I think this should be a rule for buying and selling unleaked builds of games...

No one should be forced to sell anything they own.

Betas are fine to sell if one is not greedy about it. If its a digital only and expensive then count me out, that is plain selfish. Sell the original game for gobs of money, not the download. Of course it is the individual's choice to decide how to release a discovered game.

THIS. I enjoy finding out about Betas and like to play them too. Owners of Betas have a responsibility to preserve a game and should also be helped in their efforts to get a game out.

How one beta was released
Atari Age who helped uncovered a Beta, worked with the original programmer to complete the game coding and is selling 5200 TEMPEST. The game was reproduced on EPROMS in an Original Game Cart along with Professional Box Packaging and Glossy Manual. Considering all the work involved and the 30 year history, fifty bucks is very reasonable. THIS IS THE RIGHT WAY TO RELEASE A BETA.

Compare that 5200 game to what has been happening in most new posts claiming to discover a new beta and asking money up front. If one wants to do a kickstarter donation at least make it worth the effort by offering more then just a digital download. I do not care for Kickstarters. If one loves the gaming and really wants to preserve something discovered, put it up. If a product is good enough, I'll put money in only if a download is at a modest price. I would be willing to purchase a beta for what many of the "Beta Hostage Holders" are asking, but only if it is reproduced as close as possible to the original game; done the right way as in 5200 TEMPEST.

 

No. Make a decent salary and you'll change your attitude REAL quickly. I like collecting whatever beta games people are KIND enough to share but I expect nothing. I collect and run a trading site for a certain record label's releases and I'll be damned if I'm letting audio or pictures leak if I'm one of 3 people with it out of millions, especially with what I've paid for some things, or if it's been gifted to me as a favor.

 

A lot of games can't be reproduced reasonably, like n64.