Rogue Legacy, a cherished roguelike that first graced our screens in 2013, has now taken a monumental step in gaming history. The game’s source code, a treasure trove of knowledge and innovation, has been generously shared with the community by its creators, Cellar Door Games. This historic decision has ignited a wave of excitement among fans and industry professionals, underscoring the game’s enduring legacy.
In a recent announcement, Cellar Door Games explained their motivation for this release, partnering with “Linux porter” Ethan Lee to bring the source code to the public. The studio cited the game’s 10th anniversary as the perfect time to give back to the gaming community. “It’s been over ten years since we released Rogue Legacy 1,” the developers wrote, “and in the pursuit of sharing knowledge, we are officially releasing the source code to the public.” This gesture is meant to provide developers and enthusiasts with a deeper understanding of the game’s inner workings and contribute to the preservation of gaming history.
Andrew Borman, the director of digital preservation at the Museum of Play in New York, expressed his interest in collaborating with Cellar Door Games to secure a donation for the museum’s collection. He stated, “Would love to work with you on an official donation to the museum.” The developers responded quickly, expressing their openness to the idea and asking Borman to elaborate on his vision for the donation.
The news of the source code release has sparked excitement within the gaming community. Fans have expressed their enthusiasm for potential new ports of Rogue Legacy. One fan remarked, “What a cool move,” while another suggested that the game could be ported to new platforms, humorously proposing a “Rogue PSP’acy” version. Many fans praised the decision as a valuable step toward game preservation, with one commenter saying it’s “always awesome to see game companies do this.”
This release of Rogue Legacy‘s source code is a beacon of hope for the preservation of gaming history. It sets a compelling example for other game developers, including industry giants like Nintendo, to follow. If more companies were to embrace this spirit of sharing and preservation, the dream of safeguarding classic games for future generations could indeed become a reality.