🕹️ Welcome back, veterans. Welcome home, newcomers. The Abandonware Ring is officially back online — rebuilt, reimagined, and reborn for a new generation.

Formed in 1997, The Abandonware Ring (tAR) coined the very term “abandonware”, giving a name to software and games that the industry left behind — but that we, the community, chose to preserve. In 2025, we’ve rebuilt the entire platform from scratch to honor that legacy and propel it into the future.


🎮 What Is tAR in 2025?
No longer just a static webring, The Abandonware Ring is now a living, breathing community hub — a place where preservation, passion, and play converge.

Here’s what’s new:

🧠 Dynamic Member Listings
Our root system has always been community. The Members Listing is now an evolving directory where classic abandonware sites, fan pages, tools, and game archives live on. Every site is tagged, profiled, and linked into the network — and yours can be too.

🛒 The Retro Games Marketplace
One of the biggest changes: we've launched a full-fledged marketplace built just for retro games and gear.
Buy and sell consoles, classic games, manuals, magazines, and collectibles. Every transaction is protected by our built-in escrow system and has a fixed 10% Fixed Listing Fee — no hidden costs, no shady deals. Just gamers supporting gamers.

💬 Live Messaging System
Communicate directly through tAR. Every member gets access to 1-to-1 messaging, profiles, inbox, and contact tools — no external accounts required. Friends, webmasters, and sellers are now just a message away.

🗞️ News, Updates, and Comments
From platform news to preservation efforts, we’ll be posting frequent updates — and you can comment directly to join the discussion. Share feedback, discoveries, or memories. It all starts here.

🔜 Coming Soon: Browser-Based Games via RCADIA
We’re not stopping here. We're currently working on WebGL-based playable games — directly in your browser. Thanks to the RCADIA engine, you’ll soon be able to play retro-style games built for tAR, compete in scoreboards, and unlock achievements.


🧭 Not Sure Where to Start?
🔐 Create a free account to unlock full access to messaging, site submission, and commenting.
🌐 Explore the Member Listings to discover active retro and abandonware sites across the web.
🛍️ Browse the Marketplace for that long-lost classic or start selling your collection.
👤 Customize your profile, track your stats, and get involved in future community events.

If you're a webmaster, submit your site today — we average thousands of unique visitors weekly, and exposure through tAR is one of the best ways to grow a retro-focused audience.


🙏 A Note of Thanks
To all those who built, supported, mirrored, and believed in the original Abandonware Ring: this relaunch is for you. Whether you were hosting DOSBox setups, archiving shovelware CDs, or just discovering forgotten titles — you helped shape the history of gaming.


⚠️ Security & Feedback
We’ve tested extensively, but this is a fresh system. If you encounter any bugs, quirks, or potential vulnerabilities, please message Diskboy directly or leave a comment on this post. There’s even a reward for responsible security disclosures. Help us make tAR stronger for everyone.


Welcome to the rebirth of the movement we started nearly three decades ago...

Welcome to The Abandonware Ring.