And all the proceeds were clearly not going just to Stardock. The 2011 agreement that was publicized seemed to split all proceeds 50/50 between F&P and first Atari then Stardock. Certainly F&P had the right, given their interest in the games (assuming contract clauses didn't state otherwise) to end the arrangement. But the ending of that arrangement was clearly directed by F&P, not Stardock. They seemingly did so in order to spite Stardock. It had nothing to do with uncollected royalties.

seriously?

If that is true fuck them. fuck them big time and i hope they will lose.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkWS9PiXekE

I'm hoping they mean the original games should be available for free rather than never be available again. There's just so much nastiness involved I just can't tell anymore.

I'm not sure why F&P are using DMCA to take down SC:O. It makes them liable for damages without giving any advantages since the issue is already being heard in court. There just isn't a good reason for it (Spite isn't a good reason). It would be particularly bad if Stardock files a counterclaim and GoG still refuses to put it back up - P&F would be liable for that entire bit.

I'm hoping Brad doesn't take months to file a counterclaim just to try to milk damages (the judge will see through such obvious manipulation). The judge has already made it clear a counterclaim can be filed and wouldn't be too pleased with that.

I was hoping to wait for a SC: O discount before buying, but now...hm. What the hell, I got the Xmas coin to splurge on a risky thing.

In this David and Goliath battle, I really hope Goliath eats David.

Seems to me they don't want the original games available at all for sale, only as part of the open source project which they consider superior. At least that's the impression I've gotten from their statements. They didn't even want Atari selling them in the first place.

Now, it some ways, I guess that means they would turn a blind eye to any piracy.

I can only imagine they've done this because they think the case is going in their favour. And to everyone raging about the idea that SC1+2 might not return to sale, my understanding is it's because they want to make them free.

Looks like F&P want to "disable access" to SC:O as well. As in remove from our library? Anybody who has SC:O might want to download it while they can.

This is insanity, they cannot force that, my sympathy for F&P is getting lower and lower.

I posted on the Steam forums that GOG is still selling the game - but the post was deleted. My guess is that Stardock feels very uncertain about the odds of their case, and are doing all they can to avoid damage from the fracas.

Yep, still available on gog for me.

r/games thread on the matter if anyone's interested:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Games/comments/abbz6g/star_control_origins_to_be_removed_from_steam_and/

If that's indeed what they want, bullfckingsht to that. :P

So no.
taken from https://www.stardock.com/games/starcontrol/article/492834/paul-reiche-and-fred-ford-issue-dmca-take-down
(third phrase from the bottom)

anyway, 40 something us dollars for a currently 2.8/5 rated game ... I won't buy it, no matter what.

And let the legal do its work, we don't know who's right in this matter.

It's like flipping a switch, so easily done, remote. So don't sweat on it.

PS "Paul Reiche III" what kind of name is that? his son will be named Paul Reiche IV ? :) lol

The game will not be removed instantly from Gog . At least not today since it's a national holiday .