Acclaim auctions off publishing rights for 200 games
by Conrad Quilty-Harper 
{ Oct 2nd 2005 at 10:30AM }
Just over a year ago Acclaim filed for bankruptcy in
what has now revealed to be the fault of insurmountable debts created by the incompetent executives running the company
(although the string of bad games the company released couldn't have helped). Those executives are now the subject of a
$150 Million post-bankruptcy lawsuit on behalf of the
trustees that oversaw the bankruptcy claim.
Well now those same trustees have offered up the entirety of
Acclaim's video game publishing rights to a public auction. Whilst this auction may not have the same numerical impact
as some of the other video game auctions we've seen this
year, it definitely does have the biggest cool appeal. Instead of just owning a physical game, you'd have the right to
publish the game.
And Acclaim's catalogue isn't necessarily quantity over quality. In fact Acclaim
was famous for getting hold of lucrative game rights
(and then running them into the ground). So what games could you gain the rights to in this auction? Well, the list
includes gems like; Myst, Crazy Taxi, Burnout 2, Ferrari F355 Challenge, a dozen Mary Kate and Ashley
games, Worms 3D, every WWF game conceivably created by man as well as licenses to games like The
Simpsons and South Park. Think about it; gain the rights to publish a single game and you've got an
unlimited supply of Birthday and Christmas presents for the rest of your life.
[Thanks, Generalformat]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
thegreyfox @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
Look out here come EA....
b @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
or M$FT
Fortyseven @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
Okay, I'd like a large Batman and Robin, hold the Robin, two NBA Jams, and a side of Mary Kate & Ashley.
Also, I'd like to get two child-size Mortal Kombats, please.
*drives-up*
Not Impressed (Dmitri) @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
Nah, if Microsoft were to take any of those they would do it with Microsoft Game Studios. But I highly doubt they will.
This looks like a job for EA.
Spiza @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
Nintendo should buy up some of the n64 games. Can they get the rights to turok? That was a big game for the n64.
superberg @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
I'd like to see someone publish The Red Star. The game was done, and got halfway decent reviews. Why no one has snatched it up yet is beyond me. 100 Bullets is a great property, too.
chudgoo @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
Someone should buy up the rights to all those horrible movie license games for the NES/SNES and release them as
"Now That's What I Call Videogames! Volume 1"
"Hudson Hawk! It's got Hudson Hawk!"
LaughingTarget @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
No wonder they are going under...nothing on that list is wroth buying for $50 in the store, let alone a whole lisence.
Eric @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
One more examples of lawyers trying to squeeze blood from a stone. Buying this gives you the rights to republish *these* games and nothing else, it's not like you get to make any new Batman games.
Maybe there's some money to be had in porting these games to cell phones, but even then it's doubtful. Who wants to play a WWF game on their phone with the lineup from 1995? Hell, I wonder if you could even publish any of the wrestling games -- World Wildlife Foundation completely owns the WWF name and I can't imagine WWE or THQ letting the new owners releasing even an old game with the WWE license. Worthless, yo.
nicky @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
There's a couple of games of note, but I'm not sure you're going to salvage much here. If you're lucky you'll be able to cobble together a collection, "Pure Crap Volume 1"
Google Nazi @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
i'd go to the auction though EA would outbid me everytime! Well.. it wouldn't just be me that EA would outbid but everyone else.
ErbilT @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
I don't even think EA would be interested in any of this.
Zeta @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
I dunno, some of Acclaim's stuff was good. Burnout 2 was great, 100 Bullets would make a great 3rd person shooter like Hitman. I remember when that concept was first mentioned in a PS2 mag awhile back. it sounded like the neatest thing, shame it was never realeased. Likewise with Red Star. Vexx, ugh, youd be crazy to bid on that.
Jason Anderson @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
I would have KILLED for the Crazy Taxi license.
And Vexx was a kick ass game. I would have bought that one as a trophy.
Rare Hare @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
dude, i'd pay for the license to myst/crazi taxi.
not cause i like the games, just cause i'd own them.
SR @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
maybe a hardcore Myst 1 fan with a lot of dough lying around will buy the whole shebang just to get publishing rights to the seminal, original 3d adventure, Myst...!!
AJ @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
Alot of the newer gamers won't remember these 2, but Spiderman - Maximum Carnage, and Seperation Anxiety were huge games in their day, with great storylines and amazing gameplay. It's too bad the same company that made games of those caliber had to go....o well...I'll take three Mortal Kombats, and a side order of Burnout!
AJ @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
*that caliber...whoops
Bob McPhail @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
Could be worthless. Many of those licensed properties probably require authorization from the rights holders to allow republication. I also find it hard to believe that the rights holders gave Acclaim publishing rights in perpetuity. Moreover, it's not like many of those platforms are still viable anymore. The stuff that is still viable is readily available and already in bargain bins. I don't think you could just take the games and republish them on a new platform (i.e. mobile). The only company that could possibly have a use for this would be Gametap because arguably they are republishing on the same platform albeit emulated.
Electronic Arts @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
Hi guys, yes we will be purchasing around 160 publishing rights so we can renew all those games in a couple of weeks and, of course, sell them to you for $50 each.
Please remember, if you find any bugs or simply find some of the games boring, you are most welcome to swing by our studio and suck it.
As with all EA titles, they will be avaliable on every gaming platform [PC, PSP, PS2, XBOX, XBOX 360]. We will not alter any screenshots in any way! .. hahah just kidding ;)
So go out and buy some more EA games and enjoy our logo flying around your screen every second.
Electronic Arts,
http://www.eagames.com
Matthew Lesko @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
It's the rights to only publish that title on that format, which is what Acclaim bought from developers in the first place. So you could churn out some NES games if you ever desired...
Matthew Lesko @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
It's the rights to only publish that title on that format, which is what Acclaim bought from developers in the first place. So you could churn out some NES games if you ever desired...
warcraft-gold @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
heh, all the good stuff will be scooped up by the big name companies.
Matthew Lesko @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
not really...who's gonna pay to produce SNES or NES carts when you can find these same suck games in a bargain bin?
gw @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
actually, one of the online game download services like gametap or funsta might be interested in owning some of these outright, but as they're download only, they wouldn't be producing any carts or cd's...
Joseph @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM
Okay, I really want the Wizards and Warriors rights. A GBA sequel to that series (minus the 3rd one) would be FANTASTIC.