Skip to main content
Join The Community
- Join our community
11
Premium Benefits
24/7
Access Available
21K+
Active Members
Commenting
Join the discussion
Exclusive Articles Coming Soon
Member-only articles
Weekly Newsletters
Weekly gaming & entertainment news
Member Badges
Earn badges as you go
Exclusive Competitions
Members-only prize draws
Curated Deals Coming Soon
Tech and gaming deals worth grabbing
GET COMMUNITY ACCESS QUICK
For the quickest way to join, simply enter your email below and get access. We will send a confirmation and sign you up to our newsletter to keep you updated on all your gaming news.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
FIND OUT ABOUT OUR MAGAZINE
Want to subscribe to the magazine? Click the button below to find out more information.
Find out more
GET Community ACCESS QUICK

Join the GamesRadar community for quick access. Enter your email below and we'll send confirmation, and sign you up to our newsletter.

By submitting your information, you confirm you are aged 16 or over, have read our Privacy Policy and agree to the Terms & Conditions. Geographical rules apply.

Background
Welcome to GamesRADAR+ Community !
Hi ,

Your membership journey starts here.

Keep exploring and earning more as a member.

MY ACCOUNT

Badge picture
Earn your first badge
Read 1 article to unlock your first badge.
Keep earning badges
Explore ways to get more involved as a member.
Latest Games News

Latest Games News

Breaking gaming news and updates

Read Now
Latest Games Reviews

Latest Games Reviews

Expert verdicts on the newest releases

Read Now

See what you’ve unlocked.

Explore your membership benefits.

Explore
Member Exclusives

Stay Ahead with GamesRadar+

Get the biggest gaming news, reviews, and releases straight to your inbox.

Explore

Sign Out
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Buying Guides
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Video
    • Videos
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
    • G+RLS Podcast
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
  • Home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Buying Guides
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Video
    • View Video
    • Videos
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
    • G+RLS Podcast
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
Trending
  • RPG Club
  • Countdown to GTA 6
  • Game of the Week
  • New Games 2026
  • G+RLS Podcast
  • Best gaming tech
  • Join our RPG Club
  • Submit your clips. Win prizes
Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Want to add more newsletters?

GamesRadar+

Every Friday

GamesRadar+

Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.

GTA 6 O'clock

Every Thursday

GTA 6 O'clock

Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.

Knowledge

Every Friday

Knowledge

From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.

The Setup

Every Thursday

The Setup

Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.

Switch 2 Spotlight

Every Wednesday

Switch 2 Spotlight

Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.

The Watchlist

Every Saturday

The Watchlist

Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.

SFX

Once a month

SFX

Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!


Join the club

Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
  1. Games

If videogame hardware was dug up in a thousand years

Features
By Justin Towell
Published 18 February 2011

Paperweights? Birth control? Let our 3011 exhibition reveal all!

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Subscribe to our newsletter

Let's face it, archaeologists are full of it. "See those small walls? Right, that was a kitchen where the king of Wales used to eat dodo eggs. Whole." Thing is, nobody can disprove it because they weren't there. So what would archaeologists of the future say if they dug up today's gaming peripherals? Let's step into the future and take a look:

Date: February 18,3011 AD

Homo-sapiens died out in 2012AD after a magnetic pole reversal had an unexpected EMP effect onthe then-establishedglobal communication network, believed by many to have been called 'teh interwebs'. Civil unrest ensued when the previously socially inactive citizens were forced to communicate face to face. The resulting epidemic of awkwardness kick-started a daisy chain of social revulsion, which eventually led to full-blown nuclear war. The planet was wiped clean and, after the fallout had dissipated, our forefathers emerged from the fallout shelters. They were sadly mutated by the radiation that covered the land,which is why we no longer call ourselves homo-sapiens, butthe brave children of our illustrious forefathers began rebuilding the world into the society we know today.

Almost all physical history books had been converted into digital data by the time the war began, and with the communications network destroyed, very little is known about how this ancient civilisation functioned. Fortunately,archaeological finds have given us a few pieces of the jigsaw puzzle. This is what we are exhibiting today, so please take your time and try to imagine yourself as one of the people who used these ancient devices.

Latest Videos FromGamesRadar+
Watch full video here:

18 Feb, 2011

Date: February 18,3011 AD

Homo-sapiens died out in 2012AD after a magnetic pole reversal had an unexpected EMP effect onthe then-establishedglobal communication network, believed by many to have been called 'teh interwebs'. Civil unrest ensued when the previously socially inactive citizens were forced to communicate face to face. The resulting epidemic of awkwardness kick-started a daisy chain of social revulsion, which eventually led to full-blown nuclear war. The planet was wiped clean and, after the fallout had dissipated, our forefathers emerged from the fallout shelters. They were sadly mutated by the radiation that covered the land,which is why we no longer call ourselves homo-sapiens, butthe brave children of our illustrious forefathers began rebuilding the world into the society we know today.

