When a publisher no longer updates or supports software, it becomes abandonware. Computer games that can't be played anymore because the publisher hasn't updated them to work with modern systems are a type of abandonware.
When a software company goes out of business, its products become abandonware — essentially, "digital orphans." Without updates or bug fixes, these programs eventually stop working on modern computers. Even if a company stays in business, it may choose to stop supporting certain outdated software, leading it to become abandonware. Because this software is often still under copyright, it exist in a legal gray area when it's distributed for free by online preservation sites.