Unofficial patch

An unofficial patch, sometimes alternatively called a community patch, is a patch for a piece of software, created by a third party such as a user community without the involvement of the original developer. Similar to an ordinary patch, it alleviates bugs or shortcomings. Unofficial patches do not usually change the intended usage of the software, in contrast to other third-party software adaptions such as mods or cracks.

Motivation

A common motivation for the creation of unofficial patches is missing technical support by the original software developer or provider. Reasons may include:

the software product reached its defined end-of-life and/or was superseded by a successor product (planned obsolescence){{cite web|url=http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1001739/open-source-weapon-planned-obsolescence |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110120192512/http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1001739/open-source-weapon-planned-obsolescence |url-status=unfit |archive-date=January 20, 2011 |title=Open Source, the only weapon against "planned obsolescence" |first=Fernando |last=Cassia |date=28 March 2007 |access-date=15 January 2012 |publisher=theinquirer.net}}
the software was originally designed to operate in a substantially different environment and may require improvement/optimization (porting)
the developer has gone out of business and is not available anymore{{cite web |url=http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/713030/the-lost-history-of-system-shock |date=30 May 2011|author=g4tv staff |publisher=g4tv.com |title=The Lost History of System Shock |quote=Looking Glass Studios closed in 2000, a year after System Shock 2's release, and the copyright to the series went into the hands of an insurance company. That left EA with only the System Shock name, but no actual development rights.|access-date=30 May 2012}}
support is not economically viable (e.g. localization for small markets)
a fast solution for a time critical problem (e.g. security holes) when an official one takes too long{{cite web|url=http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Security/Another-Unofficial-WMF-Patch-Released/ |title=IT Security & Network Security News – Another Unofficial WMF Patch Released |first=Ryan |last=Naraine |date=4 January 2006 |access-date=7 January 2012 |quote=Security vendor ESET, makers of the NOD32 anti-virus program, on Wednesday shipped an interim patch for the bug, almost a week before Microsoft Corp. is scheduled to release a properly tested security update. |publisher=eweek.com}}{{cite web |url=http://www.zdnet.co.uk/news/security-management/2006/01/03/firms-urged-to-use-unauthorised-windows-patch-39245447/ |title=Firms urged to use unauthorised Windows patch |first=Tom |last=Espiner |publisher=ZDNet.co.uk |date=6 January 2006 |access-date=29 January 2012}}{{cite web|url=https://money.cnn.com/2006/01/03/technology/windows_virusthreat/index.htm?cnn=yes |title=Huge virus threat rocks Microsoft |author=CNN Staff |publisher=CNNmoney |date=3 January 2006 |access-date=29 January 2012 |quote=Because of the severity of the threat, the SANS Institute, a computer security group, has released a patch for the vulnerability until Microsoft's fix is available next week.}}
the official developer is unable to cope with the problems

Types

Unofficial patches are also sometimes called fan patches or community patches, and are typically intended to repair unresolved bugs and provide technical compatibility fixes, e.g. for newer operating systems, increased display resolutions or new display formats.

While unofficial patches are most common for the PC platform, they can also be found for console games e.g. in context of the emulation community.{{cite web|url=http://www.romhacking.net/?page=hacks&genre=&platform=&game=&category=4&perpage=50&title=&author=&hacksearch=Go|title=Hacks – Bugfix|publisher=romhacking.net |access-date=13 August 2014}}

=Translations=

Unofficial patches are not limited to technical fixes; fan translations of software, especially games, are often created if the software has not been released locally. Fan translations are most common for Japanese role-playing games which are often not localized for Western markets.{{cite web|url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/you-say-tomato-a-pro-on-fan-translating-nintendo-s-mother-3 |title=You Say Tomato: A Pro on Fan-Translating Nintendo's Mother 3 |first=Simon |last=Parkin |date=26 December 2008 |publisher=gamasutra.com |access-date=3 April 2011}}{{cite journal |last=Szczepaniak |first=John |date=June 2006 |title=Japanese ROM Translation |url=http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/Fantranslation/Romhacking.htm |journal=Retro Gamer |volume=25 |pages=102–105 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718200406/http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/6211/tra17fu.jpg |archive-date=2011-07-18 |access-date=2012-12-15}} [https://web.archive.org/web/20110718200406/http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/6211/tra17fu.jpg][https://web.archive.org/web/20110716024241/http://img128.imageshack.us/img128/1900/tra26ba.jpg][https://web.archive.org/web/20110718200414/http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/4573/tra37ws.jpg][https://web.archive.org/web/20110718200429/http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/7259/tra42bl.jpg]

Another variant of unofficial patches are slipstream like patches which combine official patches together, when individual patches are only available online or as small incremental updates.

Methods

The most common case is that the source code and the original development tools are not available for the software. Therefore, the faulty software's binary must be analyzed at run time by reverse engineering and debugging. If the problem is found, a fix to the program must be applied. Sometimes only small changes in configuration files or the registry are required, sometimes binary hacks on the executable itself are required to fix bugs. If a software development kit (e.g. for modding) is available, fixes to the content can be easily produced, otherwise the community would need to create their own tools. These found fixes are typically packed to user deployable patches (e.g. with NSIS, Innosetup).

If the source code is available, support can by provided most effectively. Sometimes the source code is released intentionally, sometimes by leaking{{cite web|url=http://www.cleared-to-engage.com/2011/03/12/interview-with-kevin-klemmick-lead-software-engineer-for-falcon-4-0/|title=Interview with Kevin Klemmick – Lead Software Engineer for Falcon 4.0 | publisher=Cleared-To-Engage |date=12 March 2011 |first=Giorgio |last=Bertolone |access-date=31 August 2014 |quote=[C2E] In 2000 the source code of Falcon 4.0 leaked out and after that groups of volunteers were able to make fixes and enhancements that assured the longevity of this sim. Do you see the source code leak as a good or bad event? [Klemmick] "Absolutely a good event. In fact I wish I'd known who did it so I could thank them. I honestly think this should be standard procedure for companies that decide not to continue to support a code base." |url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110318015840/http://www.cleared-to-engage.com/2011/03/12/interview-with-kevin-klemmick-lead-software-engineer-for-falcon-4-0 |archive-date=18 March 2011}}[https://github.com/OpenXRay/xray xray] on github.com (August 2014)[https://github.com/OpenXRay/xray-16 xray-16] on github.com or mistake,{{cite journal |url=http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2010/12/14/shipping-receiving-dark-engine-source/|title=Dark Engine Source Code Found In A Bag |first=Quintin |last=Smith |date=14 December 2010 |access-date=15 April 2011 |journal=Rock, Paper, Shotgun|quote=As of this weekend, Christmas has come early for the Through the Looking Glass community. A CD's been discovered containing the source code for the Dark Engine, aka the engine used by Thief, Thief II and System Shock 2 (not to mention Irrational and Looking Glass' cancelled cold war spy game Deep Cover).}} such as what happened with the game engine of the Thief series.{{cite journal |url=http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2012/09/26/hooray-system-shock-2-thief-2-get-usability-patches/|title=Hooray! – System Shock 2, Thief 2 Get Usability Patches |first=Nathan |last=Grayson |date=26 September 2012 |access-date=16 November 2012 |journal=Rock, Paper, Shotgun |quote=Double Fine's Chris Remo (via Kotaku) tweeted out word of the abruptly unearthed hunks of unofficial patching gold, pointing the way to a French forum called Ariane4ever.}}{{cite web|url=http://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=140085 |title=Thief 2 V1.19 & System Shock 2 V2.4 |author=Le Corbeau |quote=This is an unofficial patch for Thief II: The Metal Age (T2) which updates the game from v1.18 to v1.19, providing improved support for modern hardware and correcting many known bugs. |publisher=ttlg.com |access-date=10 November 2012 |date=25 September 2012}} Sometimes fans even completely reverse-engineer source code from the original program binary.{{cite web | url=http://dunedynasty.sourceforge.net/|title=Dune Dynasty|quote=Dune Dynasty is a continuation of the classic real-time strategy game Dune II by Westwood Studios. It is not a remake. It builds upon the original game engine as reverse-engineered by the OpenDUNE project.}} With the source code available even the support of completely different but recent platforms with source ports becomes possible.

