Summary
Video game IP ownershipis a tricky thing, as numerous legal shenanigans and laws have become a mandatory part of the industry. Some of the more famous intellectual properties, including the likes ofMarioandGod of War, are not likely ever to be in danger of switching owners. However, some have seen their rights transferred to another holder, and others have even seen their rights transferred multiple times over the years. Some of them switched owners due to the end result of a lengthy legal battle, while others were simply sold off after being deemed not profitable.
Regardless, many of today’s most popular andbeloved video game IPsare not owned by their original development team, a sign of just how free-flowing the industry has always been. The legalities of who owns what has always been rough for gaming, and if these IPs are anything to go by, it’s not likely to change anytime soon. Between company mergers and acquisitions,these IPs exist further and further away from their place of origin.
Following the completion ofBlood Omenfor the PS1,theLegacy of KainIPentered intense legal litigation due to a dispute between Crystal Dynamics and Silicon Knights over the right to make a sequel. The rights ended up in the hands of Crystal Dynamics, who would go on to createSoul Reaverfor the PS1. The IP would bounce between several different owners, first falling under the control of Square Enix via their merger with Eidos.
After Square failed to get several projects off the ground, theLegacy of KainIP remained in limbo, cursed to the same fate as its lead protagonist Raziel. In 2022, Square sold off most of its Western division, including Eidos and theLegacy of KainIP, to Embracer Group. It’s a franchise that has seen multiple changes of ownership, with the latest one resulting in a spectacular remaster of the first twoSoul Reavergames, proving that this beloved series may finally be in the right hands.
Despite being deep into production on a full-fledged 3D sequel calledVan Burenby Black Isle Studios,theFalloutfranchise wasabout to change in a big way. Publisher Interplay Entertainment, the owners of theFalloutIP, were struggling to stay afloat following a series of financial failures. This led to them selling the IP to Bethesda, who would use their talent for creating huge, compelling open-world experiences to power the series moving forward.
Falloutwould see massive success under Bethesda, as these explorations of post-apocalyptic Americana and retro-futurism have become some of the best games the industry has ever seen. However, thanks to a long, ongoing relationship that started with them puttingMorrowindon the original Xbox,Falloutwould once again look to change its home address, as Microsoft would acquire ZeniMax Media, the parent company of Bethesda, for a whopping 7.5 billion dollars.Falloutnow rests in the hands of Microsoft, while Todd Howard has confirmed a fifth game in the franchise will launch followingThe Elder Scrolls 6.
Rare cultivated a fascinating relationship with Nintendo during the 1990s, as they produced some of the most beloved games of the decade and became a mainstay in Nintendo’s arsenal. In that time, some of their best collaborations came on the Nintendo 64, where Rare produced games likeConker’s Bad Fur Dayand the absolutely incrediblePerfect Dark. Thisscience fiction first-person shooterused elements of popular media from the era, includingThe X-FilesandBlade Runner, to inform its bleak vision of the future.
Four years later, as Rare found themselves struggling to survive, a bidding war between Nintendo, Microsoft, and Activision erupted to purchase them. In the end, Microsoft offered a lucrative 375 million dollar check and, as a result of buying Rare, also purchased all the IPs that didn’t already belong to Nintendo. Joanna Dark is now owned by Microsoft, and despite the rough launch ofPerfect Dark Zero, she is poised for a blockbuster comeback on the Xbox Series X and S.
After becoming one of the most dominant franchises of the 1990s,Tomb Raiderwas a certified legend of the industry, as Lara Croft’s unique blend of wit and heroism made her one ofgaming’s most important feminist icons. But as tough as Lara Croft is, she was unable to stand up against the cold reality of business, asTomb Raiderbecame the property of Square Enix following their acquisition of Eidos Interactive in 2009.
Square would produce a reboot ofTomb Raiderin 2013, which would lead into the absolutely stellar Survivor Trilogy, reinventing Lara Croft for a new generation. However, despite strong sales and critical reception, Square was looking to refocus its efforts, selling off the entirety of its Western division to Embracer Group in 2022. After changing ownership multiple times, Lara Croft has shown no signs of slowing down, with an anime on Netflix and a brand-new title in development using Unreal Engine 5.
Although it’s one of their most successful franchises, this Wild West shooter series was originally owned by Angel Studios, who were developingRed Dead Revolverfor Capcom. Following Capcom’s dissatisfaction with the game, Rockstar showed interest in having their own Western-themed franchise and acquired both Angel Studios and theRed DeadIP in 2002.
They renamed Angel Studios to Rockstar San Diego, who completedRed Dead Revolverin 2004. It’s fascinating to think that one of the industry’s most acclaimed, highly-respected IPs did not originate with its owner, as Rockstar would go on to elevateRed Deadinto something truly special. The poignant examination of a dying American Frontier explored inRed Dead Redemption 1and its sequel has led to some of the most important stories in gaming, and it all started with the seemingly innocent purchase of a struggling project.
Following three successful games on the PS1, theCrash Bandicootfranchise started expanding to other platforms, including Nintendo and Microsoft systems. Despite its close association with original developers Naughty Dog, the IP was actually owned by Universal Interactive Studios, who would hire multiple talented teams over the years to produce moreCrashgames before becoming Vivdendi Games in 2003.
Following Vivendi’s merger with Activision-Blizzard in 2008, theCrashIP went on a long hiatus after the release ofMind Over Mutant. Crash would return with a remaster of the first three games in 2017, along with a brand-new mainline entry in 2020, before finding himself the property of Microsoft following their acquisition of Activision-Blizzard in 2023. It’s been a long, winding road of ownership transfer forCrashand his friends, and despite rumors of a new title, he remains on the bench for now.
In the wake of Hideo Kojima’s public fallout with Konami, theMetal Gearcreator left the company in 2015 following the release ofThe Phantom Painand founded his own studio the same year. With a boost of support from Sony and armed with the Decima Engine, which was gifted to him by Guerrilla Games, Kojima produced the trippy,mind-bending sci-fi epicDeath Stranding. This bleak examination of humanity’s future was a PlayStation exclusive, as the IP was owned by Sony.
Death Strandingwould get a PC release, but the IP remained in Sony’s hands until 2024 when Kojima Productions purchased it. Following that,Death Strandingmade its way to the Xbox Series X and S for the first time, signaling that Kojima finally had complete control of his team’s hard work. While its sequel,Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, still doesn’t list the Xbox as a potential platform, it’s likely that the game will make its way to other platforms.
