Following a year of increasing conflict between the creators of the classic computer game ‘Star Control’, Fred Ford and Paul Reiche III, and Stardock, a company that had acquired Atari’s rights to the game in 2013, the conflict appears to have been resolved in the space of a single phone call.
Reportedly the call started with Reiche, a medieval enthusiast with a passion for beekeeping (originally with the intention of producing mead), asking advice from Brad Wardell (CEO of Stardock and keen beekeeper himself) on bee husbandry.
The conversation went up from there and the parties came away with a highly amicable and balanced licence arrangement.
Perhaps an unconventional negotiation strategy but it goes to show how direct contact between parties can help move things towards a positive result.
Series creators and Stardock will work together on multiple games and exchange technology, honey and homemade mead
