Editing Commodore International (section)

=== Sale to Escom and bankruptcy ===
Commodore's former assets went separate ways following [[liquidation]], with none of the descendant companies repeating Commodore's early success. Subsidiaries Commodore UK and Commodore [[Besloten vennootschap|B.V.]] (Netherlands) survived bankruptcy. The UK division filed a buyout proposal to the Supreme Court in the Bahamas and was considered the front runner in the bid due to press exposure at the time;<ref name="Reimer">{{Cite web |last=Reimer |first=Jeremy |date=2017-11-13 |title=A history of the Amiga, part 11: Between an Escom and a Gateway |url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2017/11/a-history-of-the-amiga-part-11-between-an-escom-and-a-gateway/ |access-date=2020-06-21 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-us}}</ref> the other initial bidders were Samsung, Philips and [[Amstrad]] in mid-1994.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=The Amiga or the multimedia revolution |url=https://pcmuseum.tripod.com/multirev.html |access-date=2024-09-21 |website=pcmuseum.tripod.com}}</ref> Commodore UK and Commodore BV stayed in business by selling old inventory and making computer speakers and other types of computer peripherals, however Commodore BV dissolved in early 1995. Commodore UK withdrew its bid at the start of the auction process after several larger companies, including [[Gateway, Inc.|Gateway Computers]] and [[Dell|Dell Inc.]], became interested, primarily for Commodore's [[patents]] relating to the Amiga. The only companies who entered bids at the end were Dell and Escom;<ref name="Reimer" /> the successful bidder was German PC maker [[Escom AG]] on April 22, 1995, beating Dell's bid by $6.6 million.<ref>{{cite journal | last=Stets | first=Dan | date=April 22, 1995 | url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/1840821214/ | title=Escom Bid for Assets Triumphs over Dell: The German company doubled a $6.6 million bid for Commodore after Dell forced up the price | journal=Philadelphia Inquirer | publisher=Philadelphia Media Network | page=C1 | via=ProQuest}}</ref> Escom paid US$14 million for the assets of Commodore International.<ref>{{cite web |title=Commodore Auction Report |url=http://www.amigareport.com/ar307/news1.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303223240/http://www.amigareport.com/ar307/news1.html |archive-date=March 3, 2016 |access-date=November 29, 2015}}</ref> Commodore UK went into [[liquidation]] on August 30, 1995.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}} 

Escom separated the Commodore and Amiga operations into separate divisions, the latter becoming Amiga Technologies [[GmbH]], and quickly started using the Commodore brand name on a line of PCs sold in [[Europe]] while concepting and developing new Amiga computers. They also debuted a brand new logo for Amiga.<ref name=":1" /> However, it soon started losing money due to over-expansion, declared bankruptcy on July 15, 1996, and was [[Liquidation|liquidated]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Writer |first=CBR Staff |date=1997-06-27 |title=COMMODORE IS ALIVE AND WELL AND NOW PART OF TULIP IN HOLLAND |url=https://www.techmonitor.ai/technology/commodore_is_alive_and_well_and_now_part_of_tulip_in_holland_1 |access-date=2024-09-21 |website=Tech Monitor |language=en-US}}</ref> Escom's Dutch arm, Escom B.V., survived bankruptcy and went on to purchase the Commodore brand from its bankrupt parent. The company then renamed itself to Commodore B.V.<ref name=":2" /> Meanwhile, a deal for [[Chicago]]-based VisCorp to purchase Amiga Technologies GmbH fell through, and instead it was acquired by [[Gateway 2000]] in March 1997, taking both the Amiga properties and the Commodore patents.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Reimer |first=Jeremy |date=2017-11-13 |title=A history of the Amiga, part 11: Between an Escom and a Gateway |url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2017/11/a-history-of-the-amiga-part-11-between-an-escom-and-a-gateway/3/ |access-date=2024-09-21 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-us}}</ref>

[[File:Commodore 64 Web-it PC (modified).jpg|thumb|Commodore 64 Web-it PC, made by Tulip Computers c. 1998, with a [[AMD Élan]] processor]]

