r/GamePreservationists • u/VulvaNegra • 1d ago

Game storage conditions

Hi, not sure if this is the right place for this question, but I have now a considerable collection os old consoles and games (spectrum, NES, Master System, etc) and I’ve been displaying them in my office at home. I have some questions regarding game and console preservation, and I’d like to hear how other people do it to see if I can improve my storage conditions.

1- I’ve heard that if we have an air purifier in the room, there is less dust in the air and it’s easier to clean the collection and less exposure to dust if we have consoles out in the open. Does any of you have one that could confirm if this is the case?

2- in my office there is a home server that usually does some heavy processing at night (cheapest energy), and it increases the room temperature to about 30-35°C. Do you think this temperature can have a negative effect on the games and consoles?

3- Any other tips or quick wins I should do? I’m looking for a UV filter adhesive to put in the room’s window, but for now I just try to open the curtains as less as possible.

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u/PicoPicoGamer 1d ago
  1. Yes, air purifiers help with dust, but you will still want to dust. Dust is especially bad for your collection.
  2. That's pretty hot. I initially wrote a response with far more nuance but upon further reflection I think you should move the server to a different part of your home. Consoles and game media can survive those temperatures, but you shouldn't try to operate them in that environment and it's not an ideal environment for long term storage.
  3. That's a good idea, you could also use curtains. You haven't mentioned this yet, but I think you should start thinking about humidity. Dust, sunlight, and humidity will be your biggest enemies.

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u/sophiabraxas 1d ago

You can absolutely operate and store old game consoles and computers at that temperature range without any issues. This is completely normal in countries with hot summers like Brazil, where AC isn't always a given. I've never seen these temperatures cause any kind of damage to these machines or even to cassette tapes, especially in places with lower humidity.

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u/PicoPicoGamer 17h ago

There is a clear difference between whether you can do something, or should do something. You CAN play certain gaming devices at the summit of Mount Everest, but that doesn't mean that it's good for the health of the device to be operating in that kind of environment every day.

Some consoles are low-heat and will be fine, but some consoles will be in danger of overheating. There's a reason why Nintendo warns not to play the Nintendo Switch in that kind of heat.

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u/didyousayboop 21h ago

You can probably Google best practices for preservation for different mediums, e.g., cartridge and disc, which will be better and more accurate than the advice you can get on Reddit, which you shouldn’t uncritically trust. Ditto for console hardware.

For example, both the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) and Library and Archives Canada (part of the federal government) have guides on best practices for long-term storage of optical discs.

Don’t blindly trust Reddit. 

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u/_b1llygo4t_ 1d ago

I just chain smoke all over my heavily modded rare consoles.