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Epyx
Epyx

History

The Definitive IP & Licensing Timeline of Epyx

There’s a lot of ❤️ on the Internet for Epyx, and for that we’re very grateful 🙏 and humbled.  Most of the write-ups about Epyx cover the games, the people, and the rise and fall of a beloved brand (like the Epyx (1878-1990) Documentary), but these summaries rarely address the complex question of who owns what today, and they’re usually wrong.  Decades of misinformation —often copied, pasted, and repeated without source verification— have muddied the waters.

After reviewing thousands of pages of contracts, internal documents, scans, legal filings, and bankruptcy records – and speaking with former licensees and signatories, we’re pleased to present the attorney-approved, fully sourced, factually accurate history of Epyx’s intellectual property.  If you think anything is incomplete, have further questions, or have first-hand information that may help us improve this record, please reach out to licensing@epyxgames.com.

Early Years
1978-1983

Peak Epyx
1984-1989

The Bankruptcy
1990-1999

Licensing Phase I
2000 – 2010

Licensing
Phase 2
2011-2022

The Comeback
2023-Present

Early Years (1978-1983)

1978

The company that would later become Epyx, Automated Simulations, was founded by Jon Freeman and Jim Connelley[1].  They released their first game, Starfleet Orion[1].

1979

After the success of the first title, they released a sequel, Invasion Orion, followed by The Temple of Apshai (The start of Dunjonquest Series), The Datestones of Ryn (In some early catalogs this was called DunjonQuest #2), and Morloc’s Tower(also known as DunjunQuest #3)[12].

They pre-announced in their first catalog The Lower Reaches of Apshai, which eventually morphed into Upper Reaches of Apshai, and Star Trader Orion, which was never released.

1980

Released Hellfire Warrior, Starquest - Rescue at Rigel, Starquest - Star Warrior, and a 3-Pack that included Morloc’s Tower, The Datestones of Ryn, and Rescue at Rigel[13]. 

1981

Released Upper Reaches of Apshai – The first expansion pack for Temple of Apshai, The Keys of Acheron – The first expansion pack for Hellfire Warrior, Sorcerer of Siva, Tuesday Morning Quarterback, The Dragon’s Eye, Ricochet, Jabbertalky, and Crush, Crumble and Chomp![13]

The Epyx brand starts to emerge, and in their 1981 Epyx Complete Catalog of Games, they announce the upcoming title Land of Atlantis, which was never released.

Jon Freeman, citing creative and managerial differences with his co-founder, leaves the company after the early success of the Dunjonquest Series[1].   Jon forms Freefall Associates with his wife Anne Westfall[4].

1982

Automated Simulations starts shifting away from simulation titles and embracing more action games.  They release Danger at Drindisti, Curse of Ra, Fore!, Alien Garden, Jumpman, Armor Assault, Sword of Fargoal, Plattermania, The New World, and Monster Maze.[15]

Epyx was publishing some games originally developed by Crystalware, and in October of 1982, Epyx acquired the entire Crystalware catalog[27][28].  They renamed and released Crypt of the Undead (originally The Crypt), The Nightmare (Originally The Haunted Place), Escape from Vulcan’s Isle (Originally Forgotten Island), King Arthur’s Heir (Originally Quest for Power)[15].

Fore! may have been CompuGolf from Crystalware; there’s very limited information or screenshots from CompuGolf.   

1983

Automated Simulations officially renamed itself to Epyx, Inc.   Michael Katz joins as CEO and Jim begins to transition out (he eventually starts The Connelly Group (a contract developer for Epyx)[5].  Katz almost immediately acquires Starpath (originally founded as Arcadia Corporation in 1981), including its Supercharger hardware, game inventory, and all of the engineers[29].

The titles acquired from Starpath (and available for licensing) were:  Phaser Patrol, Communist Mutants from Space, FireBall, Suicide Mission, Escape from the Mindmaster, Dragonstomper, Killer Satellites, Rabbit Transit, Party Mix, Survival Island, Sword of Saros, Sweat!, and of course the Supercharger Hardware[30].  Starpath also released The Official Frogger by Sega which was developed under license.  Those rights belong to Konami. 

