In my list of 'Missing original IPs from signed Publishers' I only list 'Original IP' and avoid listing any games that are based or include intellectual properties (IP) that appear in other media (Real Word brand, Films, TV, Comic Books, Novels etc.) and are owned by other agencies, which I will call 'External IP'.

This is because there are always extra licensing problems with these kinds of titles

However, to prove there's always hope, and because I thought it would be interesting to keep track of, I've going to list games that have successfully come to GOG I WOULD have considered 'External IP' and not included on my other list if they weren't here

For clarity I'll also list those IP that do appear in other media but I don't consider 'external' to the listed Publisher on GOG with an explanation as to why

And lastly, I'll list those External IP games that WERE on GOG previously but have sadly been removed from sale (but not purchaser's shelves, thankfully)

Games based on licensed, external IP that are on GOG

Aliens / Predator Universe
Aliens Vs. Predator Classic 2000 (Rebellion)

Automotive Marques: Various
Race Driver: GRID (Codemasters)
Screamer 4x4 (Mastertronic)

These games contains the same kind of licensed, real-world car models and brands that seems to have led other racing games to being remove due to license expiration

Back to the Future
Back to the Future - The Game (Telltale)

Telltale's point-and-click adventure is written as the 4th title in the film series' chronollogy

Barker, Clive
Clive Barker's Undying (EA)

An original work with Clive Barker's name attached, I've not included some other original games written by famous authors, such as Advent Rising but I think Mr Barker might have more say in this one as his name is attached to it, in the title

Brothers Chaps, The
Strong Bad's Cool Game For Attractive People (Telltale Games)

Mike and Matt Chapman 'The Brothers Chaps' are the creative force behind the Homestar Runner web series

Call of Cthulhu (Chaosium)
Call of Cthulhu: Prisoner of Ice (Atari)
Call of Cthulhu: Shadow of the Comet (Atari)

the 'Call of Cthulhu' role playing game uses Chaosium's 'Basic Role-Playing' (BRP) system first developed for Runequest, the setting is, of course, in turn, based on H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos, which is copyright expired and in the public domain

Dark Eye, The (Ulisses Spiele)
Blackguards (Daedalic)
Blackguards 2 (Daedalic)
Dark Eye: Chains of Satinav, The (Daedalic)
Memoria (Daedalic)
Realms of Arkania: Blade of Destiny (Fantacy Productions)
Realms of Arkania 2: The Star Trails (Fantacy Productions)
Realms of Arkania 3: Shadows Over Riva (Fantacy Productions)

Games based on the 'The Dark Eye' ('Das Schwarze Auge' in German) Tabletop Roleplaying system/universe (Fantacy Production produced the tabletop RPG until 2007 and are still the publishers of the RoA games on GOG)

DC Entertainment / Vertigo Characters
The Wolf Among Us (TellTale)

'The Wolf Among Us' is based on Vertigo's 'Fables' comic book series

Dungeons & Dragons
Al-Qadim: The Genie's Curse
Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition (Beamdog)
Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition (Beamdog)
Champions of Krynn (GOG)
Curse of the Azure Bonds (GOG)
Dark Queen of Krynn, The (GOG)
Dark Sun: Shattered Lands (GOG)
Dark Sun: Wake of the Ravager (GOG)
Death Knights of Krynn (GOG)
Dungeon Hack (GOG)
Eye of the Beholder (GOG)
Eye of the Beholder II: The Legend of Darkmoon (GOG)
Eye of the Beholder III: Assault on Myth Drannor (GOG)
Forgotten Realms Unlimited Adventures (GOG)
Gateway to the Savage Frontier (GOG)
Hillsfar (GOG)
Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition (Beamdog)
Menzoberranzan (GOG)
Pool of Radiance (GOG)
Pools of Darkness (GOG)
Ravenloft: Stone Prophet (GOG)
Ravenloft: Strahd's Possession (GOG)
Secret of the Silver Blades (GOG)
Stronghold: Kingdom Simulator (GOG)
Treasures of the Savage Frontier (GOG)

Unlike the standard editions of the 'Infinity Engine' games, the enhanced editions are brought to us by Beamdog so they DO count as a license of a Hasbro property
The 'Gold Box' and related titles that were originally published by SSI are now published by GOG themselves

