Interplay Claims It Could Take Back Fallout

[Starke]

Fallout Tactics wasn't a bad game at all. It just wasn't enough to satisfy everyone who expected it to be Fallout 3. But for what it was - what it was meant to be - it was quite solid.

Agreed. The only real failings were a lack of QA testing and a departure from the established setting. (Tactics kind of exists in another parallel universe to the main franchise. Some of the elements flat out contradict main cannon, like the Calculator plot, some conflict seriously, the prevalence of real world weapons, for one, and southern rock for another.) But as a post apocalyptic X-Com type strategy game it's still very good.

 

[Azaraxzealot]

so... New Vegas was Fallout 4?
lame.
the least they could have done was treat it like an expansion since its basically the same engine, same events, and same gameplay (not necessarily a bad thing, but its like what Crackdown 2 was to Crackdown 1)

i was hoping to see a proper Fallout 4 but i guess New Vegas will have to do :/

 

[The Unworthy Gentleman]

I'd love to see a modern day Interplay Fallout, but I'd hate to lose Bethesda's Fallouts.

But this thing is getting way out of hand and can be solved by Bethesda not being a dick about the Fallout MMO.

 

[JEBWrench]

This is getting completely insane.

But Interplay has a point.

If part of the deal was the right to do the MMO, they should be allowed to make the MMO.

The question is...Will this do anything to Fallout 3 and New Vegas, since they came after the deal was signed?

Interplay doesn't have a point; they already violated the agreement because they didn't start FOO before April 2009.

 

[Andy Chalk]

the least they could have done was treat it like an expansion since its basically the same engine, same events, and same gameplay

Haven't you essentially just described Fallout 2?

 

[Moriarty70]

"The original licensing deal was for three games and their DLC. So they already did Fallout 3, then Fallout: New Vegas, and they can only do one more Fallout, 5, if the sale of the IP is canceled by the court," he continued. "We will love if we have to do Fallout 6 and sequels. But we will see what happens in court. It can be this year or later... We have the back-up of our shareholders to fund this fight."

I'm sure they would love to, just as they would have loved to make Fallout 3. Problem is, when a developer seems to consist for a decade of a CEO and legal department for licencing and bundle packages you loose credibility that you can make these games happen.

 

[Azaraxzealot]

the least they could have done was treat it like an expansion since its basically the same engine, same events, and same gameplay

Haven't you essentially just described Fallout 2?

but yes, that was a good burn on any fallout before 3 (which i consider the first fallout like i consider Cowboys From Hell the OFFICIAL debut of Pantera)

 

[Mr. Socky]

Interplay has a certain point. I'd just hate to see both the Fallout MMO get canned AND the loss of Bethesda made Fallout titles. Honestly, if Bethesda hadn't bought Fallout in the first place, I bet Interplay wouldn't be here right now. If Bethesda doesn't keep the license, it could be a long time before we see another Fallout if Interplay gets it back.

 

[Starke]

I'd love to see a modern day Interplay Fallout, but I'd hate to lose Bethesda's Fallouts.

But this thing is getting way out of hand and can be solved by Bethesda not being a dick about the Fallout MMO.

Honestly, through all of this it looks like they're not. The contract set up a fairly strict timetable for a Fallout MMO for Interplay. Interplay failed to meet the deadline for raising funds to get the project rolling. Bethesda let them know that they'd failed to make the deadline, and Interplay went ballistic, leading to Bethesda filing suit to get Interplay to actually follow the provisions of the contract. From there, everything went to shit.

Also keep in mind, this is the second round with Interplay doing something they were prohibited from doing under the contract (the first was their release of the "Fallout Trilogy" pack. The issue there was that Interplay was (allegedly) trying to confuse gamers into thinking that the pack included Fallout 3 (instead of Tactics)).

In short, Interplay is barely a company anymore. Certainly not the juggernaut they were 15 years ago. The only property they still fully own that is worth a damn is what little they still hold of the Fallout franchise, and they're willing to use any means necessary to hold onto the pieces of it, regardless of the contracts they've signed.

