A ROM (Read-Only Memory) is a digital file containing the complete data from an old video game cartridge or arcade machine - everything needed to play the game, including code, graphics, sound, and data.
Why It Matters for Digital Independence
ROMs are the digital preservation format. They're small (a 1980s game is often 50KB–5MB), portable, and runnable on anything with an emulator. A ROM is proof that digital artifacts can outlive their original hardware. ROMs are how gaming history survives.
Example
The Atari 2600 cartridge of "Adventure" (1980) is deteriorating; original hardware is rare. The ROM file for "Adventure" exists in thousands of archives, playable today on your phone, exactly as it was in 1980. The ROM is the immortal copy.
Related Terms
- Emulation - how ROMs are played
- Preservation - ROM as a preservation tool
- Abandonware - ROM ethics
- Homebrew - fan-made ROMs