Law

While no court cases have directly addressed the legal ramifications of unofficial patches, similar cases have been tried on related issues. The case of Galoob v. Nintendo found that it was not copyright infringement by a user to apply an unauthorized patch to a system (while the scope was very specific to the Game Genie). On the other hand, the case Micro Star v. FormGen Inc. found that user-generated maps were derivative works of the original game. In Sega v. Accolade, the 9th Circuit held that making copies in the course of reverse engineering is a fair use, when it is the only way to get access to the "ideas and functional elements" in the copyrighted code, and when "there is a legitimate reason for seeking such access". According to Copyright law of the United States 17 U.S. Code § 117, the owner of a copy of a program can modify it as necessary for "Maintenance or Repair",{{Cite web|url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/17/117|title = 17 U.S. Code § 117 – Limitations on exclusive rights: Computer programs}} without permission from the copyright holder; an argumentation also raised by Daniel J. Bernstein professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago.[http://cr.yp.to/softwarelaw.html softwarelaw] on cr.yp.to

Similar user rights are given also according to European copyright laws. The question of whether unauthorized changes of lawfully obtained copyright-protected software qualify as fair use is an unsettled area of law.[https://www.law.berkeley.edu/php-programs/faculty/facultyPubsPDF.php?facID=346&pubID=157 MODIFYING COPYRIGHTED SOFTWARE: ADJUSTING COPYRIGHT DOCTRINE TO ACCOMMODATE A TECHNOLOGY] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130521114611/https://www.law.berkeley.edu/php-programs/faculty/facultyPubsPDF.php?facID=346&pubID=157 |date=2013-05-21 }} by Pamela Samuelson, Professor of Law, University of Pittsburgh School of Law (1988) An article of Helbraun law firm remarks, in the context of fan translations, that while redistributing complete games with adaptions most likely does not fall under fair use, distributing the modifications as a patch might be legally permissible; however, that conclusion has not been tested in court.[https://www.helbraunlaw.com/reviewing-the-questionable-legality-of-fan-made-translations-of.html Reviewing the Questionable Legality of Fan-Made Translations of Video Games] on helbraunlaw.com (accessed 7 May 2017)

Reception

Reception of unofficial patches is mixed, but by large, copyright holders are ambivalent. When the software is not considered commercially viable unofficial patches are ignored by the copyright holder as it is not seen as a source of lost revenue.{{cite web|url=http://www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/Infogrames-toleriert-Fan-uebersetzung-fuer-Master-of-Orion-3-85111.html |title=Infogrames toleriert Fan-Übersetzung für Master of Orion 3 |date=9 September 2003 |access-date=3 April 2011 |publisher=heise.de |first=Torge |last=Löding |language=de}}{{cite web |url=http://www.rpgamer.com/news/Q3-2007/071207a.html |title=E3 – Front Mission Interview |date=7 December 2007 |first=Bryan |last=Boulette |publisher=rpgamer.com |access-date=3 April 2011 |quote=[…]we told Mr. Sakamoto that a fan translation had been done some years ago for Front Mission 1, and asked how he felt about such efforts. The producer replied that he actually found them very encouraging – it's something the developers should be doing, but because they're not, the fans are doing it instead. He stated that he'd like to be able to give something back to the fans, and would like to thank personally each of the fans that worked on the translation. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110525095157/http://www.rpgamer.com/news/Q3-2007/071207a.html |archive-date=25 May 2011 }}

There have been seldom cases of cease and desist letters to unofficial patch and fan translation projects.{{cite web |url=http://www.chronocompendium.com/Term/Retranslation.html |date=9 May 2009 |access-date=3 April 2011 |publisher=chronocompendium.com |title=Chrono Trigger Retranslation |quote=As of May 9, 2009, the patch is no longer hosted due to a cease & desist letter from Square Enix.}}{{cite web|url=http://www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/Infogrames-laesst-uebersetzung-von-Civilization-3-untersagen-55433.html |title=Infogrames lässt Übersetzung von Civilization 3 untersagen |publisher=heise.de |date=21 November 2001 |access-date=3 April 2011 |first=David |last=Adamczewski |language=de}}

Sometimes the copyright holder actively support the patching and fixing efforts of a software community,[http://forums.galciv2.com/457944 Community-based update to GalCiv 2 Ultimate Edition] by MarvinKosh on 25 September 2014 sometimes even by releasing the source code under a software license which allows the software community the continued software support by themselves.{{cite web|url=http://linuxdevcenter.com/pub/a/linux/2004/06/10/mythdevelopers.html |title=Keeping the Myths Alive |first=Howard |last=Wen |date=10 June 2004 |access-date=22 December 2012 |publisher=linuxdevcenter.com |quote=[...]fans of the Myth trilogy have taken this idea a step further: they have official access to the source code for the Myth games. Organized under the name MythDevelopers, this all-volunteer group of programmers, artists, and other talented people devote their time to improving and supporting further development of the Myth game series.}}{{cite web |url=http://www.insidemacgames.com/news/story.php?ArticleID=8516 |title=Homeworld Source Code Released |date=8 October 2003 |first=Andy |last=Largent |publisher=insidemacgames.com |access-date=24 November 2012 |quote=With the release of Homeworld 2 for the PC, Relic Entertainment has decided to give back to their impressive fan community by releasing the source code to the original Homeworld. |archive-date=12 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131012012745/http://www.insidemacgames.com/news/story.php?ArticleID=8516 }}{{cite web |url=http://timreview.ca/article/294 |title=Opening the Source of Art |date=1 October 2009 |first=John |last=Bell |quote=[...]that no further patches to the title would be forthcoming. The community was predictably upset. Instead of giving up on the game, users decided that if Activision wasn't going to fix the bugs, they would. They wanted to save the game by getting Activision to open the source so it could be kept alive beyond the point where Activision lost interest. With some help from members of the development team that were active on fan forums, they were eventually able to convince Activision to release Call to Power II's source code in October of 2003. |publisher=Technology Innovation Management Review |access-date=30 December 2012 |archive-date=30 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140330084636/http://timreview.ca/article/294 }}{{cite web |url=http://www.madvulture.de/wp/about |year=2010 |title=About MVG |access-date=3 April 2011 |publisher=madvulture.de |first=Peter |last=Schramm |quote=Being part of the "Community Patch Team" formed to fix the great but bug-baiten "Gothic 3″ game, Mad Vulture Games was taking care of major coordination work, 3D model fixing and lots of other work for the Gothic 3 Addon "Forsaken Gods" Enhanced Edition, also being the producing company. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110326103502/http://www.madvulture.de/wp/about |archive-date=26 March 2011 }}[https://mmos.com/news/blue-sagas-source-code-has-been-released Blue Saga's Source Code Has Been Released] by Matt Chelen on mmos.com (30 July 2016) Examples for such software are in the List of commercial video games with later released source code.

