Overview
- In June 2026, renewed trademark filings by Electronic Arts prompted reporters to contact Richard Garriott, who said he can invoke a 35-year US copyright termination rule to reclaim the Ultima copyrights in 2027.
- The legal mechanism Garriott cited is a statutory termination right that lets creators reclaim certain assigned copyrights 35 years after transfer by filing a formal notice with the Copyright Office.
- Copyright recovery would cover expressive elements like code and game assets but would not restore the Ultima trademark, which EA appears to still control through recent filings.
- Garriott has suggested publishing under a distinct label such as 'Lord British's Ultima' and plans to discuss details at Dragon Con in autumn 2026, but no termination filing or new project has been announced.
- If both sides move forward independently, the franchise could split into two paths: Garriott making works based on reclaimed copyrights while EA continues to use or license the Ultima name, and Broadsword would likely keep operating Ultima Online as before.