One of the largest ROM and game preservation sites, Myrient, is shutting down on March 31. The site's solo operator, Alexey, announced the closure, citing unsustainable monthly costs exceeding $6,000 out of pocket.
The primary reasons are a plateau in user donations despite increasing traffic, combined with a sharp rise in RAM prices driven by demand from AI data centers. This significantly increased hosting expenses. Alexey also cited abusive use of the site through specialized download managers that bypass donation prompts.
Notably, the shutdown was not caused by legal action but by financial strain. Donations received after March 31 will be forwarded to hShop, a separate 3DS-focused site. The closure highlights the challenges facing digital preservation efforts in the current economic and technological climate.