The free and open source software movement was founded in the 1980s to solve the underlying problem of unofficial patches, the limited possibility for user self-support in binary only distributed software due to missing source code. Free and open source software demands from distributed software the availability of source code, which prevents the technical problems and legal uncertainties of binary only user patching of proprietary software.

Examples in video games

class="wikitable collapsible sortable" !Computer game !! Type
Anachronox	Bug fix patch{{cite web \|url=http://www.pcgames.de/Anachronox-PC-16465/News/Anachronox-inoffizieller-Patch-176080/ \|title=Anachronox – inoffizieller Patch \|publisher=pcgames.de \|date=27 May 2003 \|access-date=3 April 2011 \|language=de \|archive-date=10 August 2014 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140810195303/http://www.pcgames.de/Anachronox-PC-16465/News/Anachronox-inoffizieller-Patch-176080/ }}
Age of Empires: The Rise of Rome	Bug fixes, balance fixes, stability fixes, UI and sound improvements, resolution fixes including support for more higher definition resolutions{{cite web\|url=https://upatch-hd.weebly.com/\|title=UPatch - Unofficial Patch for AoE RoR \|date=27 January 2017 \|quote=The classic Age of Empires – revived in HD! This is the unofficial (HD) patch for Age of Empires: The Rise of Rome, a complete revamp of the original game – with HD resolution, HD quality interface graphics, hundreds of bug fixes, new gameplay options and many other enhancements.}}
Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura	Bug fix patch,{{cite web\|url=http://www.gamebanshee.com/news/96250-unofficial-arcanum-patch-v091225-released.html \|title=Unofficial Arcanum Patch v091225 Released \|date=27 December 2009 \|publisher=gamebanshee.com \|access-date=10 January 2011 }} fan translation
Battlezone II	Bug fix patchBattlezone Magazine Volume 1 Issue#5, p. 3 ([http://www.jtworld.net/bzmag/bzissue5.pdf online copy] {{Webarchive\|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120321020658/http://www.jtworld.net/bzmag/bzissue5.pdf \|date=21 March 2012 }})[https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2009/09/08/battlezone-ii-its-alive-er-still/ battlezone-ii-its-alive-er-still] on Rock, Paper, Shotgun (2009/09/08)[http://matesfamily.org/bz2/ matesfamily.org/bz2]
Civilization IV	Bug fixes and extensions,[https://sourceforge.net/projects/civ4betterai/ Civ4: Better AI] on sourceforge.net "Major improvements to AI naval and air unit handling [...] Well over 100 bug fixes" (with SDK source code[https://web.archive.org/web/20120513145713/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/99858/Product_2K_Games_Firaxis_Release_Civ_IV_SDK.php Product_2K_Games_Firaxis_Release_Civ_IV_SDK] on gamasutra.com[http://www.2kgames.com/civ4/downloads.htm civ4 downloads] on 2kgames.com and accessible XML configuration and Python files){{cite web \|url=http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/civilization-iv/662218p1.html \|title=GameSpy: Civilization IV \|last=Kosak \|first=Dave 'Fargo' \|date=27 October 2005 \|publisher=GameSpy \|pages=1–3 \|id=662218 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131206061753/http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/civilization-iv/662218p1.html \|archive-date=6 December 2013 \|access-date=24 October 2009}}
Civilization V	Bug fixes and extensions (based on source code)[https://forums.civfanatics.com/threads/civilization-v-dll-source-code-coming-with-fall-patch.476593/ civilization-v-dll-source-code-coming-with-fall-patch] on forums.civfanatics.com (2012){{cite journal\|url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/04/26/civilization-v-community-patch-project/\|title=Wondrous: The Civilization V Community Patch Project\|date=26 April 2016\|quote=there's another big new release expected, but it's not an official expansion. It's the Community Patch Project (CPP; to be named Vox Populi on release), a community-made mod that overhauls and improves a majority of the game's systems in an attempt to make Civilization V the best game it possibly can be.\|author=Samuel Wicks \|journal=Rock, Paper, Shotgun}}{{cite web\|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-modders-who-decided-to-overhaul-the-ai-in-civilization-v/\|title=The Modders Who Decided to Overhaul the AI in 'Civilization V' \|author=Patrick Klepek \|quote=Community Patch was actually built upon another mod. Since development began in 2014, it's become its own thing, prompting a rebranding: Vox Populi. Besides improving upon the game's AI, Vox Populi tweaks the game's balance, and fixes bugs that were left behind after Firaxis moved on. [...]we have to respect them for giving us the source code, and that must have taken some courage\|date=26 April 2017 \|publisher=Vice.com}}
Chrono Trigger	Fan translation, bug fix patch{{cite web \|url=http://www.manuloewe.de/kayen.htm \|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130206193442/http://www.manuloewe.de/kayen.htm \|archive-date=6 February 2013 \|title=Chrono Trigger deutsch \|date=20 July 2010 \|access-date=3 April 2011 \|publisher=manuloewe.de \|first=Manuel \|last=Charisius \|language=de }}
Command & Conquer	Bug fix patch, resolution fixes, added support for language packs{{cite web\|url=http://www.golem.de/0805/59977.html \|title=High-Res-Patch für Command & Conquer 95 – Klassiker lässt sich nun in höherer Auflösung spielen \|date=27 May 2008 \|publisher=Golem.de \|first=Andreas \|last=Sebayang \|access-date=3 April 2011 \|language=de}}{{cite web\|date=22 February 2010 \|first=James E. \|last=Smith \|title=Command & Conquer retrospective part I – We take a look at the series that put RTS on the gaming map \|publisher=www.mygaming.co.za \|url=http://www.mygaming.co.za/news/features/5443-Command-Conquer-retrospective-part.html \|quote=Special Operations was unique to the Nintendo 64 and Playstation versions of the game, but the maps have since been extracted and included in unofficial fan patches. \|access-date=12 April 2011}}{{cite web\|url=http://nyerguds.arsaneus-design.com/cnc95upd/cc95p106/ \|title=Command & Conquer Gold: Project 1.06 \|date=8 July 2014 \|publisher=Nyerguds \|access-date=22 December 2016}}
Dark Souls II	Bug fixes{{cite web\|url=http://kotaku.com/annoying-dark-souls-2-glitch-has-gone-unfixed-for-nearl-1697992451 \|publisher=Kotaku \|title=Annoying Dark Souls 2 Glitch Has Gone Unfixed For Nearly A Year \|first=Patrick \|last=Klepek\|date=15 April 2015 \|quote= There's no excuse for the durability bug to be part of Scholar of the First Sin. It's not limited to the PC version, either. The PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions run at 60 frames-per-second. From Software and Bandai Namco have not yet responded to my request for comment. You might not be surprised to learn that fans have decided to rescue the game again, however. DS2fix removes the durability bug from the game, in addition to addressing a few other issues.}}
