The National Videogame Museum's new Behind the Screens survey, launched in partnership with Ukie and funded by the BFI Screen Heritage Fund, aims to map UK videogame collections and flag at-risk materials before more history vanishes. As John O'Shea, the museum's co-CEO and creative director, puts it, the UK industry has produced world-renowned games and talent, yet much of that legacy risks being lost without active preservation efforts. The survey targets developers, publishers, studios, former professionals, and collectors, gathering details on everything from hardware and artwork to design documents, marketing assets, and company archives, while probing industry attitudes toward heritage work.

This matters because videogames are a living cultural force shaping lives daily, yet digital-only releases and corporate churn make physical and documentary evidence fragile. Ukie CEO Nick Poole called it a step toward properly recognizing the industry's legacy, and BFI's Marta Berto noted alignment with the Screen Culture 2033 strategy that treats games as part of broader UK screen heritage. With the museum in Sheffield already holding nearly 5,000 objects and welcoming over 350,000 visitors since 2018, the project seeks collaboration to build a more resilient, documented national archive.

While the intent to celebrate and protect these stories is clear, we must ensure this work amplifies marginalized voices and community-led efforts rather than centering only institutional or industry perspectives that have historically sidelined diverse creators and players. The survey opens a conversation about whose histories get preserved and how we avoid repeating exclusionary patterns in gaming culture. Participation details are available now for those ready to contribute to safeguarding this shared legacy for generations ahead.