So it’s not really that simple, I’m not saying what we have is good I’m just explaining why it sucks.

When they get investors, which unless you’re extremely wealthy you need, you form contracts with them. Investors usually want a structure like A(owns IP) -> licences to -> B(makes the thing) so if B goes under the IP is protected from bankruptcy (which is total bs but that’s companies for ya). The investors then invest knowing they own part of the IP so even if shit goes tits up they can horde the IP for use somewhere else.

So even if you want to release it you have dozens of extremely wealthy horrible people coming for you with lawyers. Since the USA takes copyright violation more seriously than murder and imposes a shitty hegemony on the world (with the consent and support of a lot of western nations) it’s hard to do.

you really just need to remove the laws that allow this sort of bullshit and it’ll go away. It’s not really the CEO or whatever’s fault, the legal environment companies operate in is completely fucked. Anger should be directed at corporate lobbying and politicians.