History Main / RereleasedForFree

* In 2009, EpicGames released [[GameEngine UDK (Unreal Development Kit)]]; an open-source version of [[VideoGame/{{Unreal}} Unreal Engine 3]] for Windows (and later, iOS) platforms. Although anyone selling a UDK based game still has to pay Epic royalties[[note]]A one-off $99 initial licence fee and 25% of any "UDK related revenue" over $50,000[[/note]], releasing free UDK based games is...free.
** That wasn't the first time EpicGames gave away a game for free- in 1999, they rereleased their classic fighter VideoGame/OneMustFall2097 as freeware as well.

** The company has offered many games through its DigitalDistribution platform, Origin, via the "On The House" program. The service has offered [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Origin%27s_On_the_House_games many games]] (both classic and modern) to download and play permanently for free if they're registered within a certain (unspecified) amount of time. Titles in the promotion included (among others) ''VideoGame/DeadSpace'', ''VideoGame/Battlefield3'', ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'', ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedMostWanted'' and more.

** A few of the ''Franchise/{{Ultima}}'' games were released for free, including ''Ultima 0'' (a.k.a. ''Akalabeth: World of Doom''), ''VideoGame/UltimaIV'', ''VideoGame/WorldsOfUltimaTheSavageEmpire'' and its sequel, ''Worlds of Adventure 2: Martian Dreams''. All of these can be found on GOG.

** Same with UsefulNotes/MicrosoftWindows. Windows 7 and 8 owners, even if your copy is [[DigitalPiracyIsOkay pirated]], could get Windows 10 for free on launch... but you had to upgrade within a year of its release.

* Creator/GoodOldGames have numerous examples of this, due to offering many limited-time giveaways of free games and a permanent "package" of free games that can be downloaded and enjoyed just for opening an account. [[https://www.gog.com/mix/free_games_temporarily_free_games There's even a community-made list of all the games that have been offered over the history of the service]]:
** Beta testers who took part in the GOG Galaxy early tests (simply signing up for the service) received a copy of the original ''VideoGame/AlienVersusPredator'' game for free.

** Due to their rights to the classic ''Franchise/{{Fallout}}'' games lapsing, GOG offered ''Fallout'', ''VideoGame/Fallout2'' and ''VideoGame/FalloutTactics'' to all users shortly before they removed the games in late 2013 (although the rights were re-acquired a year later and the games were put back up -- and priced accordingly).

** Same with MicrosoftWindows. Windows 7 and 8 owners, even if your copy is [[DigitalPiracyIsOkay pirated]], could get Windows 10 for free on launch... but you had to upgrade within a year of its release.

** ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'' was originally a paid game (notably as part of the retail bundle ''The Orange Box'', which included several other Valve titles), but eventually transitioned to a {{freemium}} model in 2015. According to Valve's own metrics, moving to a free-to-play model (and giving players the ability to create custom weapons, cosmetic items and hats) increased their revenue by a factor of ''twelve''.

** Same with MicrosoftWindows. Windows 7 and 8 owners, even if your copy is [[DigitalPiracyIsOkay pirated]], can get Windows 10 for free on launch... but you have to upgrade within a year.

* ''VideoGame/BeneathASteelSky'' was also released for free.

* The first ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerRedAlert'' has been released for free as promotion when EA released the third title in the series.
* ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'' was originally a commercial game before it became a {{Freemium}} in 2011.
** Other online multiplayer games re-released for free after they, like ''Team Fortress 2'', discovered the miracle of [[RevenueEnhancingDevices microtransactions]]. ''VideoGame/AgeOfConan'' was one.
* ''VideoGame/{{Tyrian}}'', originally published in 1995, was rereleased as freeware in 2004 as a gift to everyone else. It can also be found on Website/GOGDotCom as a freeware product.

* ''VideoGame/{{Elite}}'' and its sequel ''Frontier'' were rereleased as free downloads from Frontier Developments, though some wrangling is needed to get them to run on modern machines.

* The first ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'' was released for free on Good Old Games some time ago, but it is once again a paid product.
* A few of the ''Franchise/{{Ultima}}'' series was released for free, including "Ultima Zero," AKA Akalabeth: World of Doom, Ultima 4, and both Ultima Worlds.
* ''VideoGame/BeneathASteelSky'' was also released for free.

