Game patches are no longer preserved in that way. The version of Overwatch we played at launch will probably never be playable again, and that's true of most multiplayer-focused games. I can't dip into Rainbow Six Siege as it was at launch, and if Ubisoft were ever to make a Rainbow Six Siege 2, I suspect it would do something similar to POE currency trade what Blizzard is doing with Overwatch.

We called the Prometheus Lens "the most overpowered weapon in the history of Destiny" when it released bugged. (Image credit: Bungie)
With every automatic game update, something is gained and something is lost. Even nasty balance issues that everyone was glad to be rid of can inspire nostalgia. Remember when Bungie dropped the bugged Prometheus Lens into Destiny 2 and players were vaporizing each other near-instantly? It was funny, but of course it had to be fixed. It's one of thousands of moments that can never be re-experienced. It also reinforces the idea that when you play a game matters more than ever.

The amount of patching that goes into online games today makes it infeasible to release each as an individual download and let players decide what version they want to run, and seamless online environments with microtransactions preclude user-run servers. The old days are never going to return.

Part of me wishes they would—it feels wrong that game preservation is effectively over in some cases—but I also don't want Rainbow Six Siege to be static. I love the discussions, drama, and excuses to dive back into a game that balance changes and updates create. Some of the most fun I've had in Siege was when the most recent operators released and everyone was carelessly throwing exploding shields down and accidentally getting their teammates killed. I can't wait to see what the game looks like in the first days after a woman with a giant sniper rifle is added buy POE divine orbs . These ephemeral moments can't truly be recreated because they're shared experiences dependent on context.