 

[Solid Reece]

Fallout New Vages is not Fallout 4 like Fallout Tactics and Brotherhood of Steel were not Fallout 3. Fallout 4 will come out in time.

 

[Thedayrecker]

Fallout 6....

That seems a little.... The longer time goes on....

Look it's gonna get old, ok? I can't help but think that cranking out sequel after sequel is gonna turn it into a Call of Duty thing (i.e. No creativity, same old, same old, just flood the market and mainstream will buy it).

 

[rb26dett]

sooooo... the company that releases close to unplayable Fallout games and the company that doesn't release Fallout games at all are both arguing who should make those? Srsly? Weak.

 

[Primus1985]

HA!

I never heard something so proposterous.

So they want to take back the franchise they abandoned for a decade and do what? They said Bethesda has the rights to another Fallout game so why wouldnt Bethesda make that oh I dont know the Fallout MMO?

If interplay really had something to work with they'd have shown something already.


I really dont think Interplay has the manpower, or the backing(full support of our investors my ass) to do an MMO. A MMO requires round the clock upkeep, which Bethesda could do with ease, and Interplay while draining their pocket with the court battle does not.

If Interplay wins, the Fallout MMO will be shite.

 

[cheese_wizington]

IMO Opinion this is stupid, and in all honesty we know that if interplay makes a Fallout game it will suck. No one from the original team is left, so just drop it.

 

[ThreeWords]

Ohh this is funny, two big companies acting like children...

This is where the war will stem from. The war that leads to Fallout: Real Life

 

[manaman]

To hell with Interplay. After the mediocre showings of Tactics and BoS, they thought the series dead, and couldn't sell it fast enough. Now Bethesda surprisingly brings it back to life, and Interplay wants back in on the picture.

Sorry, that's now how it works. You sold the license. It's Bethesda's now, move the fuck on, and stop acting like a 5-year-old.

Except the deal was that they get to do an MMO, and Bethesday doesn't want to let them other than to use the name itself. Kind of makes it hard to move on when suddenly you can't use the material you thought you could (and should) be able to use.

Deal was they complete an MMO in a specific time frame or they lose the rights. Interplay didn't keep up their end of the bargain, but to be fair to them Bethesda intentionally went out of their way to find a sort of reverse loophole to snag the MMO rights away from Interplay. The Fallout MMO in name only argument is also a recent thing in this legal battle that has been going on for some time.

 

[JWAN]

Bethesda needs to honor its agreement with Interplay whilst Interplay needs to make Descent 4

 

[PeePantz]

Wasn't Interplay being dicks when this whole mess started and basically only held onto a "dead" franchise to make money? Bethesda were huge fans of Fallout and wanted to revive their beloved series because Interplay had no means to. After what seemed to be a Duke Nukem situation, this agreement popped up.

I was excited that Bethesda was able to hatch out a deal. Now though, they are rescinding on the deal due to the huge success the new Fallouts have garnered. On one hand, I understand not wanting others to tarnish the franchise in what many will perceive to be your game (a vast majority will never know this info). On the other hand, which is stronger and bigger (like the foam #1 hands), without this agreement, Bethesda never would have had this huge of a success. Let Interplay do their MMO. Bethesda, you should be happy with your riches. Now, you're coming off as greedy.

 

[JPArbiter]

I f Interplay is permitted to "take back" the fallout franchise through legal miandering, doesn't that mean that they have to pay bethesda back the Millions they got in the IP sale in the first place, PLUS interest?

seriously this could bankrupt an already troubled and stalled video game company, and then Bethesda will merely buy up interplay's assets for penny's on the dollar. this is a No-Win Situation for Interplay

Well yeah, part of the deal was they get to make the mmo, but that right came with conditions that they supposedly broke

that main condition was "you got to get the money to develop the game yourself, and you gotta keep us posted regularly, and if we do not like your progress, we reserve the right to pull the plug.

it is debatable whether or not Interplay had the right to outsource to Masthead after they found they could not fund V-13 themselves, Which was where this whole thing started.

 

[Sutter Cane]

Well i think it's obvious who really DESERVES the rights... Obsidian [/take a third option]