Downloading old games for free

[TechWiz18]

When a publisher of a game no longer has any method of downloading or purchasing an old game, do you feel like it is okay and morally acceptable to use various Abandonware websites to gain access to these old games?

[Progrumz]

One of my favorite games, Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura (which probably has one of the best stories in any game I've ever played, but that's a matter for another thread) was released in 2001 and has always been a more obscure title. It was originally published by Sierra, which was acquired by Activision. It is currently available for purchase via GOG and Steam for a very nominal fee. I have purchased the game via both platforms, purchased physical copies of the game for my personal collection, and downloaded ISOs of the game. There are benefits to having all of those various forms of the game.

Activision is a pretty terrible company overall, but I think this is one way that they are doing something good for consumers. An obscure title from 2001 for which they have the rights is available for purchase on several different platforms. If more publishers had this approach, then people would buy the games. People like having officially sanctioned copies of games that don't require various forms of trickery to work.

If publishers won't play ball, then they simply can't be surprised when people take matters into their own hands.

[Ravenfreak]

I'm okay with downloading old, defunct games. I'm also okay with emulating old games that you can't easily find online, like obscure old 90's platformers for the Genesis and Super Nintendo. If Nintendo isn't going to bring these games to their Switch lineup and the games are super expensive to buy (for example the Pokemon games) then I'm okay with pirating them. I own legit copies of the games though, but it's because I held on to them from childhood.