Geek Native has deployed a new automated system designed to fight “link rot” and preserve the fragmented history of independent tabletop roleplaying games.
The site has installed the Internet Archive Wayback Machine Link Fixer, a tool developed by the 501(c)(3) non-profit digital library. This technology works in the background to detect when an external link in a Geek Native article resolves to a 404 error or a dead page. Instead of serving a dead end, the system automatically routes readers to a preserved snapshot of the original page stored in the Wayback Machine.
This integration targets a specific vulnerability in the hobby games industry. The tabletop sector is built on the shoulders of solo designers, small press publishers, and passion projects. While the PDF rulebooks themselves may sometimes find a permanent commercial home on digital storefronts like DriveThruRPG, the cultural context surrounding them, design diaries, free errata, creator blogs, and interviews, is far more fragile. When a creator retires, sells the company or a domain registration lapses, that history often vanishes instantly.
Andrew Girdwood, of Geek Native, explained the decision:
“In my long years covering tabletop games, I’ve seen many incredible ideas and brilliant thoughts. It’s a terrible shame to imagine what might have been lost to digital decay. We’ve installed this new technology from the Internet Archive, taking the risk of being an early adopter, to do our bit in helping preserve fantastic worlds, clever mechanics and original insights.”
The Internet Archive operates the Wayback Machine as a massive digital repository of the World Wide Web. By integrating directly with this database, Geek Native attempts to ensure that older coverage remains useful. An article from a decade ago discussing a now-defunct Kickstarter or a vanished indie developer’s manifesto should, in theory, remain a functional resource rather than a collection of broken hyperlinks.
For the indie RPG scene, this is a critical safeguard. Unlike major corporations with dedicated IT departments, indie history is often hosted on personal blogs or temporary project sites. A single missed hosting payment can wipe out years of community resources. This backend update serves as a safety net, ensuring the hobby’s story isn’t lost to “Page Not Found” errors.
