Harrison, MI asked in Copyright and Intellectual Property for Michigan

Q: can you legally download old games from sites like archive.org

1 Lawyer Answer
James L. Arrasmith
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Answered

A: Downloading old games from sites like archive.org can be a legal gray area. In some cases, the games may be considered abandonware and the copyright holder may have given up their rights to the game. However, in other cases, the copyright holder may still own the rights to the game and downloading it could be considered piracy. It is important to do your research and determine the copyright status of a game before downloading it. If in doubt, it is best to contact the copyright holder and obtain permission to use the game.

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