Interplay Claims It Could Take Back Fallout

Andy Chalk

One Flag, One Fleet, One Cat
Nov 12, 2002
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Interplay Claims It Could Take Back Fallout


If Bethesda Softworks is successful in blocking the development of Fallout Online [http://fallout-on-line.com/], Interplay says it will invalidate the sale of the Fallout IP and allow it to retake ownership of the franchise.

Like most legal matters, the Bethesda [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/106812-Interplay-Calls-Bethesdas-Fallout-Claim-Absurd] is a complex one. Bethesda claims that Interplay violated the terms of the Fallout MMO licensing agreement and has thus forfeited the right to develop the game; Interplay says that Bethesda is being a jerk. But while the legal teams debate tiresome legal minutiae, Interplay President Eric Caen has ratcheted up the rhetoric a couple of notches by declaring that if push comes to shove, Interplay will just take its Fallout ball and go home.

"We sold the Fallout IP to Bethesda in exchange for a certain amount of cash and the right to do the Fallout MMO," Caen told Eurogamer [http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-01-21-interplay-fallout-6-could-be-ours]. "If they refuse to let us do the game, then the sale of the IP is terminated, and they will be allowed to do only one more Fallout, 5."

"The original licensing deal was for three games and their DLC. So they already did Fallout: New Vegas [http://www.amazon.com/Fallout-3-Game-Year-Xbox-360/dp/B001REZLY8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1295629846&sr=8-1], 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."

Caen said Interplay is "ready to fight for years if necessary" to keep the Fallout MMO under its tent but added that as long as the litigation continues, it won't be able to show off much of it to gamers. "Anything we show will help Bethesda in their fight," he said.

On the other side of the fence, Bethesda Vice President Pete Hines predictably declared the opposite to be true, claiming absolute domain over all things Fallout. "We own the rights to the MMO," he told VG247 [http://www.vg247.com/2011/01/21/hines-bethesda-own-the-rights-to-fallout-mmo-not-interplay/]. "We own the rights to everything Fallout. The license is ours. Fallout belongs to us."

Fallout Online is tentatively targeted for release in 2012, although the ongoing legal dispute could derail that plan.


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Onyx Oblivion

Borderlands Addict. Again.
Sep 9, 2008
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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?

Edit: Yeah. Fuck Interplay. You guys took too damn long.
 

uppitycracker

New member
Oct 9, 2008
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Wow, I bet that's something that Bethesda never considered... honestly, I'd love to see this happen. While I've enjoyed the new fallout games immensely, I'd certainly love to see what Interplay can do with it. Regardless, this is the only MMO i am even remotely interested in right now, despite the ironic nature of a post-apocalyptic MMO.
 

Serenegoose

Faerie girl in hiding
Mar 17, 2009
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Wow. It kinda looks like neither of them deserve the license. Hilariously childish on both sides.
 

Natdaprat

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Sep 10, 2009
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Bethesda are being real ass holes. I hope they lose this case, as they have lost my respect, and probably a lot more gamers respect too.
 

hansari

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May 31, 2009
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Fallout belongs to me!

No, I am the one and only true Fallout!

Blasphemy. My Fallout is pure and epic!

 

cjneon

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Apr 28, 2010
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I just wish someone would program a Fallout game which doesnt crash every 5 minutes? Seriously just employ some decent programmers?
 

Kenko

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Jul 25, 2010
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Kakashi on crack said:
Ohh this is funny, two big companies acting like children...
Companies act like children towards eachother. Nations act like children towards eachother. Its human nature.
 

Iwata

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Feb 25, 2010
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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.
 

Sixcess

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Feb 27, 2010
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They should settle this in true post apocalyptic fashion.

Break a deal! Spin the wheel!

THUNDERDOME!
 

Baldr

The Noble
Jan 6, 2010
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"The original licensing deal was for three games and their DLC." I like the word original because that means it not the current deal. So I'm opting to believe that Bethesda does own all or most the Fallout IP now.

These thing always end up bad. Don't expect another Fallout game for at least a decade.
 

Jonci

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Sep 15, 2009
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I say Interplay needs to just take their money and their project and move on. If they keep fighting Bethesda, they'll eventually run out of money and the company will collapse. Doesn't matter if they can yank back the IP or not.
 

Wolfram23

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Mar 23, 2004
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Iwata said:
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.
 

uppitycracker

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Oct 9, 2008
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Sixcess said:
They should settle this in true post apocalyptic fashion.

Break a deal! Spin the wheel!

THUNDERDOME!
YESSSSS!!! This is what must happen!!!

Serris said:
bethesda really does sound like jerks =S

on the other hand, can't interplay just rename their MMO? i mean, fans will probably want to hear the same things but if the game is good, players will come.
the problem with this is not just renaming the MMO, but renaming everything tied to the IP to begin with, and removing any dead likenesses. Interplay did state previously, however, that should they lose this case, this is precisely what they will do. Either way, their MMO will come out.
 

RoBi3.0

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Mar 29, 2009
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"All your Fallouts are belong to us!"- Pete Hines, Vice President Bethesda Softworks
 

Vkmies

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Oct 8, 2009
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Dear Bethesda. I had respect for you. Then you made oblivioon. I thought it was ok, but nowhere near as good as Morrowind. Then you made Fallout 3. I thought it was ok, but nowhere near as good as Fallout 1-2. Please let Interplay do this project in peace. Don't act like an ass. You make pretty good RPG's. So did Interplay. Let them try with the Fallout MMO. I am mildly excited about it. I really, really want it made.