Huh, news to me that New Stern™ has the rights to the Old Stern™ games. New Stern™ is really just a renamed Data East right? With a sidetrack through Sega heh. Did I miss them acquiring them somewhere, or am I just totally off base with my understanding that the new and old company have no real relationship with each other besides the name?

You don't need to put a copyright notice on something for it to be copyrighted. That's automatic. Nor does it have anything to do with patents.

If a business goes out of business the copyrights go to someone, they don't just turn into vapor. Clearly some people are under the impression that Gary Stern or Stern The Current™ has the rights, and maybe so, I'm just curious if anyone knew the story there.

They're certainly not in the public domain without someone actively making them so.

Good points, but Seawitch, the playfield in question here, is from 1980. So not an issue.

Sorry I accidentally sent you a long threatening email full of blustery lawyer language that I was going to sue you and ruin your business that you've put years of your sweat and labor into, I must have pressed the wrong keys while reaching for my coffee. My mistake!

Oh wait, wrong apology, these pesky keyboard keys. I was trying to type sorry I got caught being an ass, it's making me worry about my own business, that sucks. So sorry!