Richard Garriott, the creator of the influential Ultima roleplaying series, is reportedly in the process of reclaiming the rights to his seminal franchise from Electronic Arts. This potential return of control could occur as early as 2027, according to reports.
Ultima, a landmark series in PC gaming history, garnered critical acclaim for its dynamic worlds and genre innovations, influencing everything from immersive sims to MMOs. Its impact continues to be felt, with developers like Larian Studios citing Ultima 7 as a significant inspiration for modern CRPGs such as Divinity: Original Sin and Baldur's Gate 3.
Electronic Arts has held the rights to the series since acquiring developer Origin Systems in 1992. While some titles, like Ultima Online, achieved success under EA's stewardship, the franchise has largely remained dormant, with only a few experimental titles like Lord of Ultima and Ultima Forever appearing in the intervening years.
Garriott himself has reportedly expressed his desire to revive Ultima on multiple occasions. According to Brian Gaar of Inside Gaming, Garriott stated that he has approached EA periodically about reviving the series, but these discussions never led to concrete projects. "Every decade or so, I tried to work with EA on a revival of Ultima. They always seemed interested enough to start talking, then abandoned talks just as quickly," Garriott is quoted as saying.
The current development hinges on a provision in US copyright law that allows creators to reclaim their work after 35 years. Given that Garriott sold the Ultima rights in 1992, he is now eligible to reclaim them in 2027. "And so, I have been waiting… finally, the time has come!" Garriott reportedly told Inside Gaming.
It is important to note that Garriott is reclaiming the copyright, not the trademark. This means EA would still own the "Ultima" name, potentially precluding a direct revival under that exact title. However, Garriott has indicated plans to develop new projects under a name such as "Lord British's Ultima," which would encompass the copyrights to his original work. "Lord British's Ultima will regain all the copyrights of my original work," Garriott stated. "What it will become is the next challenge."
This potential revival comes at a time when hyper-detailed CRPGs are experiencing significant commercial success, evidenced by titles from developers like Larian and Owlcat. Garriott is expected to share more details regarding his plans for the future of the Ultima legacy at this year's Dragon Con.