Richard Garriott released the first Ultima game in 1981, launching a series that would come to define computer role-playing games. A decade later, he sold the series and his studio, Origin Systems, to Electronic Arts for $30 million. After a short-lived attempt to launch another game, the MMO Tabula Rasa, and a successful stint as a private astronaut, Garriott is about to take the Ultima rights back from EA.
In an interview with Jesse Petrilla, Garriott said he will invoke a section of U.S. copyright law that allows the original holder to reclaim a copyright if 35 years have passed since its transfer, so long as the current holder is given written notice at least one year in advance. Garriott contacted Electronic Arts in April 2026, and the company has raised no objections, meaning that he will regain the rights to his famous creation in 2027. If you played computer RPGs in the '90s, there is a good chance that you are already familiar with Ultima.
The MMO spinoff Ultima Online was particularly popular, and its sophisticated in-game economy and social systems set the standards for the genre. On Aug. 8, 1997, it was the stage for one of the most memorable events in video game history: the assassination of Lord British. Richard Garriott logged in as his avatar Lord British, the ruler of Britannia in all the Ultima games, to address a crowd of beta testers as part of a stress test.
A player named Rainz knew that an unexpected server crash before the event had stripped Lord British of his scripted invulnerability and decided to take advantage of the situation. He blew up Garriott's character with a fire spell and the other developers reacted by summoning a horde of demons that slaughtered all the bystanders. In his recent interview, Garriott mentioned that he still has to "figure out" what to do with the copyright once he gets it back: "At the very least, it means I could re-release the earlier Ultimas, but it also means I could sequel them," he said.
The Ultima series is known for being innovative, but the creative and technological landscape for gaming has changed a lot in the 21st century. I'm sure that Garriott, who spent 12 days aboard the International Space Station in 2008, will not be deterred.
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