Indie dev behind one of the best roguelikes of all time releases its source code to the public "in the pursuit of sharing knowledge"

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Rogue Legacy is now open to all

Rogue Legacy
(Image credit: Cellar Door Games)

Rogue Legacy, a 2013 gem regarded by many as one of the best roguelikes around, has gone public with its source code - all in the name of preservation and "sharing knowledge" with the community.

Speaking in a new post, independent developer Cellar Door Games reveals that it's releasing the source code in collaboration with self-described "Linux porter" Ethan Lee since Rogue Legacy has been available for "over 10 years" now. "It's been over 10 years since we released Rogue Legacy 1," the dev explains, "and in the pursuit of sharing knowledge, we are officially releasing the source code to the public."

The excitement doesn't end there, either. Andrew Borman, the director of digital preservation at the Museum of Play in New York, apparently wants to team up with Cellar Door Games to get a donation in for the museum - and the dev is down. "Would love to work with you on an official donation to the museum," writes Borman. In response, the studio says "sure" and asks him to "let us know what you had in mind."

It's certainly exciting, and Borman isn't the only one thrilled to see the source code go public. "What a cool move," comments a fan. "Going to be interesting to see who can/will port what to where," exclaims another, suggesting a "Rogue PSP'acy" port to start. One exclaims that it's "always awesome to see game companies do this" in honor of "game preservation," and I agree - if only devs like Nintendo could follow suit, my dreams would come true.

Check out some of these upcoming indie games for new titles to look forward to.

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Anna Koselke
Anna Koselke
Staff Writer

After spending years with her head in various fantastical realms' clouds, Anna studied English Literature and then Medieval History at the University of Edinburgh, going on to specialize in narrative design and video game journalism as a writer. She has written for various publications since her postgraduate studies, including Dexerto, Fanbyte, GameSpot, IGN, PCGamesN, and more. When she's not frantically trying to form words into coherent sentences, she's probably daydreaming about becoming a fairy druid and befriending every animal or she's spending a thousand (more) hours traversing the Underdark in Baldur's Gate 3. If you spot her away from her PC, you'll always find Anna with a fantasy book, a handheld video game console of some sort, and a Tamagotchi or two on hand.

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