What is the time-out or closing time for a topic here on the Mobygames forums? I mean, does a topic automatically close after X number of days or months?

I ask because just now I wanted to continue this thread but it was already closed, so I had to start a new one.

I think it locks itself if it's been inactive without any new posts for a certain period of time. Not sure how long though...

It seems like 2 months without a new post.

Yep, it is 2 months.

Personally I think that's not so bad. I mean, if two full months go by without a comment, its a pretty good indication that the thread has 'fulfilled its purpose', so to speak.

Darn annoying actually, particularly for game forums. Why start a new thread if somebody starts playing a game 3 months or 5 years after the last time somebody posted something and has something to add to a discussion, or to ask, or whatever. If the thread could be continued, all the info'd still be there, but as it is one'd have to make a new thread, perhaps link to the old one, explain what it was about, and only then get to what they wanted to post in the first place.

I can only see it useful for containing spambot attack (only latest threads are affected).

Otherwise I'm all for keeping old threads open forever, for reasons you've mentioned (e.g. somebody finds a fix to a problem somebody else reported 3 months earlier on a game-specific thread).

I'd like to see creator's note on reason behind this decision. Some time ago, my thread was pinned, but got locked after inactivity and now I have to post same useful info somewhere else. Just great.

The only one left in a position to explain why things work the way they do here is Corn Popper, and he's usually in no mood to explain anything.