Copyrights for New Generation Software games (e.g. 3D Monster Maze)
Posted: Sat Mar 03, 2018 11:13 pm
Posting here the result of my search for answers with the hope that someone else might have information to get past an impasse.
Since 3D Monster Maze is such as a well known and loved title I’ve been looking into obtaining permission to bundle it with the iOS emulator app. If you read my previous posts you’ll know that Apple developer guide lines impose the limitation that block adding functionality to load programs unless they are included within the app.
Recently on the ZX81 Owners Club Facebook group Phoebus Dokos added a post to find authors that would allow distribution of their ZX81 games with the ZX Spectrum Next. With the help of Will Woodvine, Phoebus got in touch with Malcolm Evans and in turn put me in contact with Malcolm.
Malcolm is a gent and said he is personally happy for anyone who wishes to use his games or screenshots to do so. He also confirmed that the rights to the games have never reverted to him and that Interplay Entertainment Corp are the last known copyright holders. Over the years the rights to the New Generation Software catalogue were passed to Virgin Games, circa 1986, then to Titus Games and then Interplay.
In 2016 Interplay via Wedbush Securities decided to sell off assets in their IP portfolio. At the time other parties with interests (see http://www.rpgcodex.net/forums/index.ph ... ff.110828/) made inquiries to Wedbush regarding the contents of the portfolio. An internal PDF was released describing the assets (Joe Morgan, who no longer works at Wedbush, was a point of contact and quite forthcoming). The PDF had no mention of New Generation Software and focussed only on more contemporary titles (90s onwards) and their relative value tiers. Interestingly though it does state the growing importance of retro gaming as an important source of revenue for IP buyers. I’ve subsequently contacted Wedbush and they have confirmed that they don’t have any information about any games that were not listed.
Whilst the CEO of Interplay, Hervé Caen, accepted my connection on Linked In, I never got response to my pm. He seems more focused on his culinary business interests in the US. Interplay like many of the original games companies had been struggling for years and it seems to all but halted operations.
In short, I have not been able to determine even if Interplay still holds the rights.
If the six degrees of separation rule holds true maybe one of you has or can get answers.
Since 3D Monster Maze is such as a well known and loved title I’ve been looking into obtaining permission to bundle it with the iOS emulator app. If you read my previous posts you’ll know that Apple developer guide lines impose the limitation that block adding functionality to load programs unless they are included within the app.
Recently on the ZX81 Owners Club Facebook group Phoebus Dokos added a post to find authors that would allow distribution of their ZX81 games with the ZX Spectrum Next. With the help of Will Woodvine, Phoebus got in touch with Malcolm Evans and in turn put me in contact with Malcolm.
Malcolm is a gent and said he is personally happy for anyone who wishes to use his games or screenshots to do so. He also confirmed that the rights to the games have never reverted to him and that Interplay Entertainment Corp are the last known copyright holders. Over the years the rights to the New Generation Software catalogue were passed to Virgin Games, circa 1986, then to Titus Games and then Interplay.
In 2016 Interplay via Wedbush Securities decided to sell off assets in their IP portfolio. At the time other parties with interests (see http://www.rpgcodex.net/forums/index.ph ... ff.110828/) made inquiries to Wedbush regarding the contents of the portfolio. An internal PDF was released describing the assets (Joe Morgan, who no longer works at Wedbush, was a point of contact and quite forthcoming). The PDF had no mention of New Generation Software and focussed only on more contemporary titles (90s onwards) and their relative value tiers. Interestingly though it does state the growing importance of retro gaming as an important source of revenue for IP buyers. I’ve subsequently contacted Wedbush and they have confirmed that they don’t have any information about any games that were not listed.
Whilst the CEO of Interplay, Hervé Caen, accepted my connection on Linked In, I never got response to my pm. He seems more focused on his culinary business interests in the US. Interplay like many of the original games companies had been struggling for years and it seems to all but halted operations.
In short, I have not been able to determine even if Interplay still holds the rights.
If the six degrees of separation rule holds true maybe one of you has or can get answers.