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Microsoft Open-Sources Zork I–III Under MIT License

The move formalizes an open-source grant for preservation via MIT licensing on the original repositories.

Overview

  • Microsoft's OSPO, Team Xbox, and Activision submitted upstream pull requests to the historical Zork repositories in collaboration with archivist Jason Scott.
  • Each repository adds an explicit MIT LICENSE with clear attribution, covering the original source code and available documentation.
  • The release excludes commercial packaging, marketing materials, trademarks, and other non‑code assets, which remain proprietary.
  • Microsoft positions the code as a preserved artifact for education, with guidance to compile using ZILF and run on Z‑Machine interpreters such as Frotz.
  • Earlier public uploads from 2019 lacked an owner‑granted license, and the new MIT terms resolve that legal uncertainty.