abandonware

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

abandonware

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

abandonware

computers software or devices that have been discontinued and are no long sold in stores

Not all abandonware fades into obscurity.

by The Return of Light Joker June 11, 2010

abandonware

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.

"This game isn't in stores, so it must be abandonware."

by jslithy January 13, 2005

abandonware

throw away containers for left-overs. NOT like Tupperware, which is expensive. Abandonware can be tossed after lunch without your Mom freeking.

That guy is so poor, he reuses abandonware

by pinky c March 6, 2005

abandonware

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

abandonware

The idea of a game being forgotten about or abandoned by its developers for any number of reasons, including copyright issues.

Their idea got abandonwared by these crappy shits.

by bitchlasagnatseries November 26, 2018