Released: Jumpman, Jumpman Junior, Gateway to Apshai, Pit Stop, Oil Barons, Silicon Warrior, Summer Games (originally Sweat! from Starpath), Fun with Music, and Fun with Art[17].  Under license, Epyx also released including Starfire/FireOne, Dragonriders of Pern, Fax, and Seawolf II/Gunfight[17].

Peak Epyx (1984-1989)

1984

Released:  Fast Load Cartridge, 500xj Joystick, World’s Greatest Baseball Game, Lunar Outpost, Pit Stop II, Puzzle Panic, Breakdance, Impossible Mission.  Under license, Epyx also released 9 to 5 Typing, and Isaac Asimov's Robots of Dawn[19].

1985

Released World’s Greatest Football Game, Summer Games II, Rogue, Chipwits, Temple of Apshai Trilogy, Winter Games, and the Programmer’s BASIC Toolkit[20].

This was a big year for licensing for Epyx, releasing the Lucasfilm titles Koronis Rift, Ballblazer, Rescue on Fractulus, and The Eidolon.  Barbie and Hot Wheels were released under license from Mattel, and GI Joe under license from Hasbro[20]. 

Epyx also started porting and publishing products from other developers including Jet Combat Simulator (Originally Fighter Pilot by Digital Integration), and Chipwits by Doug Sharp and Mike Johnston of Discourse, Inc.

There were some announced titles that never had a production release, including Moreta: Dragon-Lady of Pern, Empire, Two-on-Two Sports, and Scrabble.  You can see in-development screenshots of all of those titles in the Epyx Spring 1985 Consumer Software Catalog.

1986

Epyx was firing on all cylinders and decided to develop their own handheld gaming device, internally known as the Handy. 

They released World Games, Championship Wrestling, Destroyer, The Movie Monster Game, Super Cycle, the Vorpal Utility Kit, and The Graphics Scrapbook Collection with 3 Chapters - Sports, Off the Wall, and School.

This year also saw the release of the Epyx 500xj Joystick, one of the more beloved joysticks for gaming consoles of the time. 

Epyx also published World Karate Championship (Originally International Karate by System Three Software Ltd.), leading to a lawsuit the following year.

1987

Data East sued Epyx claiming their copyright in Karate Champ was infringed by World Karate Championship.  The District Court ruled in Data East's favor, but this was overturned on appeal by the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.  It was one of the most important lawsuits in gaming history.

Meanwhile, Epyx released  Sub Battle Simulator, Street Sports Baseball, Street Sports Basketball, California Games, and Create-a-Calendar.

They created their Maxx Out! line to distribute various titles including Spy vs. Spy III and Boulder Dash Construction Kit from First Star Software; Rad Warrior, originally known as The Sacred Armour of Antirad from Palace Software; Coil Cop (originally Thing Bounces Back), Thing on a Spring, Future Knight, and Bulldog, all from Gremlin Graphics; and Tower Toppler (originally Nebulus) from Hewson.  

1988

This was a big year for Epyx with lots of releases including The Games: Summer Edition, The Games: Winter Edition, Final Assault, L.A. Crackdown, Street Sports Soccer, Street Sports Football, Impossible Mission II, 4x4 Off-Road Racing, The Sporting News Baseball, Home Video Producer, Art and Film Director, Print Magic (with Holiday Graphics), Sticker Maker, and Epyx Epics (A compilation including Break Dance, Impossible Mission, Pitstop II, and Summer Games).  Their licensed released were The Legend of Blacksilver (from Quest Software) and Metro Cross (from Namco).

Epyx also explored a new market with VHS- and cassette-based multimedia board games with VCR California Games, VCR Play Action Football, VCR Golf, Head On Football (Cassette), and Head On Baseball (Cassette).

