The Non-Transferable Save Files

Leading up to last week’s live show, a topic was submitted wanting to know our take on games from yesteryear getting that special re-release treatment on a new (er) console, and the effect of not having that save file to bring you immediately back to that potentially OVERPOWERED GOD that you once were. I know in a realistic sense that having the ability to port an old save into a newer release (probably a better newer version, hopefully) would be next to impossible, but there’s that nostalgic gamer in me that does wish that it could be done. 

The first problem, however, has to be the fact that the way save files are structured has changed (I pray for the better, but it might really depend on the developer), and having to remold that old save file might be next to impossible. Hell let’s be honest the ability to have a cross-platform (same gen console) save file is next to impossible. Now one of the reasons is that Sony, Nintendo,and/or Microsoft, whomever you want to point the finger at doesn’t want to play with the “other kids”.

Let’s also remember that save files have come a long way since the early days of consoles. Once upon a time you were left to the fickle god known as the battery residing inside your game cartridge, once it no longer breathed neither did your save file. Then there was the evolution to memory cards, which of course gave more space and some more portability to your gaming (as you could take your memory card to friends’ houses and continue your game there), but at the same time as any current day gamer can tell you memory space is finite, and if you think your XBOX hard drive filled up fast, you have no idea how fast a PS1/PS2 memory card could fill up with save data, or personalized data for games. I can vaguely remember the monumental task of trying to move save files around memory cards, or getting that 3rd party off-brand (probably illegal) device that allowed you to transfer your card’s info onto your computer. 

Of course we’re still in the age of having information physically stored on devices, and as the digital marketplaces continue to grow we’re now storing entire games instead of just the save files, so in a weird twist we’re getting screwed in a different way? Now, of course, and thankfully, you can always load and unload games while leaving the save files, but with the sheer size of games these days, being able to quickly switch between games is damn near impossible. 

Maybe in some future reality when there is a centralized repository for save files (probably will never ever happen), where all save files are compiled the same way, and where all platforms want to play nice with each other, maybe then we can have the ability to port our save files for those “classics” to re-releases, but until that time we will just have to start from scratch with the new version and have fond memories of yesteryear when you had already completed, potentially, 40+ hours of gameplay.