List of commercial games released as freeware

Commercial games released as freeware are games that, in their original license, were not considered freeware, but were re-released at a later date with a freeware license, sometimes as publicity for a forthcoming sequel or compilation release.

Some of the following games have been made available for free download as freeware, but may only be downloaded from certain websites and with the explicit permission of the copyright owner. As such, they are not freely redistributable software. In the list below, they will be marked as "NON-FREELY REDISTRIBUTABLE".

For games that were originally released as freeware, see list of freeware games. For open source games, and commercial games re-released as open source, see list of open source games.

Available games

The following formerly paid games have been made available as freeware, and are still in that status:

A

*"Abe Lincoln Must Die!" (2007) is the fourth part in the Sam & Max episodic series by Telltale Games, released as freeware on November 5, 2007.
*"Abuse" (1996) is a side-scrolling shooter.
*"Akalabeth" (1979), a.k.a "Ultima 0", is a role-playing game by Richard Garriott.
*"Alien Carnage" (1994), a.k.a "Halloween Harry", is a side-scrolling platform game published by Apogee Software.
*"Allegiance" (2000) is a multiplayer space shooter / RTS by Microsoft Research.
*"Area 51" (2005)

B

*"Battle Chess" (1988), declared freeware in 1994 to celebrate the success of its successor, Battle Chess II.
*"Battlecruiser 3000AD" (1996), a space simulator by Derek Smart.
*"Battlecruiser Millennium" (2003), a space simulator by Derek Smart.
*"BC Kid" (1992), a platform game by Factor 5.
*"BC Racers" (1993), a racing game by Core Design.
*"Beneath a Steel Sky" (1994), an adventure game by Revolution Software, released to support the ScummVM Project.
*"Beyond the Titanic" (1986), a text adventure game by Apogee Software, re-released as freeware in March 1998.
*"Bio Menace" (1993) is a side-scrolling platform game by Apogee Software, released as freeware in December 2005.
*"Boppin'" (1994), a puzzle game published by Apogee Software, released as freeware in 2005.

C

*"Castle of the Winds" (1989) is a tile-based RPG for Windows 3.x, written by SaadaSoft.
*"Castle Infinity" (1996) is an MMOG by Starwave.
*"Caves of Thor" (1989) is a maze game by Apogee Software.
*"" (1989) is an adventure-game by Christy Marx wich is now available on her website.
*"" (1992) is an adventure-game by Christy Marx wich is now available on her website.
*"Clonk Endeavour" (2005) is an action-packed game of strategy, tactics, and skill by RedWolf Design.
*"Command & Conquer" (1995), a real-time strategy game by Westwood Studios.
*' (1996), a real-time strategy game by Westwood Studios. Made freeware in 2008 to promote the release of ' (NON-FREELY REDISTRIBUTABLE).

D

* "Defender of the Crown" (1986) is a strategy game by Cinemaware.
*"Dink Smallwood" (1997) is an RPG by RTsoft, released as freeware on 17 October 1999.

E

* "Elite" (1987), space trading game by Acornsoft, freeware release in 1999 courtesy of game developer Ian Bell.
* "Elite +" (1991), space trading game by Acornsoft, freeware release in 1999 courtesy of game developer Ian Bell.
* "Enemy Nations" (1997) is a real-time strategy by Windward Studios.

* "" (2003), First-person shooter by Splash Damage.

F

* "F.E.A.R. Combat" (2006) is the multiplayer portion of "F.E.A.R.", by Monolith Productions.
*"Fish Fillets" (1998) is a puzzle game by Altar Games which was released under the GPL in 2002. Subsequently the Fish Fillets NG project has recoded the engine to enable multi-platform release.
* "Flight of the Amazon Queen" (1995) is an adventure game by Interactive Binary Illusions, released to support the ScummVM Project.

G

* "Glider" and "Glider PRO"
* "God of Thunder" is a puzzle game by Adept Software.
* "Grand Theft Auto" (1998), by Rockstar Games, released as registerware freeware (NON-FREELY REDISTRIBUTABLE).
* "Grand Theft Auto 2" (1999), by Rockstar Games, released as registerware freeware (NON-FREELY REDISTRIBUTABLE).
* "Gridlee" (1983) is an arcade game by Videa.
* "Ground Control" (2000), a futuristic real-time tactics game produced by Massive Entertainment, released as freeware on July 1, 2004 to serve as promotion for its sequel, (NON-FREELY REDISTRIBUTABLE).

