At this point, I'm not even surprised to hear someone's trying to revive the 3DO. If you'd asked me a few years ago whether one of the most obscure consoles of the 1990s would be making a comeback in 2026, I'd have laughed my novelty Sonic socks off. However, digging through the hardware history drawer for things to "bring back" is all the rage in the roaring 20s, but something fishy is going on with this particular retro resurrection.
I first caught wind that the 3DO was ready to re-enter the best retro console race on Monday thanks to the folks at Time Extension. The annoucement showed up in the form of a strangely dry annoucement by Empire Interactive on LinkedIn, with the UK publisher revealing that it had obtained the "trademark and selected intellectual property rights of The 3DO Company."
If you're unfamiliar with The 3DO Company, here's a flyby history lesson. Originally started by EA founder Trip Hawkins, the business originally set out to take on Nintendo and Sega in the "console wars", and was financed by third parties and manufacturers like Panasonic, AT&T, Time Warner, and LG.
Yes, that's why you'll commonly see the "Panasonic 3DO" sitting side by side with other '90s systems, and it technically was the first 3D console on the scene. But its monstrous $700 MSRP, quirks with the underlying company's business model, and the eventual release of the PS1, prompted the venture to abandon hardware and pivot to software publishing before eventually filing for bankruptcy in 2003.
Here's where things get interesting, as in that same LinkedIn post, former Limited Run Games CEO Josh Fairhurst extends an invite to the "new 3DO" to license some of its biggest hits, stating, "I own the rights!" That collection includes Night Trap, Sewer Shark, Corpse Killer, Quarterback Attack, and Supreme Warrior, which are all games I'd closely associate with the OG console, but it is worth noting the OG publisher itself was also behind series like Might and Magic and Army Men.
Here's where things get fishy, as Empire Interactive previously closed its doors in 2009 after entering administration. Therefore, we've technically got two revivals on our hands, and the publisher that now allegedly owns the 3DO trademark is being run by someone called Işık Şekercigil.
Little is actually known about Şekercigil, and I certainly couldn't find any record of their career online. Speaking to Time Extension, the self-proclaimed "founder" of Empire Interactive admits, "my professional background does not originate from the retro gaming era," but does say they are an enthusiast.
"My expertise lies in the modern mobile gaming sector." Explains Şekercigil. "As a video game developer and executive, I have spent years working within the mobile industry in Turkey, managing teams and holding leadership roles in several mobile gaming companies that achieved multi-million and billion-dollar valuations (unicorns) from their inception to their peak."
Şekercigil goes on to say they acquired the Empire Interactive trademark "through a legal firm" while clarifying, "we acquired the brand asset rather than an active portfolio of intellectual properties." The whole backstory here has my eyebrow firmly raised, and the apparent battle plan for the future is even weirder.
As of this moment, the new Empire Interactive hasn't revealed which 3DO IPs it owns, something Şekercigil describes as deliberate. What we do know is that since it is apparently holding "active negotiations for one of the major, historic 3DO properties", one of the OG console's biggest releases isn't part of that list, and the publisher is seemingly discussing licensing with "several lesser-known companies and independent individuals" who hold the rights to games.
I can't help but feel like Empire Interactive is working back-to-front with its 3DO revival. I'd love to delve into Şekercigil's comments on releasing both a new retro console in the same vein as the Sega Genesis Mini, but whether or not Empire Interactive actually has the rights to the 3DO has now been thrown into question.
Time Extension says another company named Throwback Entertainment claims it owns the branding, assets, and the website domain, stating, "These assets have not been sold, transferred, or licensed to Empire Interactive, and there are no plans for them to be sold."
Josh Fairhurst also chimed back in to back up the idea that the 3DO trademark hasn't been sold. While the former Limited Run Games CEO did initially reach out to the publisher via the aforementioned comment, he has since clarified, "I did that before I had a chance to research the situation. I'm currently of the opinion that this is not legitimate or will be highly contested, at the very least."
It's safe to say my head hurts following this 3DO situation, and it has put the spotlight on what looks to be a tangled web of licensing, rights, and trademarks. I'd be highly surprised if we even hear about new ports of games off the back of whatever Empire Interactive has acquired any time soon, and even if multiple parties weren't already contesting who owns the rights, actually making a tiny version of something that looks like OG Panasonic or LG hardware is a whole other minefield.
Your best bet for now? Find a real 3DO out in the wild and give it a nice retirement home.
If you'd rather play your classics backlog on the go, swing by the best retro handhelds for portable emulators.
