Another Epstein

[MageBlue]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enad_Global_7

Key people

Jason Epstein (chairman)
Ji Ham (acting CEO)
Fredrik Rüdén (deputy CEO, CFO)

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https://www.everquestguides.com/ever...ity-reactions/


If Enad Global 7 is making such a tiny amount of money for their EQ IP - maybe eqemu community could have a 60 day Kickstarter campaign to acquire it:

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(asked chatgpt 5 thinking)


if a company no longer wants to protect IP for a game what can they do so others can freely use it? ==

Short answer: publish the game under clear, permissive licenses (or dedicate it to the public domain) and clean up trademarks/patents so people can actually use it without fear. Here’s the practical playbook.

# What they should do (by IP type)

**1) Copyright (code, art, music, writing)**

* **Best “free as air”:** dedicate to the public domain with **CC0** (for art/audio/writing) and **The Unlicense** (for code).
* **Best “almost free, but credit”:** use **MIT/Apache-2.0** (code) and **CC BY** or **CC BY-SA** (assets).
* **Why:** “Stopping enforcement” isn’t enough—people need an **affirmative, written license** that’s broad and (ideally) **irrevocable**.

**2) Trademarks (game title/logo)**

* Copyright freedom doesn’t grant use of the **name**. Options:

* **Abandon** the mark (file voluntary surrender and stop using it).
* Or publish a **permissive trademark policy**: allow nominative/descriptive use but forbid implying endorsement.
* If you *want* forks to freely use the name/logo, say so in writing—or they’ll have to rebrand.

**3) Patents (if any cover tech in the game/engine)**

* Publish an **express patent license** or a **covenant not to sue** for all uses of the released materials.
* Apache-2.0 includes a patent grant; MIT does not (add a separate covenant if using MIT).

**4) Secrets/third-party content**

* Remove anything you **don’t own** (licensed fonts, stock art, middleware, SDKs). Replace with open alternatives.

# Clean, concrete steps

1. **Inventory rights:** list code repos, assets, soundtracks, scripts, tools; note third-party bits.
2. **Scrub & replace** third-party or confidential content.
3. **Choose licenses:** e.g.

* Code: **Apache-2.0** (permissive + patent grant) or **Unlicense** (public domain).
* Assets: **CC0** (public domain) or **CC BY** (credit).
4. **Add LICENSE files** at the repo root and in asset folders; include a **NOTICE** with copyright holders.
5. **Trademark plan:** either abandon the mark or publish a **Trademark Permission** stating allowed uses.
6. **Publish source & assets** (e.g., GitHub) with a plain-English announcement: “We are releasing X under Y; you may use, modify, and redistribute, including commercially.”
7. **Make it irrevocable:** avoid licenses you can yank later; say “this grant is perpetual, worldwide, and irrevocable.”
8. **Archive:** submit to **Software Heritage**/Internet Archive with your permission statement for preservation.

# Handy templates (you can drop these in)

**A) Code (Apache-2.0) one-liner for README**

> This code is released under the Apache License 2.0. You may use, modify, and distribute it, including commercially. See LICENSE for details.

**B) Assets (CC0)**

> All art, audio, and narrative assets in `/assets` are dedicated to the public domain under CC0 1.0. No attribution required. See `assets/LICENSE`.

**C) Trademark permission (if you’ll allow the name)**

> We grant a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free license to use the game title “FOO QUEST” and its logo solely to identify and distribute versions or derivatives of this game. This license does not permit implying our sponsorship or endorsement. We may update brand guidelines for quality or anti-fraud, but this permission is otherwise irrevocable.

**D) Patent covenant (if applicable, for MIT/CC0 stacks)**

> To the extent we own any patents that would be infringed by using, making, selling, offering for sale, importing, or otherwise exploiting this project, we grant a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, irrevocable (except for breach) license to do so.