Deadly Premonition: The Director's Cut	Resolution fix{{cite web\|url=https://www.wired.com/gamelife/2013/11/deadly-premonition-pc-durante/ \|title=Is Your Game Crap? This Fan Will Fix It for You \|first=Bo \|last=Moore \|date=19 November 2013 \|access-date=25 January 2014 \|publisher=Wired \|quote=Thoman had uploaded "DPfix 0.1 alpha," a patch that allowed Deadly Premonition players to manually adjust the game's resolution. [...] The most recent DPfix release fixed pixel offset errors that occurred at higher resolutions, fixed anti-aliasing when it was not being correctly applied, added improved depth-of-field effects, and added an option for screen space ambient occlusion.}}
Ecco the Dolphin	Bug fixes, ports for newer OSes[http://web8.orcaserver.de/ecco/downloads/games/index.php Ecco PC – Fixed and Enhanced Edition] on orcaserver.de[https://www.radiosega.net/news/features/2014/08/true-fan-hack-stories-ecco-pc-fixed-and-enhanced-edition/ True Fan Hack Stories: Ecco PC Fixed & Enhanced Edition] on radiosega.net (August 2014)
The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall	Bug fix patch,{{cite web\| author = theelderscrolls.wiwiland.net\| url = http://theelderscrolls.wiwiland.net/?title=Daggerfall_:_DaggerfallSetup_EN\| title = DaggerfallSetup\| access-date = 25 February 2011}} fan translation
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim	Bug fix patch,{{cite web\|url=http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/elder-scrolls-v/1220754p1.html\| title=Unofficial Skyrim Patch Fixes Myriad Skyrim Bugs – Fan created uber patch designed to fix Skyrim's many problems. \|first=Mike \|last=Sharkey \|date=14 March 2012 \|access-date=22 December 2012 \|publisher=gamespy.com}}{{cite web\|url=http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/19/?/ \|title=Unofficial Skyrim Patch Version: 1.3.3c \|publisher=nexumods.com \|date=20 August 2013 \|access-date=3 October 2013 \|quote=[...]the goal of the Unofficial Skyrim Patch (aka USKP) is to eventually fix every bug with Skyrim not officially resolved by the developers [...]Hundreds of gameplay, quest, NPC, object, item, text and placement bugs fixed already \|author=Quarn and Kivan}} translation fixes{{cite web \|url=http://www.scharesoft.de/elder-scrolls/tes-v-skyrim/skyrim-directors-cut.html \|title=Skyrim – Director's Cut \|quote=Die Erweiterung Skyrim – Director's Cut hat es sich zum Ziel gemacht, die deutsche Version von The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim so gut es geht zu verbessern. Vorrangig geht es darum, fehlende Übersetzungen nachzuholen und Texte und Begriffe so anzupassen, dass sie auch zu den vorherigen Teilen der Reihe passen. Mit dem beiliegenden inoffiziellen Skyrim-Patch werden zudem eine Vielzahl Fehler des eigentlichen Spiels, die die offiziellen Patches noch nicht korrigiert haben, behoben. Mit der Erweiterung könnt ihr außerdem alle englischsprachigen Texturen nun in deutscher Sprache vorfinden. \|language=de \|publisher=scharesoft.de \|access-date=22 December 2012 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121113213430/http://www.scharesoft.de/elder-scrolls/tes-v-skyrim/skyrim-directors-cut.html \|archive-date=13 November 2012 }}
Empire Earth 2	Bug fixes, unhandled exception crash fixes, Windows 8 / 10 / 11 support, more screen resolutions (including 4k and the custom screen resolution generator), DirectX 9 support, G-Sync / FreeSync and high monitor refresh rate fixes, unlimited camera zoom settings, changed low-quality sounds, new options in game (e.g. more population, cycle time of day, disable crowns system and leaders), integrated language changer, integrated private multiplayer server and many more new features (fully customizable), frequently updated.https://ee2.eu/patch/ EE2.eu – Empire Earth II – Unofficial Patch 1.5, created by Dr.MonaLisa
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial	Bug fixes{{cite news\|url=http://www.zeit.de/digital/games/2013-11/games-klassiker-archivierung/seite-1 \|title=Timothy Leary, der Games-Entwickler – Wie erhält man historische Computerspiele? Das Internet-Archive streamt Dutzende Klassiker \|first=Tilman \|last=Baumgärtel \|date=14 November 2013 \|access-date=14 November 2013 \|newspaper=Die Zeit \|quote=Beim Internet Archive ist nun nicht nur das Originalspiel [E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial] von 1982 zu finden, sondern auch eine Version, die seine schlimmsten Programmierfehler korrigiert. \|language=de}}{{cite web \| url=http://www.neocomputer.org/projects/et/ \|title=Fixing E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial for the Atari 2600 \| publisher=Neocomputer \| access-date=16 April 2013 \|date=1 February 2013}}
Fallout 2	Bug fixes,{{cite web\|url=http://www.gamefront.com/fallout-2-restoration-project \|title=Fallout 2 Restoration Project \|first=Shawn \|last=Sines \|date=8 January 2008 \|access-date=3 April 2011 \|publisher=gamefront.com}} resolution fixes
Fallout: New Vegas	Bug fixes,{{cite web \|title=Unofficial Patch NVSE Plus \|url=https://www.nexusmods.com/newvegas/mods/71239 \|website=Nexus Mods\|date=30 July 2023 }}{{cite web \|title=Yukichigai Unofficial Patch (YUP) \|url=https://www.nexusmods.com/newvegas/mods/51664 \|website=Nexus Mods\|date=26 April 2024 }} stability and performance fixes (especially for modern systems){{cite magazine \|last1=Tarason \|first1=Dominicc \|title=How to have the best Fallout New Vegas experience in 2022 \|url=https://www.pcgamer.com/fallout-new-vegas-guide-tips-best-experience/#section-use-these-mods \|website=PCGamer\|date=29 April 2022 }}
Fallout 4	Bug fixes[http://www.pcgamer.com/fallout-4s-unofficial-patch-nukes-dozens-of-bugs/ Fallout 4's unofficial patch nukes dozens of bugs] by Christopher Livingston on PC Gamer (24 April 2016)[https://web.archive.org/web/20160427121330/http://www.kotaku.com.au/2016/04/fallout-4s-unofficial-patch-tries-to-fix-everything-bethesda-cant/ Fallout 4's Unofficial Patch Tries To Fix Everything Bethesda Can't] on kotaku.com.au by Alex Walker (26 April 2016){{cite web\|url=http://www.pcgamer.com/fallout-4-unofficial-patch-runs-into-a-bug-even-it-cannot-fix/ \|title=Fallout 4 Unofficial Patch runs into a bug even it cannot fix \|first=Andy \|last=Chalk \|date=11 July 2016 \|access-date=6 June 2017 \|publisher=PC Gamer}}
Freelancer	Bug fix patch{{cite web\|url=http://www.gamestar.de/spiele/freelancer/news/freelancer,37680,1346903.html \|title=Freelancer – Großer Community-Patch erschienen \|date=29 June 2004 \|access-date=3 April 2011 \|publisher=gamestar.de \|first=Walter \|last=Reindl \|language=de}}
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas	Engine, graphics and quality-of-life fixes{{Cite web \|last=Phillips \|first=Tom \|date=2014-11-10 \|title=GTA: San Andreas Steam update removes songs, breaks some save files \|url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-11-10-gta-san-andreas-steam-update-removes-songs-makes-some-saves-incompatible \|access-date=2021-05-08 \|website=Eurogamer \|language=en}}