Ellison, Harlan
I Have no Mouth and I Must Scream (Night Dive Studios)

Night Dive famously negotiated publishing rights with Harl Ellison to this game based on his short story

Feist, Raymond E. / Riftwar series
Krondor series (Activision)

Betrayal and Return to Krondor are set in Raymond E. Feist's 'Midkemia' universe from his 'Riftwar' novels

Fishwrap Productions chracters
Sam & Max Beyond Time and Space (Telltale)
Sam & Max Hit the Road (LucasArts - Disney)
Sam & Max Save the World (Telltale)
Sam & Max The Devil's Playhouse (Telltale)

Sam & Max were Fishwrap Productions comic book characters before Lucus Arts, Fox Kids or Telltale got involved!

Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones - A Telltale Games Series (Telltale)

The HBO TV series 'Game of Thrones' is based on the 'A Song of Fire and Ice' series of novels by George R. R. Martin

Glukhovsky, Dmitry
Metro 2033 Redux (Deep Silver)
Metro - Last Light Redux (Deep Silver)

As well as the computer games, Glukhovsky's 'Metro 2033' novel has sawned an entire universe of novels and short stories from a number of writers, as well as Glukhovsky's own sequel 'Metro 2034'

Image Comics
Escapists: The Walking Dead, The (Team 17)
Walking Dead Season 1, The (Telltale)
Walking Dead Season 2, The (Telltale)

These games are based on Robert Kirkman comic book series for Image Comics, as was the AMC TV series

Keene, Carolyn (pseudonym)
Nancy Drew: Curse of Blackwood Manor (Her Interactive)

Game based on a whole series of novels that started in the 30s, written by a team of writers who always use the pseudonym 'Carolyn Keene'

Lego Group, The
Lego Batman: The Video Game (WB)
Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-4 (WB)
Lego Harry Potter: Years 5-7 (WB)

The building bricks are made by an independent, Danish family company that was founded in 1932
Note, that with the character based games, the licensing goes both ways - While WB is making games based on the Lego toy brand, Lego is making physical playsets based on the WB characters such as Batman and Harry potter

Riddick character
Cronicles of Riddick - Assault on Dark Athena (Atari)

License based on the feature film character, I believe Vin Diesel himself retains rights

Sapkowski, Andrzej
Witcher, The (CD Projekt)
Witcher II: Assassins of Kings, The (CD Projekt)
Witcher III: Wild Hunt, The (Cd Projekt)
Witcher: Adventure Game, The (CD Projekt)

Based on Andrej Sapkowski's novels of the same name and published by GOG's own parent company

Shadowrun (Catalyst Game Labs)
Shadowrun Returns (Harebrained Schemes)
Shadowrun: DragonFall - Director's' Cut (Harebrained Schemes)

Based on the table-top RPG system originally published by FASA

Soundtrack: Bowie, David
Omikron: The Nomad Soul (Square Enix)

As well as featuring especially written tracks, versions of which would later appear on Bowie's 'Hours...' album, Omikron also features Bowie's CGI likeness and performances as 'Boz' lead singer of 'The Dreamers'

Soundtrack: Fear Factory
Carmageddon (Stainless)

This game features instrumental versions of songs from Fear Factory's album 'Demanufacture'

Soundtrack: Various Artists
Carmageddon 2: Carpocalypse Now (Stainless)
Flatout (Strategy First)
Flatout 2 (Strategy First)
Saints Row 2 (Deep Silver)
Saints Row The Third (Deep Silver)

Star Trek Universe
Star Trek: 25th Anniversary (Interplay)
Star Trek: Judgment Day (Interplay)
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy (Interplay)
Star Trek: Starfleet Command (Interplay)

The Star Trek brand was originally own by Lucille Ball and Dessy Arnes' production company 'Desilu Productions' DesiLu was then bought by Gulf+Weston which was owned by Paramount. Paramount merged with Viacom in 1994 but then Viacom spun CBS off in 2005 and the rights to the Star Trek brand went with it, however Viacom retained rights to previous and any future Star Trek movie projects.