==== Brand name ====
In September 1997,<ref name=":4" /> Dutch computer maker [[Tulip Computers]] acquired the Commodore brand name from Commodore B.V.<ref name=":2" /> and made a number of [[Wintel]] computers under subsidiary Commodore International B.V.,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Commodore computer brand sold |url=https://www.infoworld.com/article/2231164/commodore-computer-brand-sold.html |access-date=2024-09-21 |website=InfoWorld |language=en-US}}</ref> although it did not find much success.<ref name=":4" /> In July 2004, Tulip announced a new series of products using the Commodore name: fPET, a flash memory-based [[USB flash drive]]; mPET, a flash-based [[Portable media player|MP3 Player]] and digital recorder; eVIC, a 20 GB music player. Tulip also licensed the Commodore trademark and logo to the producers of the [[C64 Direct-to-TV|C64 DTV]], a single-[[Integrated circuit|chip]] implementation of the [[Commodore 64]] computer with 30 built-in games.

In late 2004, Tulip sold Commodore International B.V. to Yeahronimo Media Ventures (YMV), a digital music software startup<ref>{{Cite web |title=Commodore brand sold to music distributor |url=https://www.cnet.com/tech/computing/commodore-brand-sold-to-music-distributor/ |access-date=2024-09-21 |website=CNET |language=en}}</ref> providing legal music downloads in the Netherlands,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2007-03-16 |title=About CIC |url=http://www.commodorecorp.com/corporate/the+company/01+About+CIC.aspx |access-date=2024-09-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070316011645/http://www.commodorecorp.com/corporate/the+company/01+About+CIC.aspx |archive-date=March 16, 2007 }}</ref> for €22 million, to be paid in instalments over several years until 2010.<ref name=":4">{{cite web|url=http://www.theregister.com/2004/12/29/tulip_sells_commodore/|title=Tulip offloads Commodore brand|access-date=November 29, 2015}}</ref> The sale was completed in March 2005 after months of negotiations; YMV would not become the sole owner until 2010 after buying the remaining shares from Tulip (by then renamed to Nedfield Holding B.V.) which had gone bankrupt.<ref>[http://www.afm.nl/registers/kgi_documents/201002090000000012_Nedfield%20persbericht%20090210%20%28finaal%29.PDF Nedfield Persbericht] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202164258/http://www.afm.nl/registers/kgi_documents/201002090000000012_Nedfield%20persbericht%20090210%20%28finaal%29.PDF|date=February 2, 2014}} [[Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets]], February 9, 2010</ref> YMV soon renamed itself to Commodore International Corporation (CIC) — its operational office was in the Netherlands but had headquarters in [[California]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=2007-03-12 |title=Commodore International Corporation |url=http://www.commodorecorp.com/corporate/systemwide/Contact.aspx |access-date=2024-09-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070312164403/http://www.commodorecorp.com/corporate/systemwide/Contact.aspx |archive-date=March 12, 2007 }}</ref> — and started an operation intended to relaunch the Commodore brand in the [[video gaming]] field.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Commodore Finalizes Game Partnership Agreement |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/commodore-finalizes-game-partnership-agreement |access-date=2024-09-21 |website=www.gamedeveloper.com |language=en}}</ref> The company then launched its Gravel line of products: Gravel in Pocket [[Portable media player|personal multimedia players]] equipped with Wi-Fi and the Gravel in Home, hoping the Commodore brand would help them take off, introduced at [[CeBIT]] 2007<ref>{{Cite web |date=2007-03-16 |title=The Commodore ecosystem spreads to GPS and widescreen video |url=https://www.engadget.com/2007-03-15-the-commodore-ecosystem-spreads-to-gps-and-widescreen-video.html |access-date=2024-09-21 |website=Engadget |language=en-US}}</ref> with a media "entertainment platform" called CommodoreWorld,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Commodore's Booth : CeBIT Hannover 2007 (Part 9) |url=https://www.hardwarezone.com.sg/feature-cebit-hannover-2007-part-9/commodores-booth |access-date=2024-09-21 |website=www.hardwarezone.com.sg |language=en}}</ref> and also launched gaming PCs running [[Windows Vista]] 64-bit.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Miles |first=Stuart |date=2007-03-15 |title=CeBIT 2007: Commodore launches 64-bit gaming PCs |url=https://www.pocket-lint.com/games/news/79955-commodore-launches-64-bit-gaming-pc/ |access-date=2024-09-22 |website=Pocket-lint |language=en}}</ref> However the company did not find success with these products. On June 24, 2009, CIC in the United States renamed itself to Reunite Investments, Inc., with the Commodore brand retaining under ownership by its subsidiary CIC Europe Holding B.V. (which would later be renamed into C= Holdings B.V.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2012-07-16 |title=Commodore International Corporation |url=http://www.commodoreworld.com/ |access-date=2024-09-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120716213055/http://www.commodoreworld.com/ |archive-date=July 16, 2012 }}</ref>), trading as Commodore Consumer Electronics (CCE).<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/2009/06/24/idUS193371+24-Jun-2009+MW20090624 |work=Reuters |title=Commodore International Corporation Changed Its Company Name to Reunite Investments, Inc. |date=June 24, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924142341/http://www.reuters.com/article/2009/06/24/idUS193371%2B24-Jun-2009%2BMW20090624 |archive-date=September 24, 2015 }}</ref>

