The game files themselves are often "JTAG rips," meaning they are already in a ready-to-run XEX format and can be placed in almost any folder on your HDD; the custom dashboard will scan these locations to populate your game list.

: Because these games were originally tied to digital licenses, users of JTAG/RGH consoles often use tools like XM360 to "unlock" the full versions of these arcade titles, removing the "Trial" or "Demo" restrictions. Scope of the 2012 Collection

In the early days of XBLA archiving, individual game files were scattered across dead download links, peer-to-peer trackers, and private forums. The "01.01.2012" collection served as a definitive baseline, compiling every single arcade game released from the launch of the console in 2005 up to the very first day of 2012.