Throwback Disputes Empire's 3DO Rights Claim as 2003-Bankrupt Brand Faces Ownership Fight
Updated
Updated · Time Extension · Jul 1
Throwback Disputes Empire's 3DO Rights Claim as 2003-Bankrupt Brand Faces Ownership Fight
2 articles · Updated · Time Extension · Jul 1
Summary
Throwback Entertainment said Empire Interactive's claim to have acquired 3DO-related rights is inaccurate, stating Throwback owns the 3DO trademark, associated designs and 3DO.com, and has not sold, transferred or licensed them.
Josh Fairhurst also reversed his initial supportive reaction, saying the 3DO trademark owner told him no rights had changed hands and that owners of several iconic 3DO game properties had not transferred them either.
Empire's Işık Şekercigil has argued the company acquired rights to "The 3DO Company" rather than the "3DO" trademark, but he has not provided a definitive list of owned IP and says negotiations over major and niche properties are still ongoing.
The dispute deepens skepticism around Empire's recent relaunch, which has offered sparse corporate details, blamed misleading website accolades on template text, and outlined ambitions to revive 3DO through remasters, new AA games and eventually hardware.
3DO went bankrupt in 2003, leaving its game and hardware rights fragmented, a backdrop that makes any revival claim legally complex and likely to be contested.