Warhammer / Warhammer 40,000 Universe
Warhammer 40,000: Chaos gate (GOG)
Warhammer 40,000: Rites of War (GOG)
Warhammer Epic 40,000: Final Liberation (GOG)
Warhammer: Shadow of the Horned Rat (GOG)

Games based on the popular table-top miniatures fantasy and sci-fi / fantasy wargames by Games Workshop

World of Darkness - Vampire: the Masquerade (White Wolf)
Vampire: the Masquerade: Redemption (Activision)

Licensed from White Wolf's tabletop RPG system and setting

Games based on public domain external IP
Games based on IP that IS external to the publishing company but which is in the Public Domain, i.e. copyright free so no licensing deals have been needed (mostly classic literature with expired copyright)

Brothers Grimm, The
American McGee's Grimm

The copyright to the Brothers Grimm's work has expired and it is now in the public domain

Conan-Doyle, Sir Arthur
Sherlock Holmes - Secret of the Silver Earring (Frogwares)

The copyright to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's work has expired and it is now in the public domain

Lovecraft, H.P

The copyright to H.P Lovecraft's work has expired and it is now in the public domain
N.B. games that are prefixed with 'Call of Cthulhu' are licensed products based on Chaosium's 'Call of Cthulhu' table-top role playing setting, which, in turn, is based on Lovecraft's work

Stoker, Bram
Dracula: The Resurrection (Anumen)
Dracula: The Last Sanctuary (Anumen)
Dracula: The Path of the Dragon (Anumen)
Dracula 4: Shadow of the Dragon (Anumen)
Dracula 5: The Blood Legacy (Anumen)

The copyright to Bram Stoker's work has expired and it is now in the public domain

Verne, Jules
80 Days (Inkle Studios)
Journey To The Center Of The Earth (Frogwares)
Return to Mysterious Island (Anuman)

The copyright to Jules Verne's work has expired and it is now in the public domain

Games that seem like they might be based on 'external IP' but are not

2000 A.D. chracters (Rebellion)
Judge Dredd - Dredd Vs. Death
Rouge Trooper

Rebellion Studios had bought all the rights to the 2000 A.D. comic book brand and characters before they made these

Amerzone: the Explorer's Legacy
Amerzone: the Explorer's Legacy (Anumen)

This game way designed by Benoît Sokal, wikipedia says:
"The places, concepts and some of the characters featured in Amerzone originate from Sokal's work in the 1980s with the comic Inspector Canardo, especially the fifth story in the series, L'Amerzone."
I can't be sure but I think that Sokal owned the rights to his own characters and locations and not the indie comics label that published them, what rights Sokal still has to the Anumen game is another question...

Barker, Clive
Clive Barker's Undying (EA)

Barker was involved in the design and development process of this game but it is not based on any of his books or films

Clancy, Tom (Ubisoft)
Ghost Recon series
Rainbow 6 series
Splinter Cell series

Unlike other novel authors on this list, the late Tom Clancy was also in the business of making computer games, he co-founded Red Storm Entertainment which is owned by Ubisoft

DC Entertainment Characters

DC Comics has been part of the Warner Bros. (later Time Warner) family of companies since the 1960's
(NB for 'Lego Batman' see The Lego Group's section of 'External IP' above)

Dungeons & Drangons games (Hasbro)
Baldur's Gate series
Demon Stone
DragonShard
Icewind Dale series
Neverwinter Nights series
Planescape: Torment
Temple of Elemental Evil, The

WERE originally 'External IP ' when these first came to GOG from Interplay and then Atari but now the publisher is listed as 'Hasbro' who own Wizards of the Coast who own the Table-top RPG system

Harry Potter

Various parts of the Time Warner family of companies own the rights to the Harry Potter book, films and computer games (some are shared with the author J.k Rowling)
(NB for 'Lego Harry Potter' see The Lego Group's section of 'External IP' above)

Indiana Jones (LucasFilm - Disney)
Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb
Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis

Disney owns LucasFiilm and the entire Indiana Jones franchise

S.T.A.L.K.E.R series (GSC Game World)
S.T.A.L.K.E.R series (GSC Game World)

The S.T.A.L.K.E.R games are transformative works inspired by the film 'Stalker' and the novel that THAT is based on 'Roadside Picnic' and as transformative works they did not have to be officially licensed. There was talk of litigation which is suspected as a cause in its delay in coming to GOG but it seems to have come to nothing