CIC's founder, Ben van Wijhe, bought a [[Hong Kong]]-based company called Asiarim.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1415813/000145786009000002/0001457860-09-000002-index.htm |title=EDGAR Filing Documents for 0001457860-09-000002 |publisher=Sec.gov |access-date=November 29, 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121015130640/http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1415813/000145786009000002/0001457860-09-000002-index.htm |archive-date=October 15, 2012 }}</ref><ref name="NY Court">{{cite court
|litigants=C=Holdings BV v. Asiarim Corp.|court=United States District Court, Southern District of New York|date=December 16, 2013|url=http://www.crisona.com/iplaw/cases/12-cv-928.pdf}}</ref><ref name="GMW Advocaten">[http://www.curatoren.nl/fo/affilliate_verslag.php?a=130&b=14260935 Faillissements verslag Commodore Licensing B.V.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140121042251/http://www.curatoren.nl/fo/affilliate_verslag.php?a=130&b=14260935 |date=January 21, 2014 }}</ref> Reunite Investments then sold the brand to Commodore Licensing B.V., a subsidiary of Asiarim, later in 2010.<ref name="GMW Advocaten" /> It was sold again on November 7, 2011. This transaction became the basis of a legal dispute between Asiarim — which, even after that date, made commercial use of the Commodore trademark, among others by advertising for sale Commodore-branded computers, and dealing licensing agreements for the trademarks — and the new owners, that was resolved by the [[United States District Court for the Southern District of New York]] on December 16, 2013, in favor of the new owners.<ref name="NY Court" /> Since then the company holding the brand name turned into Polabe Holding [[Naamloze vennootschap|N.V.]], then Net B.V., and is currently named Commodore Corporation B.V.<ref>{{Cite web |title=KICKSTARTER {{!}} The ALL NEW COMMODORE® 64x Back and Better Than Ever! |url=https://myretrocomputer.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/CCmyretrocomputers20220615letter.pdf |website=myretrocomputer.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=transfirm.nl |title=Commodore Corporation B.V. {{!}} Roosendaal (83289348) |url=https://www.transfirm.nl/nl/organisatie/832893480000-commodore-corporation-b.v. |access-date=2024-09-22 |website=transfirm.nl |language=nl}}</ref>

