Richard Garriott, also known as Lord British and the creator of Ultima, has received a hefty $28 million sum from the conclusion of a legal battle with NCSoft that all started with a trip into space.
After creating Tabula Rasa for the company, Garriott decided to take a trip out of Earth’s atmosphere. NCSoft, which had a section in their contract with Garriott that stated they would not have to honor his stock options if he left the company voluntarily, decided Lord British’s departure from the planet meant a voluntary departure from the company.
Essentially, Garriott was unknowingly fired while on vacation in outer space. When he returned, a legal battle ensued over his "voluntary resignation" that has now apparently reached its end.
"Because NCsoft mischaracterized his termination as voluntary, Mr. Garriott was forced to sell his stock options 2 1/2 years early, costing him millions of dollars," wrote Garriott’s legal team of Fish and Richardson. "Jurors found NCsoft liable for breaching the stock option agreement with Mr. Garriott, and awarded him $28 million in damages."
As of the time this article was written, there has not been a statement in response from NCSoft.
