Just over two years ago it was announced that Interplay, having sold the Fallout series to Bethesda, had bought a license to develop an MMO based on the property under a few stipulations regarding development time. Well, the deadline came and went this month and it seems that Bethesda has come a-calling to take the license back.
According to Interplay's Form 10-K filing with the SEC, Bethesda has made clear their intention to terminate the license agreement. Under the agreement, Interplay was required to secure $30 million in funding for the game as well as be under full-scale development by this time, which Bethesda claims has not happened as of this time. Interplay "adamantly disputes" the claim.
Only two weeks ago (and one day before the deadline), Interplay announced that it had formed a partnership with Masthead Studios which brought some cash in for development of the codenamed "Project V-13," long rumored to be the Fallout MMO. Whether that brings them over the dollar amount required to meet the terms of their agreement with Bethesda is unknown, as is exactly what "full-scale" development means.
A Fallout title is probably just about the only thing that could draw me into the MMO space and I've been eagerly awaiting more information on the game. Of course, this is Interplay we're talking about here and it seems like it's been a while since they managed to get anything right. Still, I hope things are still on track for development there if for no other reason than I don't want to have to wait longer than the four-year release deadline stipulated in the original agreement.
Conrad Zimmerman is Destructoid's News Editor and home to the busiest mustache in the gaming press. An amateur historian and pop culture fanatic, Conrad possesses a nearly limitless wealth of videogame factoids and a passion for the power of games to teach, inspire and entertain. He enjoys reading, writing and turning things which should be fun into work.
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Contest:
8:00 AM on 04.16.2009
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I was an avid Fallout 1 & 2 player but feel the 3rd main installment was a bit of a let down. Too much Oblivion, not enough Fallout.
@Sexualchocolate
As a fan of all three, I guess I understand why people didn't like the switch. However, I'm pretty sure that anything Interplay does will be worse than Fallout 3 by a fair margin. They're more likely to put out another Brotherhood of Steel game than a proper Fallout. The Oblivouts are probably all that is left.
I'm sure that the HARDCORE! Fallout fans will be outraged to no end.
"WHAT!??!?!?!1 BETH STEALS FO FROM THE ONE INTERPLAY AND THEN HAS THE GULL TO SUE THEM FOR MAKING A FO MMO?!?!?!?! RRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE"
Seriously, why doesn't anyone realize that Interplay is worthless now and has been raping Fallout's corpse for years? At least Bethesda put in the ground work to make an actual sequel, rather than a Brotherhood of Steel action game. I guarantee, if Interplay released this, it would've been a 6.5 game. There's no way they would've pulled it off.
In summary, if you are a Fallout fan, either accept the Bethesda games or... move on. There's nothing else for you in the Fallout universe.
A bad series entry can ruin a license.
Ask Dave Mirra.
Personally, from what I've seen of the other Fallout games, it looks like an isometric Diablo clone set in post-apocalyptic US. Other than the obvious story bits, I can't really tell what's missing from the series by reshaping it into what Fallout 3 is.
In regards to Interplay sucking balls, yeah, that's probably fair. I think they have the potential to do it right and I'm keeping an open mind but most of the diehard Fallout fans that I've heard from don't want it either. All they really want is another isometric, turn-based RPG which will never happen again ever.
Hehe, video games are SERIOUS BUSINESS, donchya know?
Interplay as we know it dosent exist any more, i'd rather see Bethesda make a quality effort then the shambling corpse of Interplay fumble with it for 3 years before Duke Nukem Forevor-ing it.
Changing the rules of the game didn't hurt Mario to go 3D. It didn't hurt Castlevania to go to Metroid's gameplay well.
Really, I'm just bitter that the next KOTOR game isn't being designed as a single-player experience.
Tactics was okay, but Bortherhood of steel was horrid and I absolutely loathe Bethesda and everything their games play like. so I say let the Fallout franchise rot.
Its not like the people who actually enjoyed Fallout 3 won't get another yearly raping of the game by Bethesda to make Fallout 4.