zobraks wrote:Abandonware IS NOT LEGAL. Only freeware is.
This has been disputed for years and it's still considered more of a "grey area". Nobody get's hurt when you download the game, because nobody is making profits from these titles anyway. Well, nobody but scalpers on eBay I guess. I condemn piracy myself, but if a game is no longer being sold in any way, shape or form, I'm perfectly fine with people downloading it if you can't afford to pay an arm and a leg for a second hand copy (if you can even find it).
I really don't understand why companies would not just release these games to the public once they stop selling them. Maybe it's because of the copyright hell when it comes to in-game music, actors portrayed in FMVs, etc. That would also explain why these companies don't go after abandonware websites (unless they will decide to re-release their games on GOG.com for example). As a developer I would personally encourage archiving my game, otherwise it will be lost forever, with the exception of the lucky few who still own the disc - but even then, discs may break.
Also, hello OP