The fundraising campaign will extend until April 18, and already the project is 7% funded.
The MADE is a 501c(3) non-profit museum dedicated to the preservation of videogames, and the presentation of games as art. Planned exhibits will include rare videogame prototypes, conceptual art from the creation of games, and numerous playable examples of historic and artistic works in the media of videogames.
"There are already world-class videogame museums in New York, Germany, and Italy. It's time we got started building such an establishment here, in the San Francisco Bay Area," said Alex Handy, director of The MADE. "Despite the claims of some, videogames are undeniably art. We are dedicated to showing actual reality of game development. We want to showcase the artists and designers who create games, and explain the processes behind their creation in a manner the general public can understand."
Henry Lowood, Curator for History of Science & Technology Collections at Stanford University Libraries and founding member of The MADE's board of directors, said that "Digital games without a doubt have become one of the central creative media available for entertainment, art and other forms of expression. So much so that contemporary cultural history is difficult to talk about without including digital games. As a result, not only will the history of this medium be lost if we do not preserve the history of digital games, but there is more at stake: we will be unable to provide a complete cultural history of our times.”
In order to spur on Kickstarter donations, The MADE will be giving away copies of PC games, donated by Kalypso Media, including 3 signed copies of the newly released Dungeons. Additionally, a signed, sealed copy of Pathways Into Darkness for Power Macintosh is on offer to the top donor. Pathways into Darkness was one of Bungie Studio’s earliest game releases.
“We are thrilled to be able to contribute to this great chronicle of the expansive history of video games,” said Mario Kroll, Vice President of Kalypso Media USA. “While comparatively young, the video game industry has evolved very quickly and dramatically, becoming a full-fledged art form. I can think of no better cause to support than The Museum of Art and Digital Entertainment, helping all of us remember and honor our inspiration, professional heritage and an industry that has made it possible to do what we truly love.”
"This is going to be a long process, so we’re starting small," said Alex Handy. “Our current priorities are securing a safe space near public transit for the creation of this museum. Given a location, we have an almost infinite supply of ideas to realize. We plan to hold classes, talks, demo scene events, 48-hour game development jams, and LAN parties. Though our initial space will be small, a focus on the community will enable us to build an organization that will be able to chronicle the artistry of videogames for generations to come."
The MADE will be exhibiting at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco at the Moscone Center, in booth 2040, March 2, 3, and 4. Interviews with the founders and staff are available upon request.