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[guessingo]

This is not about stealing games. Really old games are considered abandonware. They are freely available on the web. This is old software that is no longer for sale. You can google for 'abandonware'. There are many sites. What games do people think is the best abandonware. Note: you will probably need dosbox to play these games.

How about games that people might not remember?

[Frumple]

Abandonware is only abandonware if it has been explicitly released by the owner. Long periods of time without being sold, or no longer being able to be bought, does not make the game legal to acquire via means outside what the copyright owner has allowed. So... be careful about that, folks, if you're intending to include links. Most of the stuff called abadonware really isn't legal to redistribute (even if it's basically never prosecuted) and as such is against forum ToS to link to.

[Neonivek]

Abandonware is only abandonware if it has been explicitly released by the owner

It could also lose its copyright... though any game currently that is abandonware that way is ungawdly old.

[Ultimuh]

Hom of The Underdogs have plenty of abandonware games.
They do have a tendency to remove downloads if they are told to do so and usually have links to where you can still buy the games, should they not be abandonware afterall.

[Frumple]

Abandonware is only abandonware if it has been explicitly released by the owner

It could also lose its copyright... though any game currently that is abandonware that way is ungawdly old.

... have any of them actually had that happen, yet? Last I remember, copyright's lifetime+70, and I'm fairly sure there weren't video games that far back. We've still got a bit before that becomes a possibility.

That said, legit abandonware par excellence: Warzone 2100. Released free to the public back in '04, further developed by the community since. Once of the best RTS games of the 90s and, honestly, early '00s. Very nice piece of work.

Though @ Ultimuh: Again, even though a lot of times it's let slide and generally no one really cares about it (So you've got stuff like HotU that has a lot of games up that, frankly, are illegal to redistribute, but no one stops 'em), the legal aspect is pretty cut and dry. If it's under copyright, it's under copyright. Age or lack of being sold doesn't remove copyright. Almost always, if it's not been specifically released to the public by the owner(s) -- and most "abandonware" hasn't been -- it's not actually legal to redistribute. Now, me, I don't really care (and I don't think boss Toad really minds it on a personal level, per se, from what I remember), but the forum ToS is what it is, and should be respected insofar as that goes.

[MasterFancyPants]

Abandonware is only abandonware if it has been explicitly released by the owner

It could also lose its copyright... though any game currently that is abandonware that way is ungawdly old.

In you US copyright lasts for 95 years, computers have only existed for ~80 years.
Edit: For a corporation.

[Neonivek]

Copyright CURRENTLY works like that IF people renew them.

Without anyone renewing it, it is only about 50 years or something along those lines.

[jhxmt]

Beneath A Steel Sky.

An amazing adventure game that I remember from years back.  Rebellion were the publisher (I believe), and they kindly released BASS (and a number of their other games) for free shortly before their dissolution.  I think they also released the source code, too, which is amazingly nice as far as publisher actions go.

It's now available freely on GOG, as per the link above.

[PrimusRibbus]

Given how many developers of so-called Abandonware games have popped up out of the woodwork and put their games on GoG (and even Steam), I feel uncomfortable calling any game Abandonware at this point.

[Neonivek]

Given how many developers of so-called Abandonware games have popped up out of the woodwork and put their games on GoG (and even Steam), I feel uncomfortable calling any game Abandonware at this point.

That is because by definition Abandonware isn't freeware. (So Beneath the steel sky isn't abandonware)

Abandonware are basically games where the belief is that "no one will really care".

Such is the case with games from companies who completely shut down without being bought out (The copyright migrates but likely no one is aware of it)

Meaning that abandonware isn't "legally dubious" it is outright illegal but "morally dubious"

[alway]

Though, keep in mind, the same thing could be said about singing happy birthday on a livestream.

[Neonivek]

Though, keep in mind, the same thing could be said about singing happy birthday on a livestream.

That sounds a bit legally dubious though. For multiple reasons.

[MonkeyHead]

I obtain legally many an abandoned title from Abandonia, though I am reticent to provide a link in order to avoid breaking forum rules. Not only does it allow you to download titles (often prepacked up for use with dosbox) that have been abandoned by thier owners, it also offers purchasing links for games once considered to be abandoned which turn out to not be. The site is remarkably open about how it will take down any game if someone can show to them that a game has not in fact been abandoned, though I do think that it may assume a game has been abandoned until shown otherwise instead of finding out first beyond doubt before hosting.

That said, there are some true gems on there - Alien Legacy is a fave (sci fi themed colonisation and combat sim).

[PrimusRibbus]

Given how many developers of so-called Abandonware games have popped up out of the woodwork and put their games on GoG (and even Steam), I feel uncomfortable calling any game Abandonware at this point.

That is because by definition Abandonware isn't freeware. (So Beneath the steel sky isn't abandonware)

Abandonware are basically games where the belief is that "no one will really care".

Such is the case with games from companies who completely shut down without being bought out (The copyright migrates but likely no one is aware of it)

Meaning that abandonware isn't "legally dubious" it is outright illegal but "morally dubious"

Agreed. Abandonware has always violated copyright, but my point is that I don't think Abandonware has any moral legs to stand on anymore.

[Man of Paper]

Warzone 2100

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

You don't even understand. I forgot all about that game, and it was a staple of my early gaming years. Sure, all I had was the OPM demo disc with Warzone 2100 on it, but I played the tits out of the two missions I could play (the second one let me have flame tanks, whaaaaaaat so cool). Thank you for reminding me of this game. The nostalgia! Hnnnnnng!