I’m wondering about the feasibility of releasing Enemy Territory: Quake Wars under the GPL (GNU General Public License). I was thrilled when Splash Damage made the game freely available, which was an incredible gesture to the community - but I believe a GPL release could take things even further.
There’s precedent for this approach with id Software titles. Both Doom 3 and Doom 3: BFG Edition were eventually released under the GPL, allowing their communities to flourish through open source development. The original Enemy Territory has shown the immense potential of this approach - just look at the amazing projects that emerged: ET Legacy, iortcw, and RealRTCW, among others.
A GPL release would enable:
- Community-driven bug fixes and optimizations
- Modern platform compatibility updates
- New features and content development
- Server improvements and anti-cheat measures
- Educational value for aspiring game developers
The timing feels particularly appropriate now. With Splash Damage’s current projects and visibility, releasing ETQW under GPL could generate positive attention and goodwill within the gaming community, while cementing the studio’s legacy of supporting passionate players.
The thriving ETQW community continues to maintain servers and organize events. Giving them the tools to truly preserve and evolve this beloved game seems like a natural next step that would benefit everyone involved.
What do you think about the possibilities of an ETQW GPL release?