Process for Re-licensing Nordic Game Lab Repositories to Mozilla Public License v2.0

[hi5a]

1. Summary

This issue outlines the formal plan for Nordic Game Lab, LLC. to transition all of its open-source repositories from their current licenses to the Mozilla Public License v2.0 (MPL-2.0). The goal of this initiative is to adopt a standard, well-understood, and community-friendly license that encourages contributions while allowing for flexible integration with other works.

2. Motivation

The move to MPL-2.0 is driven by several key objectives:

Encourage Community Contribution: The MPL-2.0 is a file-level "weak copyleft" license, which we believe strikes the right balance between requiring modifications to be shared back to the community and allowing the licensed code to be combined with proprietary code.

Standardization: Adopting a single, OSI-approved license across all our projects will simplify license compliance for our users and contributors.

Clarity and Legal Robustness: The MPL-2.0 is a modern, well-drafted license that provides explicit patent grants and clear terms for distribution.

3. Scope

This transition will apply to all public repositories currently under the Nordic Game Lab, LLC. GitHub organization. A full list of affected repositories will be appended to this issue as the process is ongoing.

4. Proposed Transition Process

We will follow a structured, multi-phase process to ensure a smooth and transparent transition.

Phase 1: Internal Review & Preparation (Complete)

• Legal review of the Mozilla Public License v2.0 and its implications for our business and community.

• Audit of all existing contributor license agreements (CLAs) to confirm Nordic Game Lab, LLC. has the right to re-license all existing code.

Phase 2: Public Announcement & Community Feedback (Current Phase)

• Action: This issue serves as the primary public announcement.

Phase 3: Implementation

This phase will involve the technical work of applying the new license.

Task 1: Update LICENSE files:

The LICENSE file in the root of each repository will be replaced with the full, unmodified text of the MPL-2.0.

Task 2: Update Source File Headers:

Every source file will be updated to include the standard MPL-2.0 header notice. The notice is as follows:

/*
 * This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
 * License, v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this
 * file, You can obtain one at https://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/.
 *
 * Copyright (c) 2025 Nordic Game Lab, LLC.
 */

Task 3: Update Documentation:

All README.md files, CONTRIBUTING.md guides, and other documentation referencing the old license will be updated to reflect the new MPL-2.0 license.

Task 4: Create a Pull Request for each repository:

A single, comprehensive Pull Request will be created for each affected repository containing all the changes outlined above. This will create a clear and auditable record of the transition.

Phase 4: Finalization

• All transition-related Pull Requests will be merged.

• A final announcement will be made on our official blog and social channels confirming the completion of the re-licensing process.

• This issue will be closed.

6. Questions and Discussion
   We value our community and want to make this transition as seamless as possible. Please use the comments section of this issue to ask questions, raise concerns, or provide feedback on the proposed plan.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.