* Playstation Plus members get free games that usually have been around for a year or even more than ten years before. Oftentimes the new run breathes life into the online scene. Some larger games that have been offered free include ''VideoGame/{{Borderlands2}}'' and ''VideoGame/LittleBigPlanet 2''.

* VideoGame/AngryBirds:

* If you can find them, ''VideoGame/MechCommander'', ''Mechcommander Gold'', and ''Mechcommander 2'' are all free to download--Microprose is long gone, and the ''Mechcommander'' triology was made available before their sites shut down.

* ''Skyroads'', a shareware racer from Bluemoon Interactive, has been rereleased as freeware.

* Recently, UsefulNotes/MacOS X version 10.9, known as Mavericks, became free, whereas previously new versions were paid. You have to have a Mac (or a Hackintosh) to take advantage of this, but still, it's now free and previously was not.

* Creator/{{Bungie}}'s ''{{VideoGame/{{Marathon}}'' series is now downloadable freeware, due to the computer system it was built for no longer being available.

* In 2004, the former members of ''{{Warzone 2100}}'s'' defunct developer, Pumpkin Studios, released the game and its source code under the GNU General Public License.

* {{Creator/Bungie}}'s ''{{VideoGame/Marathon}}'' series is now downloadable freeware, due to the computer system it was built for no longer being available.
* While ''{{VideoGame/Halo 3}}'' is now a free download for the Xbox One, you need to have an Xbox Live account first to download it first.

* Recently, {{Mac OS X}} version 10.9, known as Mavericks, became free, whereas previously new versions were paid. You have to have a Mac (or a Hackintosh) to take advantage of this, but still, it's now free and previously was not.

* ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto'' and its sequel were commercially released games. They are now available for free and ported to Windows.

** That wasn't the first time EpicGames gave away a game for free- in 1999, they released their classic fighter VideoGame/OneMustFall2097 as freeware as well.

** That wasn't the first time EpicGames gave away a game for free- in the early 2000s, they released their classic fighter VideoGame/OneMustFall2097 as freeware as well.

* In 2009, Epic games released [[GameEngine UDK (Unreal Development Kit)]]; an open-source version of [[VideoGame/{{Unreal}} Unreal Engine 3]] for Windows (and later, iOS) platforms. Although anyone selling a UDK based game still has to pay Epic royalties[[labelnote:*]]A one-off $99 initial licence fee and 25% of any "UDK related revenue" over $50,000[[/labelnote]], releasing free UDK based games is...free.

* Sort of with ''{{VideoGame/Halo 3}}''. It's now a free download for the Xbox One, but you need to have an Xbox Live account first.

May result in said product either becoming an AllegedlyFreeGame or {{Freemium}}.

* GiveAwayOfTheDay.com gives free software for one day only; after that it goes back to its regular price.
* Recently, {{MacOS}} version 10.9, known as Mavericks, became free, whereas previously new versions were paid. You have to have a Mac (or a Hackintosh) to take advantage of this, but still, it's now free and previously was not.

* Creator/ProjectGutenberg is a volunteer-based organization with the mission of promoting eBooks. People are encouraged to create eBooks of any works that have fallen within the Public Domain for their country. This allows them to distribute "every" book for free (where "every" means books that are no longer protected by copyright).

* Anathallo's first album ''Luminous Luminescence in the Atlas Position'' was out of print and completely impossible to buy for a period in the early 2000s. During this time, the band members would give mp3s of the album to any fan who asked them online.

* In August 2009, a UniversalSystem called the D6 system was rereleased as open sourced under the SRD. PDF versions of a couple of books (including the base rules) was then released to the general audience for free.

* VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto and its sequel were commercially released games. They are now available for free and ported to Windows.

* In 2009, Epic games released [[GameEngine UDK (Unreal Development Kit)]]; an open source version of [[VideoGame/{{Unreal}} Unreal Engine 3]] for Windows (and later, iOS) platforms. Although anyone selling a UDK based game still has to pay Epic royalties[[labelnote:*]]A one off $99 initial licence fee and 25% of any "UDK related revenue" over $50,000[[/labelnote]], releasing free UDK based games is...free.
* In 2004 the former members of ''{{Warzone 2100}}'s'' defunct developer Pumpkin Studios released the game and its source code under the GNU General Public License.

** ''Angry Birds WesternAnimation/{{Rio}}'' was originally released on March 22, 2011 at the same price as the other Angry Birds games. However, on January 17, 2013, the game was rereleased for free, initially as part of Apple's "Free App of the Week" promotion.