Distributed titles included: Mind-Roll (Thalamus’s Que-Dex), Death Sword (Palace Software’s Barbarian the Ultimate Warrior), Spider-Bot (Addictive Games’ Arac), Battleship (From Elite Ltd), Space Station Oblivion (Incentive Software’s Driller), Street Cat (Rainbow Art’s Bad Cat), Techno Cop [From Gremlin Graphics], Dive Bomber [Night Raider from Gremlin Graphics and Acme Animation].

1989

This was a rough year for Epyx. Burdened by rising development costs for its Handy handheld system[8] and squeezed out of the increasingly Nintendo-dominated console market[9], the company turned to Atari Corp. for financial rescue[10]. But when Atari cut off promised royalty payments after securing exclusive hardware rights[2] for the Handy (which they renamed the Lynx), Epyx was left without a lifeline—and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection[11].

Business still continued though, and the company developed and released Chip’s Challenge, as well as the Lynx launch titles Gates of Zendocon, Blue Lightning, and Electrocop.  They also published a game compilation called Epyx Action.

Distributed titles included Omnicron Conspiracy (from First Star Software), Devon Aire in the Hidden Diamond Caper [Edge’s Inside Outing], Sports-a-Roni [Gremlin Graphics’ Alternative World Games], Axe of Rage [Palace Software’s Barbarian III], Project Neptune [Infograms’ Operation Neptune], Purple Saturn Day (from Exxos). Revenge of Defender (Hidden Treasures’ Star Ray).

The Bankruptcy 1989-1999)

1990

While trying to navigate through bankruptcy and ongoing legal battles with Atari, Epyx development continued with the releases of California Games II, Snowstrike, Battle Bugs, and the additional Lynx titles Zarlor Mercenary, and Todd’s Adventures in Slimeworld.  Epyx had also been developing for the Lynx Time Quests and Treasure Chests, which Atari released and renamed Gauntlet Third Encounter after acquiring rights to the Gauntlet franchise.  The last title developed that year was Rampage, under license from Bally.

1991

A shell of its former self, Epyx worked on continued Lynx game development, specifically Checkered Flag under license from Atari/Konami.  They also ported and maintained previous releases including California Games for Sega Genesis, and Chip's Challenge for the Commodore 64.  They did manage some new development and released a charming and fun offering designed for the newly emerging laptop market, the Getaway Laptop Entertainment 6 Pack, including Word Salad, Cascade, Solitaire, Dominoes, Totem, and Stuffin The Briefcase.  

1992

Epyx continued porting California Games II to Amiga, Atari ST, SNES, Master System), and a variety of other Lynx titles were handed over to Atari.  The company began planning for the upcoming merger which would culminate the bankruptcy process.

Studio of Greetings based on the Print Magic 2.0 engine, may have been released, but we could not find any evidence of an actual product or media[12].

1993

On October 15, 1993 (nearly four years after the initial filing of Bankruptcy), the Honorable Thomas E. Carlson (Bankruptcy Judge) of the US Bankruptcy Court Northern District of California approved the reorganization plan for Epyx (Bankruptcy Case #3-89-03517-TC).   

All intellectual property assets of Epyx, Inc. were legally transferred as part of the confirmed and court-approved plan to Bridgestone Multimedia Group. This included all copyrights, trademarks, and associated rights to Epyx’s complete catalog of video game titles.

Consequently, Bridgestone Multimedia Group became the sole and lawful owner of all Epyx-related intellectual property. Any historical licenses or sublicenses previously granted by Epyx or its former licensees have either expired or were not preserved under the reorganization plan, and no other party holds ongoing rights unless expressly granted by BMG.

A handful of remaining Epyx Developers moved over to Bridgestone Multimedia Group.  

1994

Bridgestone Multimedia Group (BMG) releases Captain Bible in the Dome of Darkness, written by former Epyx engineer Peter Engelbrite.  We mention this because Epyx Games is now handling the licensing for this title as well.

BMG/Epyx releases Battle Bugs, published by Sierra Online.

1996

Game Box Série Esportes Radicals released exclusively in Brazil for the Sega Master System with the BMX and surfing events from California Games.  