You may like
  • In the age of AI and layoffs, playing old games in 2026 is about more than nostalgia
  • Animal Crossing Naked Villagers Nintendo got "angry calls" from parents mistaking Animal Crossing's gyroid for "a wiggling penis"
  • GTA 6 Collectively, we chose a digital future for games – so why doesn’t it feel like our choice at all?

Almost all physical history books had been converted into digital data by the time the war began, and with the communications network destroyed, very little is known about how this ancient civilisation functioned. Fortunately,archaeological finds have given us a few pieces of the jigsaw puzzle. This is what we are exhibiting today, so please take your time and try to imagine yourself as one of the people who used these ancient devices.

18 Feb, 2011

Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
CATEGORIES
Nintendo PlayStation Xbox Platforms
Justin Towell
Justin Towell
Social Links Navigation
Freelance Writer

Justin was a GamesRadar+ staffer for 10 years but is now a freelance writer, musician and videographer. He's big on retro, Sega and racing games (especially retro Sega racing games) and currently also writes for Play Magazine, Traxion.gg, PC Gamer and TopTenReviews, as well as running his own YouTube channel. Having learned to love all platforms equally after Sega left the hardware industry (sniff), his favourite games include Christmas NiGHTS into Dreams, Zelda BotW, Sea of Thieves, Sega Rally Championship and Treasure Island Dizzy.

Read more
Games In the age of AI and layoffs, playing old games in 2026 is about more than nostalgia
 
 
Animal Crossing Naked Villagers
Animal Crossing Nintendo got "angry calls" from parents mistaking Animal Crossing's gyroid for "a wiggling penis"
 
 
Sesame Street Number Bowling LCD game next to Nintendo Game and Watch Pinball on woodgrain desk.
Retro LCD emulation could preserve a bunch of iconic Nintendo handhelds and their cursed rivals
 
 
GTA 6
Games Collectively, we chose a digital future for games – so why doesn’t it feel like our choice at all?
 
 
Sega Mega Drive model 1 console next to '90s Dr Robotnik plush holding ethernet cable.
Retro I figured my Sega Mega Drive was safe from the internet, but the MegaWifi aims to take the console online
 
 
Hand holding Super Pocket Rare Edition with Blaze's Sean Cleaver and Ben Grunbaum on screen.
Retro Evercade creators Blaze dunk on PlayStation for ending physical games using their own PS4-era mockery
 
 
Latest in Games
The Crew
Games Stop Killing Games might never win according to expert: Consumer rights "exist to be violated"
 
 
Palworld 1.0 launch trailer screenshot shows a Chillet Ignis and Chillet smiling at the camera, cherry blossom trees behind them.
Survival Games Palworld lead tells fans they "simply do not realize the sheer number of collabs we've rejected"
 
 
The Sims 4 Realm of Magic
The Sims The Sims 4 mod does what EA never will, delivers "complete overhaul" of the life sim's map
 
 
Beast of Reincarnation screenshot shows Emma running forward to the camera, a creature behind her.
Action RPGs Beast of Reincarnation director "truly sorry" the new action-RPG isn't "sufficiently enjoyable"
 
 
Gustave fights a mime
RPGs Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's "untranslatable" inspiration is finally getting an English release
 
 
Chimchar seen in the Pokemon anime.
Pokemon Pokemon Bank shuts down next year, cutting off the only transfer path from older Pokemon games
 
 
Latest in Features
Xbox Elite Series 2 controller
Gaming Controllers An Elite Series 3 controller wouldn't be a cure-all, but it would be exciting
 
 
Leda, dressed as a dancer, moves her hand in front of her in Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave in front of red fabric
RPGs Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave fixes my biggest issue with Three Houses, and I'm already obsessed
 
 
Todd Howard Starfield explainer
The Elder Scrolls Now that The Elder Scrolls 6 is playable, Bethesda's RPG nightmare of its own making is nearly over
 
 
Sean Murray in a gray hoodie smiling
Survival Games 10 years of No Man's Sky: How Hello Games and Sean Murray keep getting away with it
 
 
Wolverine fights The Hand in Marvel's Wolverine for PS5, with the orange GamesRadar Big Preview frame
Action Games After 2 hours playing Marvel's Wolverine, Insomniac has crushed my fears of a post-Spider-Man slump
 
 
An Argonian character in armour standing in front of a ship in The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered for Nintendo Switch 2
The Elder Scrolls Oblivion Remastered on Switch 2 is a miracle port – and a reminder the RPG still isn't fixed
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. The Sims 4 Realm of Magic
    1
    The Sims 4 mod does what EA never will, delivers "complete overhaul" of the life sim's map
  2. 2
    Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's "untranslatable" inspiration is finally getting an English release
  3. 3
    Beast of Reincarnation director "truly sorry" the new action-RPG isn't "sufficiently enjoyable"
  4. 4
    Magic: The Gathering swiftly learns the power of Final Fantasy 14 thanks to a mommy cat lady
  5. 5
    New edition of solo Fallout wargame is like a cross between Warhammer and D&D, and it's up for pre-order

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...