Star Control: Origins Returns to GOG Following DMCA Takedown

Before 2018 came to a close, Stardock received a rude awakening, discovering that Star Control: Origins was removed from both Steam and GOG, removing the game from sale while both storefronts were in the middle of their holiday sales. 

Star Control: Origins was removed from Steam and GOG thanks to a DMCA claim from Paul Reiche III and Fred Ford, developers who designed the original Star Contol for Accolade. Back in 2013, Stardock acquired control of the Star Control trademark, publishing rights for the series and the copyright for Star Control 3, leading to a legal dispute between the original game’s designers, Paul Reiche III and Fred Ford, and Stardock once the company announced Star Control: Origins. 

Both GOG and Steam remove all DMCA’d content as a matter of policy, which means that neither company considers the validity of DMCA (Digital Millenium Copyright Act) takedown notices before removing products from their storefront. Now, Star Control: Origins has returned to sale on both GOG and Steam. 

For context, Reiche and Ford own the copyrights to the original series’ story, characters and lore, with both developers stating that Star Control: Origins is “substantially similar to and/or derivative” of Star Control II. Stardock owns the trademark for Star Control, allowing them to create games using the Star Control name. Using this trademark, which they purchased from Atari, the company developed Star Control: Origins, starting a new story that isn’t linked to any of the series’ previous entries. 

When we reached out for a comment, Stardock’s CEO, Brad Wardell, stated that the company “will be preparing a statement for Monday“. At this time it is unknown how Star Control: Origins’ return to GOG and Steam will impact Stardock’s legal battle against Reiche and Ford.