Preface: First off, this will likely be a be a heated discussion. I realize some will have one set stance on the issue and I ask everyone to respect other people's stances when replying/agreeing/disagreeing with others. I also realize some might not like this topic/thread and for those people I ask please do not come here just to flame/troll/suggest the topic should be closed. If you dislike the topic/me for posting it simply low rate the op post and move on while allowing those who do want to discuss it to do so.

Disclaimer: This thread is not for dropping links to such sites(Thought site names can be talked about as examples as long as no actual links are given out), and is not trying to directly promote piracy. Any such link dropping will be actively discouraged.
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Now onto the topic at hand:

Many here seem to have their set stance on the subject of piracy(for/against), and i'm not trying to focus on those who think it's 100% good/bad full stop(though their opinions/replies are welcomed) or those who don't care what others do on this/other matters(their replies are also welcome, as well, though)....this thread is about whether those reading/replying think it's morally ok/acceptable in SOME cases/instances to use/run such sites, why/how/when/etc.

Myself, I personally think some uses are ok, such as: If you own a game(digital/physical) and you break/damage your disc or lose access to your digital copy through no actions of your own. If one wants a game/piece of media that is no longer sold/resold by any other digital site/brick and mortar store. If one wants a backup of their purchased media(with or without DRM).

I also think such sites should exist to serve the above uses and also to act as archival sites for such media to prevent it from fading into obscurity/being potentially lost forever(as with some older black and white movies and UK TV shows).

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Now feel free to tell me if you think it's morally ok to use those sites for such/other reasons and why, and why/why not such sites should/shouldn't exist.

I await open and constructive dialog on the matter.

My opinion on the matter, is that abandonware does have it's uses, such as in games that the publisher isn't publishing anymore, and is pretty much unobtainable without spending large amounts of money, i.e, LotR Battle for Middle Earth. The only physicaly copies I've seen of it are at least 70 dollars or more. That would be a legitimate use, I think. I do agree with you about the damaging of your disc/digital copy. That would be another legitimate use.

Well, I had the game "Knights of Xentar" and one day I realized that the german version was cut/censored. So I searched the internet for an uncut patch, but only found a complete download, provided by fans of the game who were able to mix the original uncut version with german language. So I downloaded it and installed it and it was fun!
For me, this was not pirating since I already owned the game legally, but in a crippled version. All I did was to "uncripple" the game! :-)

These are also good points. If someone's only choice to get something was via a site reselling copies(for which no dev/ip holder got any money) for outlandish amounts i;d also find that somewhat an ok reason to use such sites.

Of course, as soon as the game was resold/sold again for a fair price i'd say/tell others to buy such legally.

I think it's OK if you either own the game legally or if there is no reasonable way in your area to acquire the game legally.

I'd imagine this would be happening a lot with games imported to/sold in germany, what with the blood/gore censorship and the symbology censorship(of a particular bad group of people I won't mention by name).A bit of clarification, if I may ask: By reasonable do you include those selling copies of games for 125+ dollars on eBay or no as reasonable?

It's absolutely OK and even good to do in case something disappears. Even if you don't and never owned a copy. If something is not legally available for purchase, after a reasonably short amount of time, it should legit be "out there" for anyone until such a time as it's actually available for purchase again. If the creators aren't utilizing their society-warping granted monopoly on something, they don't deserve it.

Damn right, it is ok ! morally good this and morally bad that is all a bunch of noise, if you manage to grab it then you deserve it and that's that, no need to waste more time on this issue.

Well, Knights of Xentar has not violence but a more... erotic style of graphics in the original, if you know what I mean..

I know, I was just talking in general with my reply. :)

Also, forgot to say: morals and laws are often completely unrelated, and quite often at odds.

I think that it's morally fine to download from anywhere for any reason, except perhaps from a server that you're not supposed to have access to (i.e. you obtained credentials illegitimately, or the server was accidentally left open on the internet, etc.).

If it's not sold currently, certainly. I'll buy it if it goes on sale again. If it doesn't, then oh well. I like supporting creators, not just rights holders who bought the rights for something they had nothing to do with. I'll buy it if legally for sale anywhere. But like NOLF? DLed that in a heartbeat. And would again too.


EDIT: My stance on it legally, of course is people shouldn't do it. I'm not a lawyer or an officer of any court though. But I don't endorse people breaking the law or being "pirates". But for the sake of this thread, yes, I do download games illegally sometimes because it isn't offered for sale, and I never had the opportunity to buy it. Yes, I am sometimes a hypocrite.

I mainly made thr thread about people's moral feelings on the issue as I already know the legal stance countries take on the matter and wanted to hear people's subjective takes on the issue and not just reply after reply of "it's illegal because the law says it is so I think it is bad because it is illegal". :)

Good points

abandonware and preservation - as in truly abandon and not possible to get anywhere - is part of software preservation and cultural heritage. but as soon as a game is sold or can be acquired legally, then it is just piracy