A History of Abandonware & The Abandonware Ring
1. Abandonware History
Abandonware refers to software, typically games, that is no longer sold, supported, or actively protected by its copyright holder. Though still technically under copyright, these titles are often considered "abandoned" due to the lack of commercial availability or enforcement.
The concept gained popularity in the 1990s when retro gaming communities began collecting, preserving, and sharing such titles to prevent them from being lost to time, and of course, the rapid pace of technology - which has made older physical media obsolete (how many of us have a floppy drive?).
According to Wikipedia and our Archive.org historical accounts: “While trading old games has taken many names and forms, the term 'abandonware' was coined by Peter Ringering in late 1996. Ringering found classic game websites similar to his own, contacted their webmasters, and formed the original Abandonware Ring in February 1997.” [source]
2. The Abandonware Ring
The (Official) Abandonware Ring was established in early 1997 by Peter as a webring-style network for enthusiasts hosting classic PC games no longer commercially available. It brought together a community of like-minded webmasters who believed in the importance of preserving old software titles for future generations.
The Ring operated on a trust system where each participating site displayed a shared navigation panel, and later a button or text link, allowing visitors to explore the network from any point.
Our initiative not only helped distribute hard-to-find titles but also fostered a sense of camaraderie and collaboration among early abandonware enthusiasts. It played a key role in shaping the identity and ethos of the abandonware movement in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
ARchive Screenshots
Diskboy, one of the longest-standing members of the Abandonware Ring, who has been involved since the early 00s, has actively contributed to preserving abandonware history for over 20 years, participating in public discussions about its legal and moral significance.
In 2025 the tAR crew, fronted by Diskboy, spearheaded the complete rebuilding of the Abandonware Ring platform. No longer just a webring, the modern Abandonware Ring has evolved into a dynamic retro gaming marketplace and community hub—complete with user accounts, an internal messaging system, a news portal, and an updated listings network for classic games and websites.
3. Useful Links
- Archived FAQ
- Byte.com "Can Abandonware Revive Forgotten Programs?"
- CanadaComputes.com "Thieves or saviours? Abandonware roosts in legal battleground"
- Cnet.com "Abandoware Pirates"
- Elpais.es "El movimiento 'abandonware' no cree que liberar programas antiguos dañe a la industria"
- Gamespot "Flashbacks for free: The skinny on Abandonware"
- MobyGames "Abandonware in a nutshell - why nobody wins"
- New York Times "Out of print Computer Games"
- Tech TV "Abandonware Free For All"
- The Adventure Collective "Abandonwarez: The pros outweigh the cons"
- Washington Post "Abandoned games kept alive illegally"
- Wired "Abandonware: Dead Games Live On"