CD-ROM Fossil

Got a question? Check out the frequently asked questions below! If you don’t see your question here, send an email to elijah@cdromfossil.com or fill out the contact us form. 

Will CD-ROM Fossil ever host downloads for abandonware video games?

No. United States law does not recognize the term or concept of abandonware. On top of the grey legality, abandonware games are sometimes re-released under a new publisher. We do not have a legal team nor the time to make sure a title is truly abandoned by the copyright owners. To avoid any kind of cease and desist, CD-ROM Fossil will not make any video game or software available to download on this domain.

Will CD-ROM Fossil ever host downloads for demos, patches, mods or community fixes?

No. We just don’t have the time nor the staff to maintain and update downloadable files.

Why is the Wayback Machine used so frequently as a source?

We prefer to gather our information directly from companies. Since some of the companies we cover are now defunct, we have to use the Wayback Machine to access old web pages that are otherwise inaccessible. Sometimes it’s used to retrieve review scores of games. Gaming outlets don’t always preserve their content. Some outlets don’t exist anymore. Huge thank yous to Wayback Machine for their priceless value.

How does CD-ROM Fossil choose what video games to archive?

Honestly? It’s kind of random. We try to prioritize obscure or negatively reviewed titles.

Why are consoles mentioned in the archives/blogs?

Video games can be released on multiple platforms. We mention these ports so we and others know that those versions exist. Sometimes the computer version is different from the console version. Also, blogs are where we talk about whatever we feel like, so the rules are somewhat looser there.

Why is hardware not archived?

We may sound like broken records but we just don’t have the time. We do have some hardware but it’s only so Elijah can play older games without tinkering with virtual machines or other emulation software. 

There’s utility and other software in physical inventory, will you archive them?

Uh….eh….we don’t know. Depends on how many people really want to know about stuff like Instant Resume for Windows 3.1. For now we don’t plan to talk about utility and other software.

Can I recommend a game to be reviewed?

Of course! Just send an email to elijah@cdromfossil.com or fill out the contact us form. There’s also whole Discord channel dedicated to suggesting games for Elijah to make videos about.