---

If you want, tell me what game pieces exist (code engine? art? soundtrack? any third-party middleware? a registered mark?), and I’ll produce ready-to-ship LICENSE files and a public announcement tailored to that stack. (Not legal advice; for anything high-stakes, a 1-hour review by an IP attorney is worth it.)

[MageBlue]

Info I got from chatgpt 5 thinking:

any more info on Jason Epstein, Daybreak Game Company's former owner :

[

Here’s the short-and-straight on Jason Epstein (the Daybreak/SOE guy):

* **Who he is.** A New York–based investor/entrepreneur; Affiliate Partner at **Stonecourt Capital** (via his family office, JPE Investments) and a Tufts trustee. Earlier co-founded eLink Communications. ([Stonecourt Capital][1])
* **How he ended up over Daybreak.** In **Feb 2015**, Sony sold Sony Online Entertainment; Daybreak later clarified the buyer was **Jason Epstein (via Inception Acquisitions, LLC)**, and that Columbus Nova didn’t own Daybreak—confusion flared in 2018 when sanctions hit entities linked to Viktor Vekselberg. ([Wikipedia][2])
* **Sale to EG7.** In **Dec 2020**, Sweden’s **Enad Global 7 (EG7)** acquired Daybreak; Epstein became a significant EG7 shareholder (~10%) post-deal. ([Enad Global 7][3])
* **Current board role.** He joined EG7’s board (2021) and was named **Chairman** in 2022; he’s been **re-elected chair** in 2024 and again in 2025. EG7 lists him holding ~9.7% of shares. ([Enad Global 7][4])
* **Other investments/roles (recent).** Leads deals through **JPE Investments**; e.g., led the **2025 Beanstalk** acquisition consortium (brand licensing firm). Past/related holdings include Harmonix and Cold Iron Studios. ([Licensing International][5])

If you want, I can lay out a clean timeline of the ownership/press-release back-and-forth from 2015–2018 (the Columbus Nova/Renova confusion) and how Daybreak messaged it.

[1]: https://www.stonecourtlp.com/jason-e...ce=chatgpt.com "Jason Epstein"
[2]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daybre...ce=chatgpt.com "Daybreak Game Company"
[3]: https://www.enadglobal7.com/mfn_news...ce=chatgpt.com "EG7 Completes the Acquisition of Daybreak Game Company"
[4]: https://www.enadglobal7.com/governan...ce=chatgpt.com "Board of Directors"
[5]: https://licensinginternational.org/n...ce=chatgpt.com "Beanstalk Acquired by Investment Group and Management ..."

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[Computer Man]

TL;DR

[Reiwa]

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[Reiwa]

Who does this Epstein guy think he is, Jerry Seinfeld?

[Bardp1999]

Smells like virgin in here

[Wakanda]

idk what the op is trying to say even after reading the link ngl

ill be honest im not crazy about the idea of people who didnt create a franchise running it into the ground while virtue signaling that it's their right to do so because they made it ( own it )

this is a current theme with WoW in 2025 where you have blue haired kids who are younger than WoW responding to criticism with the fact that it's their game. like they made it or something.

i feel very similarly about eq in 2025. i have ZERO confidence that darkpaw games could make an EQ 3 that doesnt suck ass. they cant even implement basic balance changes or updates to make TLP not be monk-quest.

them having a chokehold on EQ is actually what's killing the IP IMHO

i have flashbacks to playing the rift mmo that came out like 15 years ago and how advanced it is compared to eq or even eq 2 in 2025 and i realize that none of these games have evolved at all... meanwhile look at WoW

like dang.

[Sadre Spinegnawer]

People need to think a little more deeply other than "Where my enu?" I think that much is clear.

These IP's are all warehoused. In Sweden. Epstein's investment patterns suggest he would have gone with a known security company. I'm currently tracking that down.

Mageblue, I'm assuming you can handle passports? I'll need a wizard hat and robe.

[kjs86z2]

wanna go to a club where people wee on eachother?

[Tann]

Originally Posted by kjs86z2 [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

wanna go to a club where people wee on eachother?

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