The first seven games in the Leisure Suit Larry series of adult-themed comedy adventures are being delisted from Steam.
In a message posted on the game’sSteampage, it was announced that the six Sierra On-Line titles Leisure Suit Larry 1-7 (there was never a fourth game) and High Voltage Software’s Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude are all being removed fromValve‘s digital storefront.
“Dear Larry fans”, the statement reads. “After decades of questionable pickup lines and unforgettable adventures, it’s finally time for Larry to hang up his leisure suit – at least the retro version of it.”
It then lists the following game as soon being “no longer available for purchase”:
The statement notes that players who already own any of the above games will still be able to play them after they’ve been delisted. It also notes that the two most recent games in the series – Leisure Suit Larry: WetDreamsDon’t Dry and Leisure Suit Larry: Wet Dreams Dry Twice – will still be available to purchase.
While publisher Assemble Entertainment didn’t explain why the games were being removed from Steam, Video Game History Foundation library director Phil Salvadorsuggested on Blueskythat the issue may lie withElectronic Arts.
We figured it out! The Steam version of LSL is licensed from Codemasters, which was recently purchased by EA, who maybe chose not to renew the licenseThe GOG versions are staying up, at least! But as with so many of these cases, it boils down to “rights nightmare”
Salvador noted an old message on Steam from 2018 where an Assemble staff member stated that the Leisure Suit Larry IP was owned byCodemasters, and had been licensed out to Assemble Games for exclusive online distribution rights.
Since Electronic Arts now owns Codemasters, it could be that the publisher has ended this licensing deal, meaning Assemble Games has to delist the games from sale.
This would also explain why the series is still available onGOG, because the 2018 message states that the licensing deal with Assemble doesn’t include publishing on GOG.
Codemasters also stated on Wednesday thatit was stopping development on future rally gamesfollowing the end of its World Rally Championship partnership, ending a decades-long run which started with the first Colin McRae game in 1998.
Earlier this week, EA reportedlyannounced layoffs of up to 400 workers, though it’s not yet been made official whether Codemasters was affected by these cuts.