H

* "Hardwired" (a pre-release version of "Red Zone") (1994), a shooter by Zyrinx for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis.
* "" (1993) released for free by the author in 2005.
* "Hidden and Dangerous Deluxe" (1999) is a game by Illusion Softworks, released as freeware to serve as promotion for its sequel, Hidden & Dangerous 2.
* " Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" (1984) is a game by Infocom, made publicly available as a [http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/hitchhikers/game.shtml web-based game] by the BBC.

I

* "Iron Seed" (1994) is a real-time strategy game released as freeware by the author to promote Iron Seed 2.

J

* "Jetpack" is a platform game by Adept Software.

K

* "Ken's Labyrinth" (1993) is a first-person shooter by Ken Silverman.
* "Katakis" (1987) is a side-scrolling shoot-em-up arcade game by Factor 5.
* "Kiloblaster" (1992), a game by Epic MegaGames, released as freeware on 4 August 2008.
* "King of Chicago" (1987) is an action, adventure, and strategy game by Cinemaware.

L

* "" is a side-scrolling arcade game by Sierra Entertainment, based on the concept presented by the classic game Lode Runner (malfunctions on Win2000, WinXP and greater).
* "Lure of the Temptress" (1992) is an adventure game by Revolution Software.

M

*"Major Stryker" (1993) is a scrolling-shooter game by Apogee Software, released as freeware in March 2006.
* "Marathon Trilogy" is a series of first-person shooters by Bungie.

O

* "" (1994) is a classic fighting game by Diversions Entertainment, declared freeware on February 10, 1999.
* "onEscapee" (1997) is an action-adventure game by Invictus Games, Ltd., released as freeware on January 26, 2006.

P

* "Psychonauts" (2005) is a critically acclaimed, quirky action game published by Ubisoft, and available on the service GameTap as a free game until December 2008 (NON-FREELY REDISTRIBUTABLE).

R

* "Railroad Tycoon Deluxe" (1993) is a business simulator by MicroProse.
* "Reaping The Dungeon" (1993), by Ron Heuse of Frontline Software (NON-FREELY REDISTRIBUTABLE).
* "Riftspace" (2000) by Starwraith 3D Games is a space mercenary simulation built after the ideologies of Elite.
* "" (2008) is a futuristic first-person shooter.
* "R-Type" (1987) is a side-scrolling shoot-em-up arcade game. The Amiga version (1989) is freely downloadable at Factor 5's website.

*"" (2004) is a blend of FPS and RTS gameplay by S2 Games.
* "S.D.I" (1987) is an action adventure game by Cinemaware.
*"Shadowbane" (2003) is a fantasy MMORPG by Ubisoft, released as freeware in 2006.
*"SimCity" (1989), a City-building game, was released under the GPLv3 for the One Laptop per Child project, and as Micropolis to the general public (the original title of the game).
*"SkyRoads" (1993) is a platform puzzle game by Bluemoon Interactive.
*"Solar Vengeance" (1995) is a Real-time tactics game by Silicon Commander Games, starting from version 5 released as freeware in May 2008.
*"Spheres of Chaos" (1992) is a shooter game by Iain McLeod, released as freeware in October 2007.
*"Star Control II" (1992), an adventure/action game mix released under the GPL by Toys For Bob under its subtitle "The Ur-Quan Masters" ten years later.
*"Stargunner" (1996) is a scrolling shooter by Apogee Software, released as freeware in 2005.
* "" (1998) is a first-person shooter by Dynamix/Sierra On-Line, released as freeware in May 2004 as publicity for the release of .
* "" (2000) by Starwraith 3D Games is a space military simulation featuring multiplayer capabilities.
* "" (2000) by Starwraith 3D Games is the sequel to Star Wraith III and has a similar concept.
*"SubSpace" (1997) is a 2D top-down space shooter game with massive multiplayer capabilities originally released by Virgin Interactive
*"Supaplex" (1991) is a Boulder Dash-like puzzle game by Michael Stopp and Philip Jespersen.
*"Supernova" (1987) is a text adventure game by Apogee Software, rereleased as freeware in March 1998.
*"S.W.I.N.E." (2001) is a real-time tactics game by StormRegion, released as freeware (S.W.I.N.E. Free Christmas Edition) in 2005.

