Jump to content
XCOMUFO & Xenocide

Tftd As Abandonware


Violazr

Recommended Posts

In my time on this forum, and on the server, I kept hearing from people that they would like to play the maps of XCOM2: Terror From The Deep, or use custom stuff based on it's data, but don't have it.

If you look for it in Google, though, you will find plenty of full version downloads, especially if you add the word "abandonware".
On the other hand, I'm not allowed to post any links here, because, strictly speaking, they might be illegal.
Yet again, even though I'm [u]against[/u] software piracy, I decided to use one for TFTD.

So just to set things straight, I wanted to give some info:


[b]"Abandonware" describes software that is no longer being sold or supported by its publisher, usually because it it too old and/or was replaced by newer versions. That means, of course, that they do not make any more money from it, but you also can't get those games in stores any more.
This problem spawned a number of sites hosting such "abandoned" software and providing downloads, especially of old games, for people who still like and want them. They do so in assumption of the publishers' tolerance, or even with their explicit permission - and would stop hosting the files immediately if they asked them to.

However, since U.S. copyright laws state that copyrights owned by corporations are valid for 75 years, those downloads are considered illegal unless the publisher takes the effort to re-release their games as freeware.
- Thus, in theory, having the same legal state as "warez".

So, even though abandonware, unlike warez, does not deprive the developers of their well-earned profit (and people still playing ancient games is rather good publicity for the company), hosting and using it are illegal actions.[/b]


In reality, of course, nobody in his sane mind will (pur)sue you for using abandonware, unless it is really warez with a wrong name.
Still, it's your own responsibility.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hmm...seeing it is needed to be under our most general sub-forum, I am going to move it to bugs, comments, suggestions.

And no, I will not say I will not move a thread in every thread. ;) I said that because the topic is mainly about TFTD and most moderators would move it to the TFTD forum if they looked at it briefly. It's basically a note to other moderators. Edited by Kratos
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sorry, Kratos, I am going to move this one ;)

I will pin it, and close it. This is a going to act as a warning in the TFTD main thread.

ALL XCOM games are illegal to download and this site does not condone piracy.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
×
×
  • Create New...