EA for all of it faults has done a decent job at keeping legacy games alive for the PC.  Ultima Online launched in 1997, it is still going...They have both Crusader games, loved them, though terrible control scheme..they go back to '95.  They even still sell the original Ultima from back in 1981...  and not so long so ago they did a modern polish and re-release of C&amp;C with Red Alert.  The point of concerns mentioned with abandon ware are valid, but I did want to highlight the sometimes the evil empires like EA, actively maintain gaming legacy despite it all.  If I am not mistaken the Battle of Middle Earth was a EA published title, though it has the complication of licensing because I believe once their initial license expired the game then would fall into the domain of Warner Brothers and specifically their gaming division. Warner Brothers gaming does not have a good track record for supporting games long term. Lord of the Rings, War in the North..needed more time in the cooker but the foundation was a solid game.  Warner Brothers did not get the initial sales numbers or critic ratings it liked on initial release, despite forcing it launched ready or not..and then days after the game's release pretty much dismantling the developer Snowblind studios.,(reply>), Since you mention RTS games, lets go back to Dune 2 The Battle for Arrakis, which us older gamers will recognize as the start of the modern RTS genre.  Released in 1992 by Westwood Studios (who later were acquired by EA)  Command and Conquer also developed by Westwood and originally published by Virgin Interactive, released 1995.  You will see legacy and continued support for the Command and Conquer series...anything Dune by Westwood or later EA..no..they no longer have access to the licensed property...,(reply>), Original intellectual proper work it far easier to maintain as a legacy game.  The first of Bethesda's Elder Scrolls games they offer free on steam...Arena, goes back to 94 and so is the second...Daggerfall if you want to inflict it on yourself :)  Games based on a licensed property are far more prone to becoming unplayable and not offered, just be aware.