I heard no mention of making the IP available for private servers at all. If the deal goes through then private servers would damage the profitability of the COH franchise. Plus I see no need for private servers ...
And you are correct... there was ABSOLUTELY no mention of making the IP available for private servers.
Anyone who saw this deal as improving the environment for future private servers was doing so entirely through inference because the matter was in no way discussed or referred to. As you have pointed out, expressing your point of view, this deal might well make the environment for private servers more hostile than if no deal ever existed.
"Private servers would damage the profitability of the CoH franchise." That statement is a matter of reasonable controversy. There are many who feel private servers, to the contrary, are enhancements to a community of players and allow unfettered exploration of variations on a game and thus greater enthusiasm. That, however, seems not to be the opinion of NCSoft -- famously.
To my original point, in your view, the holding company will function BOTH to ENABLE use of the IP and to PREVENT use of the IP. No "Hitler follies" is the specific example given of preventing the IP use.
This is not a negative to the deal... indeed, if you believe that getting the game back eliminates any need for private servers, then preventing players from setting them up would be an additional positive aspect of the deal. I just think that folks should consider that this specifically
might be among the benefits of getting the game back.
I'm certainly looking forward to playing the game in any form available. I hope the deal allows the maximum availability and flexibility to the community and I'm confident that the folks working to buy it feel the same.