It'd just be so awesome to get a legit copy of that, too.

There's no way Blizzard get, or allow the rights. Especialy as there're no microtransations in it.

Thnx for making that post but I doubt bcs it was made by Sierra On-Line and not Blizzard. So a big hassle for gog.com. But lets wish for the best and hope we get it bcs its awesome.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synergistic_Software
Synergistic was acquired by Sierra On-Line in 1996. They maintained their identity as an independent development group within Sierra for several years. However, the studio was closed on February 22, 1999.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sierra_Entertainment
Sierra On-Line was acquired by CUC International in February 1996 and became part of CUC International's newly established CUC Software (sold and renamed multiple times until becoming Vivendi Games in 2006). In June 2004, after months of significant downsizing and restructuring at the company, Sierra Entertainment was disestablished as a company in August that year. Sierra continued to operate as a division of Vivendi Games through June 2008, when Vivendi Games merged with Activision and formed Activision Blizzard, with Sierra becoming part of Activision Blizzard's Activision subsidiary, though shut down later that year. The "Sierra" brand name was briefly revived by Activision in 2014 to re-release older titles.

Who's the rights owner nowadays then?

In other words, what's the problem with Hellfire?

Blizzard/Activision? Don't they need MORE money?

Deceased Sierra? Can't GOG negotiate the right to use DIablo trademark in this fastion with Blizzard _then_ recover Diablo: Hellfire as an abandonware by means they both would like to see as acceptable?

Programmers/asset creators who assembled Diablo Helfire? Don't their descendants want their share of profit and popularity?

Essentially it can be resolved (with a help of reeeeeeally motivated lawyer) in less than month. Not necessarily positively.

But, 'No, we can't introduce Hellfire because this exact old booger don't want to make some cash for selling this long-lost game again' is waaaaay better than 'We don't know'.

Even if GoG could gett he rights to upload Hellfire, Blizzard wouldn't allow it out of jealousy.

I'd be both happy and annoyed at the same time (Giving Activision money and the fact I just re-bought Hellfire on ebay this week).

Yeah, even though there's almost nobody left at Blizzard who was around in 1997, the company has been so butthurt for going on 22 years about the way Hellfire was handled that they will never re-release it in any form.

https://www.polygon.com/features/2018/6/29/17517376/diablo-hellfire-expansion-behind-the-scenes-trouble

They may. On the description they said GOG and Activision Blizzard are working together to relese classic Blizz games...its odd as it is, and was a huge shock to be honest, but this could mean a lot of older Blizz games, I went to the Blizz website, and you can no longer download Lost vkings, and blackthones....so I assume they are going to try to sell those on GOG. I also assume Blizz gets a cut from all this.

Are you talking about this? https://www.moddb.com/mods/diablo-the-hell

Also, ALL of Hellfire or just some of it?

Hellfire is not a Blizzard product.

Yeah I was going to buy Diablo on GoG, until I found out the Hellfire expansion is not included.

If they ever release Hellfire with this, then I will come back and buy it.

Until then I will just play Diablo 1 HD mod.

Please release Hellfire expansion on GoG!

The Sierra brand and rights are now part of Blizzard/Activision, i doubt there are any right/licensing issues. I think they would allow it too, but i believe there are some hardcore tecnicall issues with that Expansion. The way Synergistic implemented Hellfire was not ideal, since Hellfire has all Original Diablo content without actually being part of Diablo installation, it's a separate game on it's own. Maybe Hellfire would cannibalize Diablo sales unless they find a way to check if Diablo is installed, which would be kind of a DRM. There are also technical issues because the game was based on an older Diablo version, 1.03 or 1.04 something like that... maybe they would need to update Hellfire to be on par with Diablo 1.09b, and i am not sure Blizzard wants to put any cash for a title that is not quite loved by them. Also, Hellfire MP characters are located in Windows folder and are also hidden, which creates a headache trying to back up the files. I love Hellfire, i really hope they find a way to make it work since Diablo in my opinion is not complete without it, i would pay another 5-7 USD for the expansion, i totally would.

It would not be unprecedented to bundle the two into a single purchase. Do not require the user to install Diablo, but refuse to sell the user just Hellfire. Instead, sell the user Diablo+Hellfire as a single purchase. v1.04. This is an annoyance inherited from Diablo. Blizzard finally abandoned that scheme with Diablo v1.08, if I recall correctly.