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As you all know by now, Flash is dead. However, people still want to play flash games. People used to be able to download the standalone adobe flash player to keep playing games flash games, but apparently they've removed the download page for it.

I still have a copy of the flash player and would like to share it with Flash game fans. I won't be profiting off of it, and I will credit Adobe (it's called the Adobe Flash Player after all, so it's impossible not to give them credit). Would it be legal for me to distribute the Flash Player online?

This is a United States question by the way.

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No. Copyright does not have exemptions for obsolete works, use with credit, or non-commercial use. Depending on the purpose for the distribution, this could be fair use, but it is unlikely that a court will consider this fair use when the only reason is for other people to be able to play games.

Perhaps you could try contacting Adobe; it's possible, albeit highly unlikely, that they will give you a license to distribute the Flash Player.

This isn't directly relevant to the legal aspect of copying Adobe's Flash Player, but to answer the underlying issue of legally playing Flash games, perhaps you/others could try Gnash, a libre reimplementation of Flash. I have not used it, but apparently Gnash can run some Flash software without using Adobe's player. (For future readers: Ruffle is probably a better choice than Gnash.)

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    Ruffle is also good as well, a lot of flash game sites use it. Unfortunately it does not support ActionScript3.
    – Some Guy
    Commented Sep 28, 2022 at 5:10
  • @SomeGuy Unlike Gnash, Ruffle's getting active development; it will probably support AS3 by… 2024? 2025? Unless development stops, you don't have too long to wait.
    – wizzwizz4
    Commented Sep 28, 2022 at 11:13
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    Adobe certainly will not allow it because it opens the door to huge liability threats. They have removed that piece of [censored] software for a reason.
    – Peter - Reinstate Monica
    Commented Sep 28, 2022 at 16:59
  • Adobe has a webpage for contacting them about distributing the flash player: adobe.com/products/flashplayer/distribution.html
    – BumbleB2na
    Commented Sep 28, 2022 at 17:43
  • BlueMaxima's Flashpoint is also very good and currently being developed.
    – Blerg
    Commented Sep 28, 2022 at 17:56

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