Thousands of old Flash games have been saved from obsolescence

We've known since 2017 that Adobe intends to kill off Flash at the end of 2020. Few will likely miss it, but the announcement didn't bode well for the countless Flash games that proliferated online throughout the 2000s. Others have already acknowledged and moved to preserve this facet of gaming history, but there's now a new launcher that emulates over 36,000 ye olde games - all free and individually downloadable.

That launcher is called Flashpoint, and it's an impressive initiative, especially if you harbour a fondness for quaint browser games of days gone. As the trailer below demonstrates, using it is as simple as browsing through a (huge) list and double-clicking the game you want to play. This will initiate a download of said game, which will then be emulated by Flashpoint. You'll need the launcher to play the games, because the emulator tricks the games into functioning as if they were still hosted online.

While normally games are only downloaded as you play them, there's also the option to download the full 288GB package, which might appeal to those keen to keep their own archive. Flashpoint can be downloaded here, and a full list of available games is here. Check out the trailer below:

Shaun Prescott is the Australian editor of PC Gamer. With over ten years experience covering the games industry, his work has appeared on GamesRadar+, TechRadar, The Guardian, PLAY Magazine, the Sydney Morning Herald, and more. Specific interests include indie games, obscure Metroidvanias, speedrunning, experimental games and FPSs. He thinks Lulu by Metallica and Lou Reed is an all-time classic that will receive its due critical reappraisal one day.