but critical. GPS believes that with just 300 dedicated backers, they can secure the autonomy needed to operate freely.
“With 300 people, the GPS would have enough funds to be autonomous and not rely on the government. It would be an important milestone,” Redon explained. “I want us to be independent... so we can maintain our integrity and philosophy. We can make our own choices that are in the best interest of the public and preservation.”
This drive for independence is also fueling the push for a U.S. branch. By establishing an organization outside of Japan’s restrictive legal framework, GPS aims to create a resilient, global network for game preservation.
The story of the Game Preservation Society is more than an internal funding dispute. It’s a case study in the challenges of preserving digital culture in a physical world of laws and budgets. As classic games and their surrounding ephemera fade, the race to save them is becoming increasingly urgent—and increasingly reliant on the direct support of the global gaming community.
For those interested in the broader landscape of this fight, a recommended read is Buy Video Game Preservation: How Emulation and Homebrew Communities Save Games From Dying on Amazon.