Richard Garriott Aims to Reclaim Ultima Rights from EA Through Copyright Law

Richard Garriott, better known as Lord British, has announced his intention to reclaim the rights to the Ultima saga from Electronic Arts. The creator sold his studio Origin Systems to EA back in 1992 for $30 million, but a provision of U.S. copyright law allows original creators to reclaim their works 35 years after transfer. This window opens as early as 2027 for the franchise that defined Western RPGs.

Garriott plans to reveal his strategy at Dragon Con in Atlanta, while EA has recently filed new trademarks related to Ultima.

"Every decade or so, I tried to work with EA on a revival of Ultima. They always seemed interested enough to start talking, then abandon talks just as quickly," Garriott told Inside Games. The crucial nuance here is that while Garriott can reclaim the copyright, EA would retain the "Ultima" trademark, forcing him to brand future games as "Lord British's Ultima." The series hasn't seen a mainline entry since Ultima IX: Ascension in 1999, and this legal move could breathe new life into one of gaming's most influential franchises.

Source: Kotaku