BMG licenses the Starpath Supercharger product line to Cyberpunks Entertainment who release Stella Gets A New Brain, a comprehensive CD about the Starpath Supercharger Game Library.   

1997

Sony and Sierra Online published Battlebugs for Playstation 1 under license [This game may have only been in Japan].  

First Licensing Era (2000 - 2011)

2002

Ironstone Partners Ltd licenses parts of the Epyx catalog for the creation and distribution of a range of mobile phones, Java, and BREW platforms; as well as for the creation and sublicensing of games for gaming consoles and PCs.  

The Ironstone license was terminated in 2006, however some sub-licenses remained in force until 2011, specifically for Eidos Plc and System 3 Ltd.

2004

Melbourne-based developer Oceanic Studios acquires the sublicense from Ironstone Partners to remake Impossible Mission, California Games, and other titles for Game Boy Advance (GBA)

2005

Ironstone Partners sub-licenses rights to System 3 to create console versions of various Epyx titles [System 3 sometimes appears as System Three or even Studio 3 in contemporaneous articles referencing this licensing].

Ironstone and mForma release a J2ME and Brew Mobile release of California Games, Chip's Challenge, and Impossible Mission[31-34].

2006

System 3 licenses some console remake rights from Ironstone (PSP, DS, Wii) and  releases California Games, Impossible Mission.  These licenses expired in 2011.

2007

Eidos Interactive acquires Ironstone Partners; some external contracts and projects were revoked (e.g. Oceanic Studios license).

2008

Eidos licenses some titles to Commodore Gaming, who releases California Games, Impossible Mission, Impossible Mission 2, Jumpman, Pitstop 2, Summer Games II, and World Games for C64 on the Wii Virtual Console.[37]

2011

License expires for Ironstone / System 3.  

Ironstone, Eidos, System 3 and Commodore Gaming at this point have no license to create, publish, or distribute any Epyx titles, with the exception of selling of remaining physical inventory, which has also long since expired.  

Second Licensing Era (2012 - 2022)

2012

Around this time some companies started infringing on our intellectual property and releasing titles without an agreement with us.   These infringers are being pursued by our attorneys.

2015

Chip’s Challenge Trademark licensed to Niffler (Chuck Sommerville, the original developer works on these versions).  Niffler releases Chip's Challenge 2. 

You can buy Windows versions of Chip’s Challenge on Steam, Chip’s Challenge 2 on Steam, or a mega-pack (from either of those pages).  

2017

BMG enteris into a five-year Licensing Agreement with Code 10 Digital Limited.  Code 10 immediately begins work on reviving the titles for various console emulators.

2019

Code 10 sublicenses certain apparel rights to Seven Squared.  They have since pivoted to internal designs, but we're still fans of the company and the charity they support.

BMG sells off one of their subsidiaries, Glynlyon, to Weld North Education.  All of the Epyx IP is carefully carved out of this transaction.  There are some Epyx trademarks that were renewed under the Glynlyon umbrella, which have since been transferred to Epyx Games, LLC (see below).

2021

Code 10 assumes Niffler sublicense from BMG.  

Code 10 sublicenses titles to Antstream for streaming of original titles on Antstream Arcade.  You can play various Epyx titles from the Amiga, Lynx, C64, SNES, Spectrum, Amstrad, Atari 8-bit, and Megadrive on 

Code 10 sublicenses select titles to The Retro Room Games - You can buy physical cartridges for  Chip’s Challenge for GBA (Both PAL and NTSC versions), or Chip’s Challenge for SNES - PAL, SNES - NTSC, SEGA Mega Drive, or SEGA Genesis.

2022

Code 10 licenses some titles to Andrews UK / The Pixel  Room and their subsidiary Pixel Games UK.   You can see the full collection of Epyx titles from Pixel Games on Steam. 

Code 10 licenses titles to Blaze (aka Evercade).  Various Commodore 64 versions of Epyx titles are part of THEC64 Collection 1, THEC64 Collection 2, THEC64 Collection 3, cartridges.  Some Lynx versions of Epyx titles are on the  Atari Lynx Collection 2 cartridge.

