I mean, I'd like games to be available, but I don't see archive.org's legal basis for providing it. I mean, the stuff is copyrighted. Lack of commercial availability doesn't change that.
Yeah, some abandonware sites might try to just fly under the radar, and some rightsholders might just not care, might not be much value there. But once you're in a situation where a publisher is fighting a legal battle with you, you're clearly not trying that route.
You can argue that copyright law should be revised. Maybe copyright on video games should be shorter or something. Maybe there should be some provision that if a product isn't offered for sale for longer than a certain period of time, copyright goes away. But I don't think that this is the route to get that done.
Legal doesnt mean correct. Slavery used to be legal.
Copyright is a broken system that gives giant corporations the power to hold art ransom. There is no argument that holds up against art being preserved.
So no, copyright might have had use in the past but by now it is morally sound to pirate.
I highly recommend Accursed Farms (this guy's) YouTube channel. His content is very well made and he seems like a good person (I've been watching for a lot of years).
Obligatorily: YouTube is crap statement, used piped instead.
Man, I came across his channel some years ago watching his Game Dungeon about Baldies. This was so hilarious, I rewatched it a couple of times.
Great channel and thanks for posting!