n. software that is no longer sold or supported by the original publisher / developer, often found as free downloads on the internet because it cannot be obtained elsewhere. Not legal, but often seen as morally acceptable because the company that made it is no longer selling the title, nor releasing it as freeware, therefore abandonware is "keeping the game alive", so to speak.
Doom II is not abandonware because id still sells it, while The Incredible Machine is not sold, therefore is abandonware.
by Spoom October 24, 2003
Get the abandonware mug.An old piece of software, more often than not a game, people used to play years ago and from a company that probably went out of business.
- Monkey Island is abandonware right?
by Electric Mind September 7, 2003
Get the abandonware mug.Related Words
by The Return of Light Joker June 11, 2010
Get the abandonware mug.A term created by software pirates to describe a game or program that has been "abandoned" by its creators and is no longer available in stores. Of course, this has no legal standing, and the copyrights were never abandoned, so downloading abandonware is just as illegal as downloading a new release.
by jslithy January 13, 2005
Get the abandonware mug.throw away containers for left-overs. NOT like Tupperware, which is expensive. Abandonware can be tossed after lunch without your Mom freeking.
by pinky c March 6, 2005
Get the abandonware mug.When a game company stops fixing patches, adding content, basically when the developers completely ditches the game.
Mortal Kombat X is abandonware
by mcp_driver May 23, 2016
Get the abandonware mug.The idea of a game being forgotten about or abandoned by its developers for any number of reasons, including copyright issues.
by bitchlasagnatseries November 26, 2018
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