Gothic 3	Bug fix patch{{cite web\|url=http://www.golem.de/0903/66059.html\|title=Gothic 3 Community Patch soll fast alle Fehler beheben – mehr als 700 Veränderungen im letzten Community Patch \|date=23 March 2009 \|publisher=Golem.de \|first=Andreas \|last=Sebayang \|access-date=3 April 2011 \|language=de}}{{cite web\|url=http://forum.worldofplayers.de/forum/threads/1347969-Release-Gothic-3-v1-75-Update-Pack \|title=Release Gothic 3 v1.75 Update Pack \|quote="a new Gothic 3 Enhanced Edition v1.75 Update Pack (International)" \|publisher=worldofplayers.de \|date=20 April 2014 \|author=Zandr \|access-date=2 September 2014}}
Infinity Engine (Baldur's Gate series, Icewind Dale etc.)	Bug fix patch, resolution fixes{{cite web \|url=http://www.gibberlings3.net/bg2fixpack/index.php \|publisher=gibberlings3.net \|title=Baldur's Gate II Fixpack \|first=Dave \|last=Bradshaw \|access-date=3 February 2012 \|date=25 November 2011 \|quote=The BG2 Fixpack is a WeiDU compilation of fixes for Baldur's Gate II. […] This collaborative effort, including the work of modders from several different modding communities and assistance from BG2 lead writer David Gaider, has resulted in a fixpack that currently includes all of the fixes addressed by Baldurdash (including the Game Text Update) and several hundred new bugfixes. The project is ongoing, and we're working through a substantial list of bugs culled from various sites, the old Baldurdash forums, and our own research. \|archive-date=15 December 2018 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181215123029/http://www.gibberlings3.net/bg2fixpack/index.php }}
IL-2 Sturmovik: Cliffs of Dover	Fix mod based on source code (which later became an official release as "Blitz Edition"){{cite web\|url=https://kotaku.com/mods-saved-a-game-so-theyre-now-an-official-product-1823409264\|title=Mods Saved A Game, So They're Now An Official Product\|author=Luke Plunkett \|date=28 February 2018\|publisher=kotaku.com}}
Jagged Alliance 2 (now JA2-Stracciatella)	Bug fix patch, resolution fixes, ports{{cite web\|url=http://www.insidemacgames.com/features/view.php?ID=579&Page=3\|title=Bringing Good Old Games To Modern Macs\|date=1 June 2012 \| first=Justin \|last=Ancheta \|publisher=Inside Mac Games \|access-date=29 March 2014\|quote=Jagged Alliance 2 [...] and maintains both a tutorial for getting GOG games to run on Mac OS X, and a list of games he has personally tested to work on Mac OS X through CrossOver, Wineskin, and open source ports.}}[http://www.gog.com/mix/mac_friendly_gog_games_4 Mac Friendly GOG Games] {{Webarchive\|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201182305/http://www.gog.com/mix/mac_friendly_gog_games_4 \|date=2017-12-01 }} Jagged Alliance 2 [...] Source ports available at: http://ja2.monkeyphysics.com/home/osx {{Webarchive\|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120106074542/http://ja2.monkeyphysics.com/home/osx \|date=2012-01-06 }}, and at https://bitbucket.org/gennady/ja2-stracciatella/downloads{{Cite web \|url=http://ja2.monkeyphysics.com/home/osx \|title=OSX Stracciatella Port \|access-date=2017-02-18 \|archive-date=2012-01-06 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120106074542/http://ja2.monkeyphysics.com/home/osx }}[http://www.ja-galaxy-forum.com/board/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=273148&page=1 JA2 Stracciatella Feedback » Jagged Alliance 2 Android Stracciatella Port RC2 Release – please test] {{Webarchive\|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023085701/http://www.ja-galaxy-forum.com/board/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=273148&page=1 \|date=23 October 2012 }} on the Bear's Pit Forum, 3 October 2011[https://bitbucket.org/gennady/ja2-stracciatella ja2-stracciatella] on bitbucket.org{{cite web\|url=http://www.ja-galaxy-forum.com/board/ubbthreads.php/topics/315908/JA2_Stracciatella_Continued.html#Post31590\|date=4 March 2013\|title=JA2-Stracciatella Continued\|access-date=22 March 2013\|author=Gennady\|publisher=www.ja-galaxy-forum.com\|quote=Update 2013-03-13: Added support for high video resolutions. For example, game can be started in 1024x768 mode like this: ja2.exe -res 1024x768. Any reasonable resolution should work. Some bugfixes from this forum have been integrated. [...]\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130506032959/http://www.ja-galaxy-forum.com/board/ubbthreads.php/topics/315908/JA2_Stracciatella_Continued.html#Post31590\|archive-date=6 May 2013}}
Jazz Jackrabbit 2	Bug fixes, stability fixes, new features for client side and server side{{cite web\|url=https://www.jazz2online.com/jcf/showthread.php?t=19489\|title=JJ2+ Mod for Jazz Jackrabbit 2 \|date=11 May 2020 \|quote=JJ2+ is a patch, with a lot of fixes for bugs and lots of new features, both clientside and serverside. [...] One major JJ2+ feature is the implementation of the AngelScript scripting language, which allows you to write your own scripts that manipulate various parts of the game and are run either by specific levels or by multiplayer servers.}}
Legacy of Kain series	Bug fix patch{{cite web \|url=http://www.pcgames.de/Legacy-of-Kain-Soul-Reaver-PC-88400/News/Legacy-of-Kain-Soul-Reaver-XP-Patch-282960/ \|title=Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver – XP-Patch \|date=12 February 2004 \|access-date=17 July 2011 \|publisher=pcgames.de \|language=de \|archive-date=10 August 2014 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140810195548/http://www.pcgames.de/Legacy-of-Kain-Soul-Reaver-PC-88400/News/Legacy-of-Kain-Soul-Reaver-XP-Patch-282960/ }}{{cite web\|url=http://home.comcast.net/~heavyweights/games/kain/index.htm\|title=Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain 2000/XP Update v2.0 \|date=29 November 2009 \|first = Cuban \|last=Raul \|access-date=17 July 2011 \|publisher=comcast.net}}{{cite web\|url=http://www.nosgothica.org/index.php?id=files_eng\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120322051635/http://www.nosgothica.org/index.php?id=files_eng\|url-status=usurped\|archive-date=March 22, 2012\|title=Bink-support for BO1 (Video-Patch) \|access-date=17 July 2011 \|quote=[…]now you can play in BO1 under Windows-7 without any problems with video. \|date=3 December 2010 \|author=wrace \|publisher=nosgothica.org}}
LucasArts adventures (Monkey Island, Indiana Jones, etc.)	Fan translation{{cite web \|url=https://www.la-patches.de/patches.php \|title=Lucasarts-Patches \|date=23 December 2010 \|access-date=28 May 2011 \|first=Michael \|last=Gantner \|publisher=gandimann.de \|language=de}}
Master of Magic	Fan patch{{cite web\|url=http://www.gamersglobal.de/news/23243\|title= Master of Magic: Fanpatch behebt KI-Mängel\|author=Robert Stiehl\|date=8 June 2010\|publisher=gamersglobal.de\|access-date=15 July 2016}}{{cite web\|url=http://realmsbeyond.net/forums/showthread.php?t=4211 \|title=MoM insecticide patch (latest version) – 28/06/2012 Latest version here: MoM unofficial patch 1.40n\|access-date=14 July 2012 \|date=24 October 2011\|author=kyrub \|publisher=realmsbeyond.net \|quote=What the Insecticide patch is all about? to make the MoM game as bug-free and as AI-challenging and as user-friendly as possible without modifying the content. The patch now features more than 200 bug-fixes, AI improvements and interface changes.}}[http://www.realmsbeyond.net/forums/showthread.php?tid=7954 New year, New Master of Magic! v1.5 fan patch] on realmsbeyond.net
