Hence why the older Mechwarrior games are never getting re-released while PGI has the rights to the "Mechwarrior" brand name, and last I remember, those brand name rights to the "Mechwarrior" brand name are good until 2025 or something.


The older Mechwarrior games would be direct competitors to PGI's 2 Mechwarrior games, and any sales of the older Mechwarrior games would be money NOT going to PGI

Figure that Mechwarrior 4 alone would out-sell PGI's Mechwarrior 5 by a factor of 3, while the older Mechwarrior 3 series/Mechwarrior 2 series/Mechwarrior 1 would get lesser amount of sales equal to whatever Mechwarrior Online has made over it's lifetime.

PGI wasn't involved with making or selling any of the older Mechwarrior games, and as it stands, without massive amounts of behind-the-scenes IP contraction negotations, PGI has no rights to them(older Mechwarrior games) or any of the profits that would result from the older Mechwarrior games getting re-released.



btw

If you can get your hands on a legitimate physical copy of any of the Mechwarrior 2 series that ISN"T demoware or tied to defunct physical hardware, the Mechwarrior 2 games are relatively easy to get running.

I've always chalked it up to the companies involved being adverse to people throwing money at them. :|

Microsoft owns the license and has the rights to distribute Mechcommander, Mechcommander 2, Mechwarrior 3, and Mechwarrior 4. The reason they are not available is because Microsoft does not want to put their old games on GOG and actively ignores their legacy IP. Other games that they own the rigths to, like Freelancer and Black & White, are also missing, precisely because no one at Microsoft cares about these "old" games, nor do they want to put them on GOG.

Mechwarrior 1 (1989) and Mechwarrior 2 were developed by Activision while they were licensing the rights from FASA at the time. It is likely it will be difficult to get both Microsoft and Activision to work together to re-release the Mechwarrior 2 games.

Wait, who holds the distribution and IP rights to Heavy Gear 1 and 2? Any idea?

A shame that copyright is such a mess. If the franchise hasn't been used in a long enough time it should go to whomever puts their back into using it.

MechCommander 2 was such an awesome game. Really would love to see it on GOG sometime.

Seems like the Mechwarrior games would be great candidates for an indie remake, given the horribly tangled rights issues.

Why has no-one done that? Or, maybe they already did and I missed it?

IP will be Dreampod 9 and distribution rights probably by no one unless Activision and Dreampod 9 sign a new deal.

Ok, I haven't seen it, thanks for the tip. It would be nice to see it make an appearance on GOG.

Thanks. Added to my Steam WishList.
That would be sweet, if it comes to GOG and its DRM-Free Party!

Navpoint Alpha
It's my 2D attempt.

Indeed they do. Hopefully one day.

Probably for the same reason nobody has made a Gridiron football (or proper football) indie game: The kinds of meatheads playing these games today are not the kind of people who would buy outside of brand. If they can't tell Tom Hiddleston to tackle Brian Eno, what would they even care?

(Note: I'm quite aware neither person is involved even remotely in sport. That shows you how I cannot even be bothered to look up the actual names of players, due to how I cannot bring myself to care of sport.)

Microsoft owns the ip, up to them.