Sorry, 3DO fans, but it looks like the underdog '90s console isn't getting a comeback after all. While resurrected publisher Empire Interactive was originally set on "remastering retro games" and eventually figuring out how to bring back the hardware itself as a mini system, it turns out the company lacks the required rights.
In a downbeat black and white Linkedin post, Empire Interactive explains why the recently announced 3DO project is now cancelled. "After careful consideration, we have decided to abandon both the console production and the idea of remastering retro games," announces the publisher before explaining, "the reason for this decision is the emergence of multiple parties claiming ownership rights over both the games and console manufacturing process."
This is the part where I pretend to be surprised that the 3DO revival isn't happening, and I figured remaking the best retro console contender would be a minefield even if it does go ahead. After all, the hardware itself was originally made by third parties like Panasonic and LG, and it turns out Empire Interactive has only acquired the rights to "The 3DO Company."
In an email to Time Extension, Empire Interactive's newfound "founder", Işık Şekercigil, admits, "We acquired the rights to The 3DO Company brand, not the 3DO console brand. Although they may seem identical, they are legally different." The publisher's boss then explains that the trademark is registered "under The 3DO Company and is limited to the game development and publishing category. It does not include console manufacturing or any hardware technology development."
Yes, the 3DO is the tangled spaghetti monster of rights and trademarks you'd expect given how many entities were originally involved. It sounds like Empire Interactive indeed only has "The 3DO company" name established by EA founder Trip Hawkins under its belt, rather than any specific games or consoles.
Whether that name even covers releases published by The 3DO Company in the 2000s, like the Army Men games or Portal Runner for the PS2, remains to be seen. However, Empire Interactive says, "Given the niche nature of this market and the likelihood of prolonged legal disputes, we have chosen not to engage in lengthy legal proceedings. Instead, we will focus our efforts on developing our own next-generation games."
Effectively, it sounds like any plans for projects with the 3DO branding are now dead in the water. The other rights owners contesting Empire Interactive's claims, Throwback Entertainment and former Limited Run CEO Josh Fairhurst, may yet shed further insight into who owns what. Nevertheless, if you're itching to try the failed OG '90s console for yourself, your best bet is to check out how to connect a retro console to a new TV or monitor and dust off the real deal.
Swing by the best retro handhelds if you'd rather play 3DO classics outside this summer.