Master of Orion 3	Fan translation,{{cite web\|url=http://www.golem.de/0309/27369.html\|title=Deutsche Fan-Übersetzung zu Master of Orion 3 ist fertig\| date=10 September 2003 \|first=Thorsten \|last=Wiesner\|access-date=3 April 2011 \|publisher=golem.de \|language=de}} bug fix
Minecraft	Fan fixes implemented to latest patches{{cite web\|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPa2RWbs_Mw&list=UUzVkOGiIFUY47sWqMy7A4tA \|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/CPa2RWbs_Mw \|archive-date=2021-12-15 \|url-status=live\|title=ZipCode: Endportal Malfunction (Fixed Version: 1.6)\|website=YouTube \|date=21 May 2013 }}{{cbignore}}{{cite web\|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1zM8gFB3ro&list=UUzVkOGiIFUY47sWqMy7A4tA \|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/c1zM8gFB3ro \|archive-date=2021-12-15 \|url-status=live\|title=ZipCode: Netherportal Malfunction (Fixed in 1.7)\|website=YouTube \|date=4 September 2013 }}{{cbignore}}{{cite web\|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBICFHdTBNk&list=UUzVkOGiIFUY47sWqMy7A4tA \|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/JBICFHdTBNk \|archive-date=2021-12-15 \|url-status=live\|title=ZipCode: Inconsistent Timing Bug (Fixed in 1.8)\|website=YouTube \|date=9 June 2014 }}{{cbignore}}
MVP Baseball 2005	Fixes, support continuation[http://kotaku.com/nine-years-later-latin-americas-leagues-keep-mvp-base-1488236659 Nine Years Later, Latin America's Leagues Keep MVP Baseball Alive] on Kotaku by Owen Good (12/22/13){{cite web\|url=http://grantland.com/the-triangle/mvp-baseball-2005-mod-community-mlb-video-games/ \|title='MVP Baseball … 2015'? How the Best Baseball Video Game Ever Has Refused to Retire for 10 Years \|date=14 April 2015 \|first=Ben \|last=Lindbergh \|publisher=Grantland.com \|quote=Another factor in MVP's favor: The game allows greater access to its innards than most titles. [...] 2K's failure to match MVP's approval rating despite several years of running unopposed on the PC market, made MVP the go-to game for modders even as it lost its looks relative to 2K and The Show. The community's support peaked from 2005 through the first PC edition of 2K in 2009, tailed off for a time, and then ramped up again once Take-Two abandoned the PC market in 2013 and canceled 2K entirely last year. A decade of EA development made MVP the best baseball game on the PC market in 2005, and a decade of amateur development has helped it keep that title in 2015.}}[http://info.protecode.com/bid/74171/Open-Source-Breathes-New-Life-Into-MVP-Baseball-2005-Video-Game Open-Source-Breathes-New-Life-Into-MVP-Baseball-2005-Video-Game] on protecode.com by Sara Purdon (on 15 September 2015)
Nier: Automata	Resolution fixes, performance fix{{cite web\|url=https://www.vg247.com/2017/03/23/modders-fix-nier-automatas-resolution-bug-on-pc-drastically-improve-frame-rate-in-unofficial-patch/\|title=Modders fix Nier: Automata's resolution bug on PC, drastically improve frame-rate in unofficial patch\|author=Sherif Saed\|date=23 March 2017\|publisher=vg247.com}}
Nuclear Throne	Various bug-fixes for co-op mode, as well as addition of online co-op{{cite journal \|url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/06/25/nuclear-throne-online-co-op-mod/ \|title=Nuclear Throne Mod Adds Online Co-op \|last=O'Connor \|first=Alice \|journal=Rock, Paper, Shotgun \|date=25 June 2016 \|access-date=5 January 2017 }}{{cite web \|url=http://www.pcgamer.com/nuclear-throne-online-co-op-mod-is-just-as-fast-and-deadly-as-playing-offline/ \|title=Nuclear Throne online co-op mod is just as fast and deadly as playing offline \|last=Fenlon \|first=Wes \|journal=PC Gamer \|date=27 June 2016 \|access-date=5 January 2017 }}
Paradroid	Bug fixes, speed fixes[http://www.sid.fi/~tnt/c64/paradroid/redux.html Paradroid Redux] Project home page
Rollcage	Bug fix patch{{cite web\|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/11/30/rollcage-spiritual-successor-grip-is-a-blast-from-playstations-forgotten-past\|publisher=ign.com\|author=Luke Reilly \|quote=former Attention to Detail programmer Robert Baker, who also still had a candle burning for Rollcage. Baker had been contacted by hardcore Rollcage fans asking for his help to keep Rollcage running on drastically newer PC hardware, 15 years down the track. "I can't speak for other developers, but for myself, I've worked on a dozen games and Rollcage is the only game that I've personally supported after release," says Baker. "I don't hold the source code to many games as that belongs to the company that develops these games of course, but Rollcage was a bit different."\|date=30 November 2015\|title=Rollcage Spiritual Successor Grip Is a Blast from PlayStation's Forgotten Past}}
Silent Hill 2 \|'Enhanced Edition' rehaul, including bug fixes, enhanced and remade graphic assets, full widescreen support, HD cutscenes, and numerous modern improvements{{Cite web \|title=Silent Hill 2: Enhanced Edition \|url=https://enhanced.townofsilenthill.com/SH2/ \|access-date=2023-05-02 \|website=enhanced.townofsilenthill.com}}
Silent Hunter II / Destroyer Command	Bug fix patch (Ubisoft endorsed with source code){{cite web\|url=http://www.subsim.com/ssr/pcgamer_pmarticle.html \|work=PC Gamer \|title=Submarine marries Destroyer: The long vaunted union of SSI naval-sims is complete – thanks to fans. \|first=William \|last=Trotter \|date=1 May 2003 \|access-date=6 May 2017 \|quote=gave source code to subsim.com [...] a fund raising drive netted more than $7000 to jump-start Project Messerwetzer [...] Skilled volunteers and playtesters rallied to the call [...] a free 5MB to 6MB patch that will be finally polished and playtested. The original crippling flaw, multiplayer instability, has been dramatically minimized}}{{cite web\|url=http://www.wargamer.com/articles/behind_the_lines_5/Default.asp\|publisher=The Wargamer\|title=Behind the LInes #5\|author=Scott Parrino\|date=24 May 2003\|access-date=6 May 2017\|quote=Subsim Review served as the gathering place for Projekt Messerwetzer, the project that brought Silent Hunter II – Destroyer Command computability to full fruition\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051130005148/http://www.wargamer.com/articles/behind_the_lines_5/Default.asp\|archive-date=30 November 2005}}[http://subsim.com/ssr/p_messerwetzer.htm Projekt Messerwetzer] "Silent Hunter II/Destroyer Command DirectPlay, Conversion and Multiplayer Upgrade, THIS UNOFFICIAL PATCH IS AUTHORIZED BY UBISOFT, HOWEVER, UBISOFT OFFERS NO SUPPORT." on subsim.com[http://www.subsim.com/patches/PM_Readme.htm PM_Readme] on subsim
Star Ocean	Fan translation
