Abandonware DOS title

Shareware: a business model sorted by release date

Shareware games were released for free with limited functionality (for example: no saving, missing levels, time limit), often via a BBS (Bulletin Board System), a floppy disc or a CD included in a printed magazine or by direct download (when internet was in its infancy). If the user liked the shareware product, they could pay to obtain an upgrade and unlock the full game. When digital distribution started to become popular, shareware games slowly faded into oblivion.

Most popular shareware games

Duke Nukem
actionDOS
Tank Wars
strategyDOS
Quake
shooterDOS, Windows XP/98/95

Shareware games