T

* "The Adventures of Robby Roto!" (1981) is an arcade game by Bally Midway.
* ' (1994) is a role-playing game by Bethesda Softworks, floppy disk version released as freeware in 2004 to mark the 10th anniversary of the "TES" series, and as publicity release prior to the 4th installment, '.
* "The Suffering" (2005) is an horror third/first person shooter developed by Surreal Software and published by Midway Games. It has been released for free on September 2008.
* "" (2003): A Battletech-style turn based strategy game released for free on Valentine's Day in 2008.
*"Traffic Department 2192" (1994) is a top-down shooter by Epic MegaGames, released as freeware by its author, John Pallett-Plowright, in 2007.
* "Tribes 2" (2001) is a first-person shooter by Dynamix/Sierra On-Line, free download release in 2004 as publicity for the release of .
*"Trivia Whiz" (1988) is a trivia game by Apogee Software.
*"Turboraketti II" (1993) is a cavern-flying game by Heikki Kosola.
*"Tyrian/Tyrian 2.0/Tyrian 2000" (1995, 1996, 1999) is a space shooter by Epic MegaGames, released as freeware by its author, Jason Emery, in 2004.

U

* "Universal Combat" (2004), a space simulator by Derek Smart, released as freeware on January 2, 2008.

V

* "Vantage Master Online" (1998) is a tactical RPG by Nihon Falcom, released as freeware in 2002.

W

*"Wild Metal Country" (1999), by Rockstar Games, released for free as registerware freeware in 2004 (NON-FREELY REDISTRIBUTABLE).
*"Wings" (1990) is a flying game by Cinemaware.
*"Wings v1.40 (Cavern-flying)" (1996) is a cavern-flying game by Miika Virpioja.
*"Word Whiz" (1988) is a trivia game by Apogee Software.

X

* "Xargon" (1993), a platform game by Epic MegaGames, released as freeware on 4 August 2008.
* "" (1995), a fighting game by Argo Games/Apogee Software, released as freeware in 2006.

Z

* "Zero Tolerance" (1994), a Sega Mega Drive/Genesis first person shooter game by Technopop.
*"ZZT" (1991) by Epic Megagames (NON-FREELY REDISTRIBUTABLE).

Games no longer distributed

The following are commercial games that were rereleased as freeware but are not freely redistributable software. They were only available as freeware for a limited time, but could not be redistributed. As the owners are no longer offering them to be downloaded, and may not be selling them either, there may be no legal way to get them. See [http://www.liberatedgames.com/forums/index.php?t=msg&th=7&start=0&rid=0&S=2ed6669c5e4ab209929f9daea5590221 details at Liberated Games] .

* "B-17 Flying Fortress" (1992) is a flight simulator by MicroProse. [http://www.liberatedgames.com/forums/index.php?t=msg&rid=3&th=48&goto=227 General Liberated Games FAQ] ]
* "Betrayal at Krondor" (1993) is a role-playing game by Dynamix.
* "Caesar" (1993) is a city-building game by Sierra.
* "Far Cry" (2004), first-person shooter computer game developed by Crytek. Ubisoft had released the game as ad-supported freeware on FilePlanet, but the promotion ended within four days.
* "Gateway" (1992) is an adventure game by Legend Entertainment.
* "" (2003), third-person action adventure video game developed by Ubisoft Montreal. Ubisoft has released the game as ad-supported freeware on FilePlanet. Promotion has closed. [ [http://www.gamershell.com/download_20868.shtml Full Games: Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Free Full Game (Ad Supported) - Demo Movie Patch Download Section - GamersHell.com ] ]
* "Rayman Raving Rabbids" (2006), is a video game in the popular Rayman series, developed by Ubisoft Montpellier. Ubisoft had released the PC version of the game as ad-supported freeware on FilePlanet, but the promotion ended within four days.
* "Red Baron 3D" (1998) is a flight game by Sierra.
* "" (1993) is a turn-based tactics game by Microprose. Distributed for a time with PC Gamer magazine.
* "Zork I", "Zork II", "Zork III", and "" are text adventure games by Infocom.

References

External links

* [http://liberatedgames.org/ Liberated Games] — A site which features games which have been freed (liberated) by its copyright owners, in some form.
* [http://www.remaininplay.com/ Remain In Play] — Features commercial games that have been released as freeware by their copyright owners.
* [http://www.worldofspectrum.org/ World of Spectrum] — Large archive of legal ZX Spectrum downloads, with various permissions including some from Spectrum hardware copyright holder Amstrad.
* [http://www.fileplanet.com/ FilePlanet] — Some of the games featured on this list are available on this website. It also has many other initially free games/demos not listed here.