Definition
abandonware
noun
- Software, typically a video game or computer program, that is no longer sold or supported by its original publisher or developer.
Usage: informal; computing
Examples
- Many classic video games from the 1980s are now considered abandonware because the companies that made them no longer exist.
- Collectors often seek out abandonware titles to preserve gaming history.
- The abandonware site hosted hundreds of old DOS games that were impossible to find elsewhere.
- Since the publisher went out of business, the software became abandonware and was freely distributed online.
- Emulation enthusiasts frequently discuss abandonware and its legal gray area.