Code 10 licenses Impossible Mission rights to Psytronik (something very exciting is coming this fall!)

Code 10 Licensing Agreement ends in September, however the sublicensing agreements stay in place for another five years (and can be extended beyond that). 

The Comeback (2023 - Present)

2023

BMG is acquired by Twin Engines Global.

Twin Engines Global creates Epyx Games, LLC and assigns all Epyx IP from BMG to that LLC under an internal operating agreement.  

2024

Twin Engine Games recruits new management to revive the Epyx brand.  Extensive legal work conducted to identify every title, intellectual property ownership status, and all licensee / licensor relationships.  This includes retrieving the entire Bankruptcy filing and reviewing 1000's of pages of documents, receipts, and contracts.  

2025

Epyx Games re-launches with licensable IP catalog with clear chain-of-custody for all licensable titles.  

California Games IP licensed to The Retro Room Games for development of a console-based modern adaptation (coming Winter 2025).

Sources

  1. Freeman, Jon.  Jon Freeman, co-founder of Automated Simulations / EPYX — Interview. Interview by Kay Savetz. YouTube, 30 July 2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrXlx8pV5pM
  2. Jermaine, John.  “All About EPYX”, Commodore Magazine, Vol. 10 No. 8 (August 1989), pp. 50-53, 69-73.   Retrieved from https://archive.org/details/cbm_magazine_index-cbm/cbm/1989/cbm-32-198908/page/50/mode/1up.
  3. Jermaine, John.  “Epyx and the Quest for Olympic Gold”, Commodore Magazine, Vol. 9 No. 7 (July 1988), pp. 50-53, 96-100.  Retrieved from https://archive.org/details/cbm_magazine_index-cbm/cbm/1988/cbm-19-198807/page/50/mode/1up
  4. Freeman, Jon and Westfall, Anne.  Interview by James Hague, Halcyon Days: Interviews with Classic Computer and Video Game Programmers, 1997. https://dadgum.com/halcyon/BOOK/FREEFALL.HTM
  5. Maher, Jimmy. “From Automated Simulations to Epyx.” The Digital Antiquarian, August 2, 2013. Retrieved from https://www.filfre.net/2013/08/from-automated-simulations-to-epyx/
  6. Barton, Matt, and Loguidice, Bill. “A History of Free Fall Associates.” Gamasutra, June 2, 2007. Retrieved from https://www.gamedeveloper.com/pc/a-history-of-free-fall-associates 
  7. Kent, Steven L. The Ultimate History of Video Games, Vol. 1. Three Rivers Press, 2001. Chapter 17, pp. 399-401.
  8. Sheff, David. Game Over: How Nintendo Conquered the World. Vintage, 1994. pp. 220–225.
  9. “Atari to Market Color Handheld Video Game,” Los Angeles Times, August 30, 1989. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-08-30-fi-916-story.html 
  10. “Epyx Files for Bankruptcy,” InfoWorld, Vol. 11 No. 39 (September 25, 1989), p. 8. Retrieved from https://archive.org/details/infoworld-1989-09-25/page/n7/
  11. United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). “Studio of Greetings!” Trademark Registration No. 1,746,356. Registered Jan. 12, 1993; cancelled July 20, 1999. Accessed July 4, 2025. https://tsdr.uspto.gov/#caseNumber=74223720
  13. Automated Simulations, Inc. Catalog of Games from Automated Simulations.  1981.  Available at https://epyxgames.com/docs/1981-automated-simulations-catalog
  14. Automated Simulations, Inc.  Epyx Complete Catalog of Games.  1981.  Available at https://epyxgames.com/docs/1981-autosim-epyx-complete
  15. Automated Simulations, Inc.  Epyx Catalog.  1982.  Available at https://epyxgames.com/docs/1982-autosim-epyx-catalog
  16. Epyx, Inc.  Summer Catalog of Games.  1982.  Available at https://epyxgames.com/docs/1982-epyx-summer-catalog
