Richard Garriott, the creator of the venerable Ultima series, intends to reclaim the copyright for his original works in 2027. This move coincides with Electronic Arts filing new trademarks for the franchise, suggesting a potential resurgence for the long-dormant role-playing series.
Garriott, often known by his handle "Lord British," has reportedly been in contact with EA periodically over the past decade regarding a revival of Ultima. "Every decade or so, I tried to work with EA on a revival of Ultima," Garriott stated. "They always seemed interested enough to start talking, then abandoned talks just as quickly." Despite these stalled attempts, Garriott is now looking towards a specific legal avenue for reclaiming his intellectual property.
Under current US copyright law, creators or their heirs can reclaim rights to a work 35 years after its creation. EA acquired the rights to Ultima from Garriott in 1992. Thirty-five years later, 2027 marks the year Garriott believes he can exercise this right. "And so, I have been waiting… finally, the time has come!" he expressed.
It is important to note that while Garriott aims to regain copyright for his original creations, the Ultima trademark itself will likely remain with EA. Copyright protection in video games typically covers elements like source code and audiovisual assets, whereas trademarks protect brand names, characters, and other identifying elements. Garriott appears to be aware of this distinction, stating that "'Lord British's Ultima' will regain all the copyrights of my original work. What it will become, is the next challenge."
Further details regarding Garriott's plans are expected to be shared later this year at Dragon Con, where he hopes to have a clearer vision of what the future of his original Ultima works might entail. While the exact form of any future projects remains uncertain, the legal groundwork for Garriott's potential involvement is being laid.