Atari acquires the rights to five Wizardry titles
Atari has acquired the exclusive rights to the first five games in the classic Wizardry RPG franchise, along with their underlying intellectual property. The deal covers Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord (1981), Wizardry II: The Knight of Diamonds (1982), Wizardry III: Legacy of Llylgamyn (1983), Wizardry IV: The Return of Werdna (1987), and Wizardry V: Heart of the Maelstrom (1988). The publisher plans to re-release these foundational titles through remasters, collections, and physical products on modern platforms.
The acquisition is part of Atari’s broader preservation efforts under CEO Wade Rosen, positioning the company as a leading preservationist publisher. The deal represents a unique split in the Wizardry franchise’s ownership—Japanese publisher Drecom acquired the trademark and copyright to the series in 2020, retaining ownership of the sixth, seventh, and eighth Wizardry games, which exist in a separate fictional universe. This split has created ambiguity about IP rights, with both companies asserting ownership claims over different aspects of the franchise.
Atari’s plans signal renewed interest in the genre-defining series, which has been foundational to RPG development over its four-decade history. The company previously published a remake of the original Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord, demonstrating its commitment to bringing these classic titles to contemporary audiences.