Well, lately in my gamedesign course, I've had a lot of classes on using Unreal Editor to build levels and custom stuff, and when I started using the textures from the unreleased Jazz Jackrabbit 3D, I thought to myself, a fanmade Jazz 3D game might not be so far away.

I was just wondering though, if I do plan to begin with this, and say I'd want to charge people 5 dollars for example to buy it online, would that be illegal? Really hypothetically speaking here, but still. Who currently owns the copyrights to Jazz Jackrabbit? As far as I know, it hasn't been used since 2002 (JJR Advance). Is the copyright still held by Epic Games? Or has it already expired and is it free for anyone to use?

Yes, Epic, Yes, No

Making a JJ3D fangame is an awesome idea, and Epic wouldn't mind. Selling it is a bad idea, and they would mind.

I agree not selling it is better then trying to make money off it, for the fans as well. But it's going to take longer because I would also need to buy some things and maybe hire a freelance modeller or something.

Anyway thanks for the heads up. I just hope Epic won't get pissed at other people using their copyrights (even if they don't intend to sell it), because I've had a cease and desist letter before when I was making a Chrono Trigger spinoff fangame.

Epic isn't as crazy-obsessed over control over their IPs as Square-Enix is. Naturally you can't sell it but they won't send you a cease and desist for making it.

If you want to play it safe, you could call it a different name then blantently state right below the title that it is a fan made jazz game, like this game port

Well, I suppose...

... if you want to make a Jazz Jackrabbit fan game...

... you better get hopping to it.

YEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

I agree completely with Sonyk.

NovaStar!<3

...that is all. I choose to not have a comment for the above 'joke.'

I think by calling it a 'joke' you commented on it.