  17. Epyx, Inc.  Epyx Computer Software Catalog.  1983.  Available at https://epyxgames.com/docs/1983-epyx-catalog
  18. Epyx, Inc.  Consumer Software Catalog Winter 1984.  Available at https://epyxgames.com/docs/1984-epyx-winter-catalog
  19. Epyx, Inc.  Computer Software Catalog Fall 1984.  Available at https://epyxgames.com/docs/1984-epyx-fall-catalog
  20. Epyx, Inc.  Consumer Software Catalog Spring 1985.  Available at https://epyxgames.com/docs/1985-epyx-spring-catalog
  21. Epyx, Inc.  Consumer Software Catalog Winter 1985.  Available at https://epyxgames.com/docs/1985-epyx-winter-catalog
  22. Epyx, Inc.  It’s Your Choice.  You Can Grow Up Like Your Parents.  Or Turn The Page.  1986.  Available at https://epyxgames.com/docs/1986-epyx-turn-the-page
  23. Epyx, Inc.  Spring 1986 Consumer Software Catalog.  Available at https://epyxgames.com/docs/1986-epyx-spring-catalog
  24. Epyx, Inc.  Product Catalog (Mini Edition, EOOOl·80·A).  1987.  Available at https://epyxgames.com/docs/1987-epyx-mini-catalog
  25. Epyx, Inc.  Product Catalog (Full Edition).  1987.  Available at https://epyxgames.com/docs/1987-epyx-catalog
  26. Epyx, Inc.  Product Catalog (Full Edition).  1988.  Available at https://epyxgames.com/docs/1988-epyx-catalog
  27. Bolingbroke, Chester. Closing the Books on Crystalware, April 8, 2020. Retrieved from https://crpgaddict.blogspot.com/2020/04/closing-books-on-crystalware.html
  28. “Former Crystalware Titles Coming From Epyx,” Arcade Express – The Bi-Weekly Electronic Games Newsletter, Vol. 1 No. 6 (October 24, 1982), p. 3.  Retrieved from https://vgpavilion.com/mags/1982/10/24ae/text
  29. Maher, Jimmy. “A Time of Endings, Part 2: Epyx.”  The Digital Antiquarian, December 22, 2016.  Retrieved from https://www.filfre.net/2016/12/a-time-of-endings-part-2-epyx/
  30. Cyperpunks, Inc.  “Stella Gets a New Brain – The Starpath Supercharger Game Collection on Compact Disc.”, 1996.  Retrieved from https://ia804508.us.archive.org/28/items/Stella_Gets_A_New_Brain/manual.pdf
  31. Shark463. “Chip’s Challenge Review for Mobile: Just one more chip to go…Uh oh, better get away from that blob…‘bummer’ NO!!!!!!!!.” GameFAQs, 21 July 2003, https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/mobile/925162-chips-challenge/reviews/58012.
  32. Video Game Library. “California Games.” VGL.to, 23 August 2005. Retrieved from https://vgl.to/games/california-games–15
  33. “Hands-On Mobile.” Wikipedia, last modified July 21, 2024. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hands-On_Mobile
  34. BeLiberated. “Let’s Play Everything: Chip’s Challenge (Mobile, published by Mforma).” GameFAQs, October 5, 2004. https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/mobile/925162-chips-challenge/videos/1165705.
  35. Debtor’s First Amended Plan of Reorganization.  Epyx, Inc. Debtor’s First Amended Plan of Reorganization. United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California, Case No. 91-51191-ASW-11, filed April 2, 1993. [PDF available at epyxgames.com]
  36. Order Confirming Plan of Reorganization.  United States Bankruptcy Court. Order Confirming Debtor’s Plan of Reorganization, as Modified. Case No. 91-51191-ASW-11, signed April 27, 1993. [PDF available at epyxgames.com]
  37. Commodore Gaming. “C64 on Wii Virtual Console.” Commodore Gaming Webshop, 2008. Accessed July 24, 2025. https://commodoregaming.com/pcshop/Wii/C64+on+Virtual+Console.aspx
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