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II – The Sith Lords	Bug fixes,{{cite web\|url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2009/10/after-four-years-volunteers-restore-missing-kotor-ii-data.ars \|publisher=arstechnica.com \|quote=After years of development, the cut content has been finally restored and most of the bugs have been fixed, thanks to a project known as the "Restored Content Mod. \|title=Fan-restored KOTOR II content creates refined, expanded game KOTOR II wasn't the most complete Star Wars title ever released, due to an … \|first=Michael \|last=Thompson \|date=6 October 2009 \|access-date=5 September 2013}}{{cite journal\|url=http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2012/08/24/get-these-kotor-2-and-its-restored-content-mod/ \|quote= On top of that, the mod fixes "over 500″ bugs, because Obsidian, basically.\|title=Get These: KOTOR 2 And Its Restored Content Mod \|first=Nathan \|last=Grayson \|date=24 August 2012 \|journal=Rock, Paper, Shotgun \|access-date=5 September 2013 }} restored content,{{cite web \| url = http://www.pcgamer.com/2012/07/26/community-heroes-modders-debug-and-restore-cut-content-in-knights-of-the-old-republic-ii/ \| title = Community heroes: modders debug and restore cut content in Knights of the Old Republic II \| first = Tyler \| last = Wilde \| date = 26 July 2012 \| access-date = 26 September 2012 \| newspaper = PC Gamer}} widescreen support{{cite web \| url = http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2013/01/03/the-fixer-how-to-restore-knights-of-the-old-republic-ii/ \| title = The Fixer: How To Restore Knights of the Old Republic II \| first = Andrew \| last = Tsai \| date = 3 January 2013 \| access-date = 28 January 2013 \| journal = Rock Paper Shotgun}}
Supreme Commander	Bug fixes, multiplayer client and server replacement (Server emulator)[http://forums.gaspowered.com/viewtopic.php?f=67&t=57459 GPGNet Services Update 2 (GPGnet has been shutdown)] {{Webarchive\|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141219213249/http://forums.gaspowered.com/viewtopic.php?f=67&t=57459 \|date=19 December 2014 }} on gaspowered.com{{cite web\|url=http://www.pcgamer.com/2013/03/27/pc-gamer-uk-podcast-episode-87-ore-ore-never-changes/\|title=PC gamer pod cast 87 \|journal=PC Gamer \|date=27 March 2013 \|access-date=25 August 2013\|last1=Thursten \|first1=Chris }}{{cite web \|url=http://www.pcgamer.com/2012/11/19/supcom-forged-alliance-servers-shut-down-community-made-forged-alliance-forever-keeps-the-war-alive/ \|title=Community-made Forged Alliance Forever keeps Supreme Commander multiplayer alive \|first=T.J. \|last=Hafer \|date=19 November 2012 \|access-date=28 August 2014 \|newspaper=PC Gamer \|quote=The official multiplayer servers for Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance have been decommissioned for a while now, but fortunately [...] the community-driven Forged Alliance Forever has emerged. The self-patching multiplayer client allows players of the epic real-time strategy title to continue blowing things up in massive quantities. It even adds new units, a new faction, and some game modes that weren't available on the official servers, such as 6v6.}}[http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-11-02-youre-in-charge You're in charge! – From vital patches to game cancellations, players are often intimately involved.] by Christian Donlan on Eurogamer "The same thing happened at the end of last year, actually, when Supreme Commander fans released Forged Alliance Forever and gave the game the online client it could otherwise only dream of. I haven't played it much, but I still got a tear in my eye when I read about the extents these coders had gone to. There's nothing quite so wonderful to witness as love, and this is surely love of the very purest order." (2 November 2013)
Dark Engine (Thief 1, Thief 2, System Shock 2)	Bug fix patch[http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-09-26-fans-rework-homeworld-2-system-shock-and-thief-2 fans-rework-homeworld-2-system-shock-and-thief-2] on eurogamer.net (26 September 2012)
Titan Quest	Bug fix patch{{cite web \|url=http://www.titanquest.net/tq-forum/threads/29712-REL-Bugfix-patch-1-17#post334922 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120406190621/http://www.titanquest.net/tq-forum/threads/29712-REL-Bugfix-patch-1-17#post334922 \|archive-date=6 April 2012 \|title=Titan Quest bugfix patch 1.17a \|access-date=27 July 2012 \|date=3 June 2009 \|author=yerkyerk \|publisher=titanquest.net }}{{cite web \|url=http://www.titanquest.net/tq-forum/threads/43479-REL-Patchfix-for-Fanpatch-1-17 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120701063947/http://www.titanquest.net/tq-forum/threads/43479-REL-Patchfix-for-Fanpatch-1-17 \|archive-date=1 July 2012 \|title=(REL) Patchfix for Fanpatch 1.17 (v1.17c) \|date=6 February 2012 \|access-date=21 September 2014 \|publisher=titanquest.net \|author=spectre }}
Ultima series	Bug fix patch,{{cite web\|url=http://reconstruction.voyd.net/index.php?event=project&typeKeyword=fanpatch\|title=Ultima The Reconstruction – Fanpatches \|access-date=28 May 2011 \|date=8 April 2007\|author=Voyager \|publisher=reconstruction.voyd.net}} fan translation
Ultima 4	Bug fix patch, remaster[https://magervalp.github.io/2015/05/29/u4-remastered-v2.2.1.html Ultima IV Remastered v2.2.1] by Per Olofsson (29 May 2015)[https://github.com/MagerValp/u4remastered u4remastered] on github.com
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines	Bug fix patch, restored content, widescreen and modern OS support{{cite web\|url=http://www.gamestar.de/spiele/vampire-the-masquerade-bloodlines/downloads/vampire_2_bloodlines,33351,2319239.html \|title=Vampire 2: Bloodlines – Community-Patch 7.2 zum Download \|date=12 November 2010 \|access-date=3 April 2011 \|first=Hanno \|last=Neuhaus \|journal=Gamestar \|publisher=gamestar.de \|language=de}}{{cite journal \|url=http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2011/07/15/undying-vampire-bloodlines-patched-anew/ \|publisher=rockpapershotgun.com \|title=Undying: Vampire Bloodlines Patched Anew\|first=Alec \|last=Meer \|journal=Rock, Paper, Shotgun \|date=15 July 2011\|access-date=2 August 2011 \|quote=Bloodlines […] was essentially abandoned by its publisher after its developer closed a few months after release, but the fans have just kept on going, fixing things, improving things, digging up locked away extra content […]}}{{cite web \|url=http://www.cinemablend.com/games/Vampire-The-Masquerade-Bloodlines-Still-Getting-Patches-18476.html \|title=Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines Still Getting Patches \|publisher=GAMING BLEND \|first=Pete \|last=Haas \|date=3 July 2009 \|access-date=7 January 2012 \|archive-date=19 January 2021 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210119042730/https://www.cinemablend.com/games/Vampire-The-Masquerade-Bloodlines-Still-Getting-Patches-18476.html }}
Xenonauts	Bug fix patch and support continuation{{cite web\|url=http://www.goldhawkinteractive.com/forums/showthread.php/10965-Community-Coder-Program! \|title=Community Coder Program! \|date=25 June 2014 \|publisher=goldhawkinteractive \|access-date=9 July 2015}}{{cite web\|url=http://www.goldhawkinteractive.com/forums/showthread.php/11882-What-is-Xenonauts-Community-Edition-how-do-I-get-it \|title=What is Xenonauts: Community Edition & how do I get it? \|date=15 August 2014 \|publisher=goldhawkinteractive.com \|access-date=9 July 2015 }}

