At a time when we’re increasingly told what we’re not allowed to read or play, the Video Game History Foundation (VGHF) has reversed this miserable trend by offering players one of gaming’s most significant historical resources, for free, in the name of preservation.
This week, the VGHF announced that it had acquired the rights to Computer Entertainer: a pioneering monthly newsletter that was among the first American gaming magazines, and the only one about console releases that was known to withstand the infamous video game crash of 1983. To make things even more delightful, the VGHF has digitized the entire catalog and has dropped it onto Creative Commons, letting anyone “use it for research, publication, or any other purpose.”
For VGHF founder and director Frank Cifaldi, it’s a personal milestone, and one he excitedly announced on Bluesky, saying: “Big day for us! In many ways this was a project 13 years in the making for me. When I discovered this publication there was exactly one issue online, now all 100-plus are perfectly scanned, text searchable, and a free public utility for anyone to use however they want to.”
Unsurprisingly and entirely deservedly, Cifaldi also released an eight-minute video on behalf of the VGHF to explain the rollercoaster ride of both Computer Entertainer and his team’s drive to find, secure, and publish it for a whole new generation.
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An all-women team breaking barriers
Starting its all-too-short life as The Video Game Update, Computer Entertainer was the newsletter for Video Take-Out, an L.A.-based mail-order company. It was co-edited by sisters Marylou Badeaux and Celeste Dolan, meaning it was the earliest console game magazine run by women.
In its nine-year run, from 1982 to 1990, it managed to be one of the few places that published American reviews of The Legend of Zelda, Final Fantasy, and Super Mario Bros. Back in those days, independent publishing was rare, and the fact that a game seller created it meant it was among the most trustworthy sources of American release dates during this period, meaning it’s a boon for those compiling “ultimate” books about console games.
The VGHF spoke to Badeaux on its Video Game History Hour podcast for her first-ever interview about the magazine. Sadly, Dolan couldn’t join her; when the VGHF started its efforts to acquire Computer Entertainer in late 2024, Dolan wasn’t well enough to contribute and sadly died earlier this year.
Badeaux donated her bound volume copies of Computer Entertainer to the VGHF, and when Dolan passed away, she added Dolan’s bound copies to the library for a duplicate run. When the VGHF asked to outright acquire the intellectual property of Computer Entertainer — with the open intent to put it all online, gratis — a deal was struck to preserve the sisters’ hard work forever.
Phil Salvador, library director for the VGHF, said: “Computer Entertainer is a one-of-a-kind resource, and as its new owners, we’re proud to contribute it back to open culture. We hope that by sharing and celebrating this magazine together, we can also honor the memory of Celeste Dolan, to whom this magazine was important.”
The process wasn’t without its issues, which you can read about in the official blog. However, another hero — game historian Leonard Herman, a past Computer Entertainer subscriber — was able to fill in the gaps that Badeaux and Dolan couldn’t cover.
How to get the Computer Entertainer magazine archive for free
What a time to be a retro streamer, writer, or videographer. To use pieces from Computer Entertainer, all you need to do is attribute use to the Video Game History Foundation, and you can do whatever you want with it — even publish it in a book. Head to the VGHF’s library portal for a one-of-a-kind archive.
For reasons largely beyond their control, Metacritic and similar platforms have always lacked reference points for games from the 90s and before. The first thing I’d do, if I were in their boots, would be to see the Computer Entertainer acquisition as the perfect jumping-off point for greatness. Why not fund the likes of the VGHF to acquire more old IPs, whether it’s Zzap!64, Mean Machines, Amiga Format, GamesMaster, and, er, other non-U.K. titles I haven’t mentioned because of personal bias?
If you’re so serious about mapping game reviews — and, frankly, remembering titles like Rosco McQueen Firefighter Extreme, B.C. Bill, or Bubba ‘n’ Stix — you need to cough up. History’s at stake, and you’ve got partners who could help you become the ultimate repository of gaming opinions.