KUALA LUMPUR: Richard Garriott, creator of the influential Ultima series, is set to regain the rights to the franchise from Electronic Arts (EA).
This is possible under a provision of the US Copyright Act that allows original authors to terminate previous copyright transfers after 35 years.
The legendary creator sold the rights to EA in 1992, alongside his studio, Origin Systems, for US$30 million.
Garriott plans to re-release earlier Ultima titles and develop sequels.
“I’ve got most of a year to figure out what that means. But at the very least, it means I could re-release the earlier Ultimas, but it also means I could make sequels. And the point is, I have control again over the future of my seminal product line,” he said.
The Ultima series is among the most influential early role-playing game franchises, having established many conventions of the genre. It also influenced dozens of other games, including the Baldur’s Gate and Elder Scrolls series in the West, as well as the Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy series in Japan.
While regaining the intellectual property is a positive development for Garriott, he may be better suited to a producer role, bringing in newer developers to work on future Ultima sequels. Computer role-playing games have evolved considerably over the past decade or so. It would make more sense to enlist established developers such as Larian Studios or Rebel Wolves to work on the franchise.
Moreover, Garriott’s more recent projects outside the Ultima franchise have not fared particularly well. A quick search for “Shroud of the Avatar” and “Tabula Rasa” offers a reminder of how much player tastes have evolved.
Regaining the Ultima brand is an important first step and a welcome development for its creator. However, producing worthy sequels will be an uphill challenge without outside help.
Short Beats
Bit Reactor, after having to furlough its workers ahead of the launch of its then-upcoming Star Wars Zero Company strategy game, is now bringing its staff back to work. This follows the game’s critical and commercial success, with the title ranking as the sixth-best-selling PC game by revenue in Western markets in August.
Cyberpunk 2077 is getting a live-action movie adaptation from Paramount.
Sony PlayStation has sold more than 40 VR patents to Meta, signalling a possible end to its PSVR ambitions. It still lasted longer than Concord, though.
The Triple-i Initiative October 2026 games showcase announced several key titles:
- Prison escape simulation game The Escapists 3 has been confirmed.
- Roguelite tower defence game ReVamp will launch on March 25, 2027.
- Adventure game Machinarium 2 has been confirmed.
- Standalone adventure game Among Us Story: On Guard will launch on Feb 17, 2027.
- JIAOHUN, a Chinese psychological horror game set in the 1990s and played from a first-person perspective, has been announced for 2027.
Op-Ed
We cover more games in our Tokyo Game Show 2026 roundup video.
To celebrate 40 years of Konami’s Castlevania series, we ranked the games from worst to best.
Games Of The Week
Star Wars: Galactic Racer is a high-speed, run-based 3D racing game set in the Star Wars universe. Players take on the role of newcomer Shade, who aims to reach the top of the syndicate-sponsored Galactic League. They can race in landspeeders, speeder bikes or podracers across courses on various planets. Available on PC and consoles, it is our top gaming choice for the week.
Gears of War: E-Day is the long-awaited next entry in the Xbox-exclusive, gritty sci-fi, third-person cover-based shooter franchise. Players can take on the role of Marcus Fenix or one of his squad members as the four confront the emerging Locust Horde in this prequel. The Xbox Series and PC title offers solo play, online co-op and player-versus-player multiplayer modes. It is also one of our top gaming picks for the week.
Silver Pines is a 2D search-action survival horror title set in a small American town. Players take on the role of a detective who must fight off nightmares and solve puzzles while uncovering the town’s mysteries. Available on PC.
Dragon’s Dogma 2: Dark Arisen is an expansion that substantially upgrades the 2024 original with new quests and challenges, additional gear and a snowy region called Norgan.
Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival is a first-person survival horror action game set in Clive Barker’s Hellraiser universe. Players take on the role of a hapless victim who possesses the Genesis Configuration puzzle box and must survive a bargain to save his girlfriend, who is trapped in hell, from the infamous Pinhead. Available on PC and consoles, this title is strictly for adults aged 18 and above because of its explicit violence and sexual content.
Order of the Sinking Star is a top-down puzzle adventure set in a realm of magic and mystery. Players must solve more than a thousand interconnected puzzles and unlock new playable heroes, along with evolving gameplay mechanics. Available on PC and consoles.
Neon Abyss 2 is out of Early Access and now in version 1.0. This sci-fi, post-apocalyptic 2D run-and-gun game features a roguelike structure, online co-op for up to four players, and numerous combat styles and item synergies. Available on PC.
Work Work Work Prologue is the introductory chapter of an upcoming adventure game from Indonesian studio Mojiken and producer Toge Productions. Players take on the role of a numbered worker attempting to escape the work loop in which they are trapped. Play the demo on Steam (PC version).
