Z-machine

The Z-machine is a virtual computer created by Infocom in the 1980s to run text-based adventure games like Zork. Instead of being a physical device, it’s a software platform that translates game code into actions on various real computers. Developers wrote games once for the Z-machine, and the software then made those games playable across different systems like PCs, Macs, and others. This approach allowed the games to be portable and long-lasting, enabling players to enjoy classic text adventures on many different devices over the years.