Examples in general software

class="wikitable collapsible sortable " !Software !! Type
3dfx drivers	Driver fixes, continued support[http://www.golem.de/0305/25378.html Treiber-Quellcode von 3dfx im Netz aufgetaucht – Von Nvidia offenbar geduldet] by Christian Klaß on Golem.de (7 May 2003, in German)[http://nuangel.net/NuDrivers/ NuAngel.net Drivers] on nuangel.net
Adobe Acrobat	Fast security fix{{cite web\|url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/02/24/unofficial_adobe_patch/\|title=Unofficial patch plugs 0-day Adobe security vuln. – Mind the gap \|first=John \|last=Leyden \|date=24 February 2009 \|access-date=9 July 2013 \|quote=Updated Security researchers have developed an unofficial patch for a zero-day Adobe Acrobat and Reader vulnerability that's become the subject of hacker attacks. Adobe acknowledged the vulnerability last week but said an official patch wouldn't be available until 11 March. \|publisher=The Register}}
Socket 7 boards' Award BIOS	32 GB+ HDD support, AMD K6-2/3+ support[http://wims.rainbow-software.org/index.php?count=250 These BIOSes are fixed to support HDDs over 32GB (up to 64GB) or over 64GB (up to 128GB) and are tested to work.] by Ondrej Zary on rainbow-software.org[http://www.ryston.cz/petr/bios/ Award BIOS Modifications] {{Webarchive\|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200716224049/http://www.ryston.cz/petr/bios/ \|date=2020-07-16 }} by Petr Soucek on ryston.cz[http://web.inter.nl.net/hcc/J.Steunebrink/k6plus.htm K6plus] {{Webarchive\|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210211064357/http://web.inter.nl.net/hcc/J.Steunebrink/k6plus.htm \|date=2021-02-11 }} by Jan Steunebrink on inter.nl.net
iOS 4.3.3	Fast security fix{{cite web\|url=http://cydia.saurik.com/package/pdfpatch2/\|title=PDF Patcher 2\|date=5 July 2011 \|access-date=14 Nov 2022}}
Java	Fast security fix{{cite web\|url=http://www.scmagazine.com/new-java-exploit-on-the-loose-unofficial-patch-may-help/article/256264/ \|title=New Java exploit on the loose, unofficial patch may help\|first=Dan \|last=Kaplan \|date=27 August 2012 \|access-date=9 July 2013 \|publisher=scmagazine.com}}
Windows 7, Windows 8	Unlocking of hardware support[https://www.bit-tech.net/news/bits/2017/04/19/unlock-win7-win8-updates-ryzen-kaby/1 DLL patch unlocks Windows 7, 8.1 updates on Ryzen, Kaby Lake] by Gareth Halfacree on bit-tech.com (19 April 2017)
Windows 98	Slipstream patch, Bug fix patch,{{cite web\|url=http://www.pcwelt.de/news/Nicht-tot-zu-kriegen-Win-98-Service-Pack-2-1-402036.html \|title=Nicht tot zu kriegen: Win 98 Service Pack 2.1 \|first=Hans-Christian \|last=Dirscherl\| date=29 November 2005 \|access-date=6 April 2011 \|publisher=PCWelt.de \|language=de}}{{cite web \|title=Inoffizielles Win98 SE Service Pack – neue Version \|first=Sebastian \|last=Kuhbach \|url=http://winfuture.de/news,21701.html \|date=4 August 2005 \|access-date=6 April 2011 \|publisher=winfuture.de \|language=de}} support for harddrives > 137 GB,{{cite web \|url=http://www.48bitlba.com/tools.htm \|title=48-bit LBA Tools & Drivers \|quote=Win98: Enable 48-bit LBA patch for Windows 98 posted on MSFN.ORG – Implements 48-bit LBA support into Windows 98's default IDE driver to support hard drives larger than 137GB. \|year=2005 \|publisher=fryeware.com \|access-date=6 April 2011}} support for 2k API{{cite web \|url=http://www.neilturner.me.uk/2010/05/17/resurrecting_a_dead_os_wi.html \|first=Neil \|last=Turner \|date=17 May 2010 \|work=Neil Turner's blog \|title=Resurrecting a dead OS with KernelEx \|access-date=6 April 2011 \|archive-date=30 January 2013 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130130120124/http://www.neilturner.me.uk/2010/05/17/resurrecting_a_dead_os_wi.html }}[http://sourceforge.net/projects/kernelex/ KernelEx by xeno86] SourceForge.net{{cite web \|url=http://blog.tiensivu.com/aaron/archives/1851-KernelEx-run-XP2K-apps-on-Win98-and-WinME.html \|title=KernelEx – run XP/2K apps on Win98 and WinME\| work=Aaron Tiensivu's Blog \|date=9 April 2009 \|quote=This is a fascinating project from a technical standpoint. They are implementing missing API calls used by newer applications that are missing from Windows 98 and Windows ME. \|access-date=6 April 2011 \|publisher=tiensivu.com \|first=Aaron \|last=Tiensivu}}
Windows XP	Update pack{{cite web\|url=http://heise.de/-159491 \|date=20 March 2007 \|publisher=heise online \|title=Microsoft geht gegen unautorisierte Update-Packs vor \|first=Axel \|last=Vahldiek \|access-date=6 April 2011 \|language=de}}{{cite web\|url=http://www.golem.de/0511/41544.html \|date=10 November 2005 \|title=Inoffizielle Patch-Pakete für Windows 2000 und XP (Update) \|access-date=6 April 2011 \|publisher=Golem.de \|language=de}}
Internet Explorer	Fast security fix{{cite web\|url=http://www.computerweekly.com/news/2240077005/Another-unofficial-IE-patch-offered-to-counter-critical-flaw \|title=Another unofficial IE patch offered to counter critical flaw\|date=30 March 2006 \|quote=Another unofficial patch has been released to counter a critical flaw in Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser.\|publisher=Computer Weekly \|access-date=9 July 2013}}
Nvidia nForce Chipset Device driver	Support for older Chipsets on newer Windows OSs{{cite web \|url=http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1003298/nvidia-cuts-vista-support-nforce-chipset \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090918142130/http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1003298/nvidia-cuts-vista-support-nforce-chipset \|url-status=unfit \|archive-date=September 18, 2009 \|publisher=www.theinquirer.net \|title=Nvidia cuts Vista support for Nforce 2 chipset – Fare thee well, old friend\|first= Fuad\|last= Abazovic \|date= 17 November 2006\|access-date=28 May 2011}}{{cite web\|url=http://www.nforcershq.com/forum/xp-optimized-nforce-driver-packs-t70968.html\|author=Fernando\|title=XP: Optimized nForce Driver Packs\|access-date=28 May 2011\|date=7 February 2011\|quote=Many users with an nForce chipset mainboard, who are running or going to install Windows XP (32/64bit), are searching for actual nForce chipset drivers, which are suitable for their special chipset and will give them the best possible performance and stability of their system. NVIDIA itself doesn't offer them.\|url-status=usurped\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121123201842/http://www.nforcershq.com/forum/xp-optimized-nforce-driver-packs-t70968.html\|archive-date=23 November 2012}}{{cite web\|url=http://sites.google.com/site/nf2stuff/\|author=AdvModDev \|title=nForce 123/WinXP Chipset Drivers and Remixes \|date=13 January 2008 \|access-date=28 May 2011}}
Palm Pre	Functionality extension[https://www.engadget.com/2009/10/19/unofficial-patch-lets-you-hang-up-palm-pre-calls-by-closing-the/ Unofficial patch lets you hang up Palm Pre calls by closing the slider] on engadget.com by Donald Melanson (10.19.09)
Windows Metafile format	Fast security fix
Windows URI problem	Fast security fix{{cite web\|url=http://www.h-online.com/security/news/item/Unofficial-patch-for-Windows-URI-problem-733796.html \|date=16 October 2007 \|title=Unofficial patch for Windows URI problem \|publisher=The H Security \|first=Mike \|last=Barwise \|access-date=29 January 2012}}
Mac OS X 10.3	Daylight saving time patch{{cite web\|url=https://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2007/01/6785.ars \|date=28 January 2007 \|title=An unofficial Daylight Saving Time fix for Mac OS X 10.3 \|publisher=Ars Technica \|first=Erik \|last=Kennedy \|access-date=29 January 2012}}