Star Wars universe (LucasFilm - Disney)
Star Wars: Battlefront II
Star Wars: Dark Forces
Star Wars: Empire at War
Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords
Star Wars: Jedi Knight - Dark Forces II
Star Wars: Jedi Knight II - Jedi Outcast
Star Wars: Jedi Knight - Jedi Academy
Star Wars: Rebel Assault
Star Wars: Rebel Assault II: The Hidden Empire
Star Wars: Rebellion
Star Wars: Republic Commando
Star Wars: Rogue Squadron 3D
Star Wars: Starfighter
Star Wars: Tie Fighter Special Edition
Star Wars: X-Wing Alliance
Star Wars: X-Wing Special Edition
Star Wars: X-Wing vs. Tie Fighter

Disney owns LucasFiilm and the entire Star Wars franchise

Valiant Entertainment characters
Shadow Man (Valiant)

The Shadow Man character was originally licensed by Acclaim but the game has come to GOG self published by Valiant


View Askew 'Askewniverse'
Randall's Monday (Daedalic)

This game isn't actually an officially licensed product despite having the same actors playing pretty much the same roles as in 'Clerks'

Licensed games removed from GOG

Aardman Animations characters
Wallace and Gromit's Grand Adventures (Telltale)

License seems to have expired

Automotive Marques (various)
Colin McRea Rally 2005 (Codemasters)
TOCA Race Driver 3 (Codemasters)

Games were assumed to have been taken off sale due to problems with licenses to the real world car makes and models and possibly championships

Soundtrack: Various Artists
ObsCure (Anuman - Hyravision)

ObsCure includes tracks by Sum 41 and Span, other commercial artists appear on some localised version too.
Amuman brought this game to GOG but it has later re-emerged on other sites self-published by developer 'Hydravision'

XIII (Dargaud)
XIII (Ubisoft)

Ubisoft's game based on XIII was removed, presumably after the licence ran out.

Good work, will come in handy as to what games to get next in order to not lose the chance to get them (of course, games are removed for other reasons as well, but at least it's a guide to one of the dangers).

Thanks a lot!
I'd recommend Back to the Future as a priority, judging by what happened to Wallace and Gromit!
(It's pretty damn good too)

I actually already have most of the games listed, including the Telltale ones.

You spelled Baldur's Gate wrong though.

You know I don't think I've ever spelled it right. XD We should start a new thread about games with misread and misspelled titles; start with Hedgimoni....Hedga....Hengimmo....Oh who cares!?!?!

Damn, yeah, like TinyE I always cock that one up - should be corrected now, thanks!

This one or that one?

The critical question is often if the publishers have bought the right to use the IP for a limited timeframe or forever. E.g. real world weapons are also a common IP/brand thing.

Yeah, I often wonder about weapons, especially from CoD type games
Planes and things too - do flight sims have to license those?

I really don't get how Sensible World of Soccer gets to use all those real world leagues, players and competitions - how they got away with it at the time and how GOG has brought it back too!

Thanks for the very informative post. This makes me wish all the more that Bloodlines will be on GOG someday.

I was just talking about this thread in relation to The 3 Stooges from Cinemaware and whether it could come to GOG when I realised it was missing

"Shadowrun (Catalyst Game Labs)
Shadowrun Returns (Harebrained Schemes)

Based on the table-top RPG system originally published by FASA"

- added

I think "Tales of Monkey Island" should be on the list, as Telltale doesn't own the IP?

Thanks for this Fever_Discordia! :) Here's a another for the list:
Screamer 4x4 uses officially licensed cars.

These 2 are less certain:
Amerzone: The Explorer's Legacy was designed by Benoît Sokal and somewhat based on one of his comic books, according to Wikipedia.

And there's F-117A Nighthawk Stealth Fighter 2.0, but I'm unsure about the license situation. I know Lockheed started to ask game developers to purchase licenses from them back in 1997, 6 years after this game came out.

Hmm even though Monkey Island is probably a much clearer cut case than most, I wanted to avoid adding any games licensed from other game series because trying to navigate the byzantine (do Greek people find that word, used like that a bit racist?) and hidden legal paper trails could get silly while
"these guys over here make this tabletop RPG system and those guys over there make games based on it"
Is much clearer to see, just because its two different media
So thanks for your input but I'm going to put that one down to 'That way madness lies' :-)