
Ultima at a crossroads as Garriott nears rights reset and EA guards the brand
EA has filed new Ultima trademarks while Richard Garriott approaches the 35-year copyright window (2027) to reclaim the rights to his original work. If successful, Garriott could develop a new title based on his designs but could not release it under the Ultima name, while EA would remain free to push Ultima-branded projects—potentially creating two parallel directions for the series.













