"BUT the code IG produced was financed and owned by TTG, how could the rights to that have transfered to TFP? Surely not because TFP canceled the contract with TTG. TTG would have been bonkers to get into a contract where the other party could simply cancel and get everything TTG payed for."Wouldn't TFP be bonkers to not have had something in the contract to protect their property?
They obviously had something that allowed them to protect their property (in the future), they did remove the rights of TTG to publish a new version of 7D2D. But it seems they didn't have the right to forbid TTG to sell the current game for example:
https://store.playstation.com/de-de/product/EP2026-CUSA03455_00-0000000000000000 , with TTG listed as owner (It may be an oversight or TFP not exercising their rights though). This doesn't tell us who owns the code (aka software) written by IG, it just is an indication that not everything might have transfered.
A contract that would allow TFP to suddenly own software that TTG produced is surely possible, even though I see it as very unlikely because it would seem disadvantageous to TTG, but I have as much information as you about this. But then what is auctioned off now?
Either there is something at the auction to sell. And the rights to the code really is the thing that makes the most sense. Or TFP is lying and there is nothing for them to get there. But I really don't see what TFP could gain by such a lie because the assets sold off are public, anyone (journalists, lawyers...) can just check pacer or ask the courts for that information.
As I see it now, the asset is 7D2D on console in it's current state. According to this thread TFP terminated the agreement and no updates or sequels can be made to 7D2D since TFP terminated the agreement. So who is going to pay for the game on console right now as it stands knowing that even if you purchase the rights unless you make a new deal with TFP you cannot do anything?
So with "7D2D on console in its current state" you mean the rather old version that is sold on the playstation store, right? Not the software that is 3/4 on the way to a new version according to TFP.
Even if only that asset were sold someone might bid on that in the hope of further sales in the playstation store. When 7D2D goes out of EA and continues to be successful he could hope for more sales on playstation from people who don't check exactly what they are getting or are just interested in seeing what 7D2D is like. They might not pay 30 $ or euros, but if he sells it for 15, he still get a lot of sales. This is not likely but possible.
Also that someone might bid on it and hope TFP will buy from him for a slighty increased price, say 5% more. This is a common practice on practically all auction platforms,
But if it is only that old 7D2D version, why would TFP even bid on it? If they already owned the code IG produced they could just put up a version made a few days after the release of the old version and call it 1.1.
So again, since TFP wants to bid on the auction (if we believe that), then they are after the code parts that IG produced, the parts produced after the current playstation version. I don't see anything else they could need.
I am sure TFP were smart enough to prevent their code from being sold to someone else.
Their code yes, BUT NOT IG's code. What is IG's code? Simply the code that is left after you subtract all of TFP's lines. Unusable on its own, sure (so TFP surely is protected even if someone else gets it), but payed for with TTG's money and very probably owned by them. Otherwise TFP would have no reason to bid in that auction.
Which brings me back to my point on this discussion, who is going to spend money on a game you cannot do anything with? Unless people think console users will buy DLC or pay for an update there will be no ROI for anyone who buys TTG's 7D2D asset.
Please google the term "long tail". The old 7D2D version on the playstation store is NOT worthless. And the new code is worth as much as TFP is willing to pay for it.