==== Copyrights and patents ====
Ownership of the remaining assets of Commodore International, including the copyrights and patents, and the Amiga trademarks, passed from bankrupt Escom to [[Gateway, Inc.|Gateway 2000]] in 1997. Jim Collas became director of Amiga Technologies and he assembled a new team to work on a new generation of Amiga computers and other products on a new platform, prototyping one called the Amiga MCC and planning a potential [[tablet computer]]. However when Jeffrey Weitzen was chosen to become CEO of Gateway, who was not convinced of Collas's plans, he informed that Amiga Technologies division will be sold.<ref name=":3" /> On the final day of 1999, Gateway sold the copyrights and trademarks of Amiga to Amino, a Washington-based company founded, among others, by former Gateway subcontractors Bill McEwen and Fleecy Moss; Amino immediately renamed itself to [[Amiga, Inc.]] Gateway retained the patents but gave a license to Amiga, Inc. to use the patents.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gateway sells Amiga to ex-Amiga employee |url=https://www.theregister.com/1999/12/31/gateway_sells_amiga_to_examiga/ |access-date=2024-10-30}}</ref> Gateway itself was acquired by Taiwanese [[Acer Inc.|Acer]] in 2007.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2007-08-27 |title=Taiwan's Acer Plans to Acquire Gateway for $710 Million |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2007/08/27/taiwans-acer-plans-to-acquire-gateway-for-710-million.html |access-date=2024-10-30 |website=CNBC |language=en}}</ref>

On March 15, 2004, Amiga, Inc. announced that on April 23, 2003, it had transferred its rights over past and future versions of the AmigaOS (but not yet over other intellectual property) to Itec, LLC, later acquired by KMOS, Inc., a [[Delaware]]-based company.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Amiga, Inc. Sells the Amiga Operating System, to focus on AmigaDE and the Mobile Market. |url=https://www.hyperion-entertainment.com/index.php/news/38-corporate/91-amiga-inc-sells-the-amiga-operating-system-to-focus-on-amigade-and-the-mobile-market |access-date=2024-09-22 |website=www.hyperion-entertainment.com}}</ref> Shortly afterwards, based on loans and security agreements between Amiga, Inc. and Itec, LLC, the remaining intellectual property assets were transferred from Amiga, Inc. to KMOS, Inc. On March 16, 2005, KMOS, Inc. announced that it had completed all registrations with the State of Delaware to change its corporate name to Amiga, Inc. The Commodore/Amiga copyrights, including all their works up to 1993, were later sold to Cloanto in 2015.<ref>{{cite web|title=Cloanto confirms transfers of Commodore/Amiga copyrights |publisher=amiga-news.de |url=http://amiga-news.de/en/news/AN-2015-02-00027-EN.html |access-date=2015-02-20 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150221054319/http://amiga-news.de/en/news/AN-2015-02-00027-EN.html |archive-date=February 21, 2015 }}</ref> A number of legal challenges and lawsuits have involved these companies and [[Hyperion Entertainment]], the Belgian software company that continues development of [[AmigaOS]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=amiga-news.de - Legal battle: Amiga Inc. resurrected from the dead |url=https://www.amiga-news.de/en/news/AN-2018-10-00056-EN.html |access-date=2024-09-22 |website=www.amiga-news.de}}</ref>

==== Semiconductor subsidiary ====
The Commodore Semiconductor Group (formerly [[MOS Technology|MOS Technology, Inc.]]), the silicon [[Wafer (electronics)|wafer]] foundry and [[integrated circuit]] manufacturing unit of Commodore International, was bought by its former management in January 1995 and resumed operations under the name GMT Microelectronics,<ref>{{Cite web |date=1999-04-22 |title=GMT Microelectronics - Corporation |url=http://www.gmtme.com/corp/corphome.htm |access-date=2024-09-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19990422030823/http://www.gmtme.com/corp/corphome.htm |archive-date=April 22, 1999 }}</ref> utilizing a troubled facility in [[Norristown, Pennsylvania]] that Commodore had closed in 1992. In 2001, the [[United States Environmental Protection Agency]] shut the plant down, and GMT ceased operations and was [[Liquidation|liquidated]].{{Citation needed|date=September 2024}}