# Safeguarding iPod Clickwheel Games: A Virtual Machine Approach
In the early to mid-2000s, prior to the iPhone transforming mobile gaming, Apple dabbled in gaming on its iPod devices. These games, tailor-made for the iPod’s distinctive clickwheel interface, marked a special era in Apple’s exploration of the gaming landscape. However, as time progressed, accessibility to these games diminished, with Apple halting support and removing them from the iTunes store. Currently, a passionate community of fans is dedicated to preserving these games, ensuring their playability for future audiences. Thanks to a novel workaround utilizing Virtual Machines, many of these games, previously hard to reach, are being restored.
## The Ascent and Decline of iPod Clickwheel Games
From 2006 to 2009, Apple collaborated with prominent gaming companies such as Sega, Square Enix, and Electronic Arts to launch 54 unique games for the iPod. Priced at $7.49 each, these titles utilized the iPod’s clickwheel, a circular touch-sensitive control that enabled users to navigate menus and make selections. Although the games never reached widespread popularity, they were a significant part of Apple’s initial ventures into gaming.
However, by 2011, the emergence of iOS gaming on the iPhone and iPad rendered these clickwheel games outdated. Apple removed them from the iTunes store, and by 2014, the classic iPod line was completely phased out. With these titles no longer available for purchase or download, they became a type of “lost media” — accessible only to a handful of individuals who had backed up their original files.
## The DRM Conundrum
The main hurdle in preserving iPod clickwheel games is Apple’s Fairplay DRM (Digital Rights Management). This DRM not only linked the games to specific iTunes accounts but also to the hardware identifiers of the computers used to synchronize them. Consequently, even if someone had backed up the game files, they could only sync to an iPod if the original iTunes account and hardware were still on hand.
For years, this DRM effectively confined the games, making it impossible for new users to access them. While a limited selection of games was patched to function on certain iPod Video devices with modified firmware, the majority remained unplayable for most classic iPod users.
## A Virtual Approach Materializes
In recent times, a solution has surfaced that enables iPod owners to sync these games to their devices through a Virtual Machine (VM). The procedure entails re-authorizing iTunes accounts via Apple’s servers, facilitating multiple users to sync their games to a communal iTunes installation. This “master library” can then distribute the games to several iPods without requiring additional authorization from Apple.
A significant contributor to this preservation initiative is Reddit user Olsro, who initiated the [iPod Clickwheel Games Preservation Project](https://github.com/ipodclickwheelgamespreservationproject). Rather than depending on a physical computer to sync games, Olsro developed a Virtual Machine that users can utilize to sync authorized clickwheel games to their iPods. This VM, which operates offline, allows individuals to bypass the necessity for physical access to a master library, streamlining the sharing and preservation of the games.
## The Preservation Initiative
In recent weeks, Olsro and fellow members of the classic iPod community have coordinated efforts to sync authorized copies of 45 different clickwheel games to the Virtual Machine. These games are now available for sharing with other iPod owners, ensuring their playability for years ahead.
The project has attracted considerable attention from the iPod enthusiast community, many of whom cherish memories of playing titles like *Peggle* and *Phase* on their iPods. While some of these games may not align with contemporary standards, they signify an important chapter in gaming history and provide a nostalgic experience for those who enjoyed them during their childhood.
## The Countdown Begins
Despite the triumph of the preservation project, a significant threat looms over its long-term sustainability. If Apple decides to disable the iTunes re-authorization servers for clickwheel iPods, it will become impossible to introduce new games into the Virtual Machine’s library. This would effectively bring the preservation endeavor to a standstill, leaving any unpreserved games lost indefinitely.
Consequently, Olsro and the community members are racing against time to safeguard all 54 clickwheel games. While they have already managed to preserve 45 titles, they continue to seek the remaining games to finalize the collection.
## The Importance of Preserving Clickwheel Games
For numerous individuals, the pursuit of preserving iPod clickwheel games transcends simple nostalgia. These games embody a distinctive period in gaming history when mobile gaming was still evolving, and premium games were offered without advertisements or microtransactions. As Olsro notes, the clickwheel games epitomized a moment when games were crafted to be
