Recently I felt the urge to immerse myself again into the Homeworld games.
To my horror however I discovered that I couldn't find them anymore.
And when I tried to track them down on steam&co they where nowhere to be found.

So my fellow gamers, whok now the edges of the internet, I ask you:
If anyone has stumbled onto the Homeworld games on some obscure digital download site please tell me, so that i might spend my money and be able again to listen to the superb soundtrack while pulverizing enemy capital ships.

Thank you, mighty gog comunity for any help you could lend me.
Felix

The game is available on Amazon. You can copy the files that are on the disc, right?

Afaik, no DD service sells them at the moment.

I think it's a bit of a license complication. The games were published by Sierra which I believe was swallowed by Activision then destroyed (something they're very good at.) So I think the licenses are messed up, much like Bullfrog where nobody owns the complete license now.
There are some value companies licensed to sell them on disk but they don't have the rights to give to sites like GOG, just the rights to stick it on a disk and sell it. If you need it running without the disk though it's easy enough to do as I installed it off the disk, updated and no cd patched it on my netbook.

Its situations like this (no DD available and not wanting a physical copy) that I dont see any real problem with torrents.

I admit that ive done it in the past with a game that was not available in the UK and import charges were just plain stupid but I felt kinda dirty for it so I converted the cost into £ (not import cost) and donated the money to a local charity.

However at the time it was a newish game, if it were an old one that people are screwing around with the rights I dont feel compelled to do that cause theyre too busy sqaubbling.

Not sure about that. Sierra published them alright but I believe Relic still own the licence as they still provide support for the games on their website. If there are any remaining complications I can't imagine they are that had to get around as they are still on sale at retail despite THQ now owning Relic.

Amazon is showing that Vivendi is selling the games. Probably they still own the distribution rights.

I agree with this to an extent. If the game is not available commercially new, and at best you can only find it second hand where the money is just going into some Joe Publics pocket I don't see an issue downloading a pirated copy of the game.

If the game is available as a physical copy new I'm in two minds about it. If the developer/publisher no longer exists, the money is likely just going to whoever owns the license but did not work in the game. So again, whoever worked on the game or distributed it originally is not really loosing out. I guess this scenario boils down to your moral compass.

Just a warning if you decide to get the disc version:

On eBay (most likely Amazon as well), almost all brand new versions are rather cheap ($8-10) but beware that they are some European version (have pegi rating on the box, not ESRB) WITH NO MANUAL AND CLAN HISTORY BOOKLETS. They come in shrink wrapped, sealed DVD cases with a legit CD and serial sticker inside, so they are legit, but again, no manual or clan history which are huge, interesting booklets and manuals that came with the original version. The game does install them in PDF version in the game directory but it's nowhere near the same thing as owning a hard copy. Plus reading all those pages on the computer screen is an eye-killer

Thank you very much guys.
It is a shame, that now that we are in the future - its 2011! - I have to order plastik disks via mail! And have to wait for the mailman!
Well...
Looks like i will hunt for the retail versions on ebay and amazon. that is exactly whta i want to do - try it on my netbook, thanks. Thank you for the warning.

Thanks people.
Felix

THQ have the rights and have done since their acquisition of Relic. But that doesn't mean they have done or intend to do anything with those rights.

Yeah Relic are working on a new game they said they would be unveiling later in the year and a lot of people are expecting it to be Homeworld 3. Could also be Company of Heroes 2 for all we know. Best not to get the hopes up. However if they do have Homeworld 3 on the way it would be an ideal time to generate interest by releasing the first two on digi distributors.

Which tells me what? Rather more conclusively Relic asked in a recent interview if there was going to be a question about Homeworld 3, then went on to say that it's not currently happening.

Thanks for linking to the article to prove that's not just an assumption you made.

You're welcome.