Interplay claims 2012 beta for Project V13

By Oli Welsh Published 25 January, 2010

The game that could be Fallout Online.

Interplay has said that its "post-apocalyptic massively multiplayer online game", codenamed Project V13, will enter public beta in 2012.

Most observers agree that Project V13 is intended to be the Fallout MMO that Interplay has been talking about since 2004. However, its right to make that game is currently being disputed in the law courts by Fallout rights holder Bethesda.

The beta news came in a press release announcing that Interplay had finalised its agreement to develop Project V13 with Bulgarian developer Masthead, currently making Earthrise - a, guess what, post-apocalyptic MMO. (Good spot, Videogamer.)

"Masthead's technology is impressive and perfect for our Project V13," said Interplay chief Herve Caen. "Its team is passionate to bring our vision and gameplay to the market. This MMOG will have many unique features that we will disclose before launch of the public beta in 2012."

In fact, Masthead's involvement with Project V13 was confirmed back in April last year.

Meanwhile, the court case has also turned up a "World of Warcraft type MMO" in development at Bethesda, although this is believed to be an Elder Scrolls game rather than a rival Fallout project.

Picture of Oli.

About Oli Welsh

Oli is Eurogamer's acting deputy editor and reviews editor and likes to take things one word at a time. He is among the best dressed people in South London.

Read more articles from Oli by visiting the Oli Welsh archive page.

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Comments (17) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Cyclone #1 2 years ago

    So basically Interplay have licensed a version of Earthrise, and are going to spend the next two years modifying it to have more of a Fallout feel in an effort to keep Bethesda off their backs.

  • schnide #2 2 years ago

    Codenamed Fallout Online: We're Making It, Honest

  • Sunyavadin #3 2 years ago

    I'm more interested in Bethesda's project than this, actually. Hope it doesn't impede work on single player Elder Scrolls games. Hope they work this all out and leave Interplay to their thing.

  • beckyh #4 2 years ago

    2012? A non story then :-/

  • Mcstrife #5 2 years ago

    Project Vault 13?

  • Flying_Pig #6 2 years ago

    I love Fallout 3, but the idea of an MMO retaining the same 'feel' just doesn't seem plausable IMO. Why does everything need to be an all singing, all dancing online cluster f*ck? What happened to a focussed, finely honed single player experience?

  • ignatiusjreilly #7 2 years ago

    What happened to a focussed, finely honed single player experience?

    It doesn't need a subscription.

  • mingster #8 2 years ago

    Thats if we are still alive in 2012..

  • sneetch #9 2 years ago

    I reckon they're counting on the world ending in 2012 alright mingster, they'll be breathing a sigh of relief as the earth destroys itself. ;)

  • Miths #10 2 years ago

    I think I have more faith in seeing Gran Turismo 5 released somewhere before 2013, than I do in ever seeing another Interplay game.
    On the other hand, I guess it could be a tossup :).

  • ps3owner #11 2 years ago

    the world will end for us... remember, we are hosting the olympics ;)

  • Murton #12 2 years ago

    "What happened to a focussed, finely honed single player experience?"

    Do you mean to imply that Fallout 3, arguably the most broken game of 2008 was a "finely honed single player experience"?

    I do however agree that the MMO bandwagon ceased to be a bandwagon sometime ago and became a huge convoy of "me too". If there's one thing we have enough of at the moment is MMORPGs. It seems right now that there are more MMORPGs being released each year than regular RPGs, great news for the publishers with those monthly subscriptions but bad for innovation as all resourced get dumped into the MMO in a misguided attempt to compete with WoW.

  • Benno #13 2 years ago

    in 2012 we'll all be dead, who cares about this

  • Benno #14 2 years ago

    and those of us who survive will be playing a real life fallout game

  • Slipstream #15 2 years ago

    I've secured my place in a Vault, subscribed online...phew

  • Emmit_Assassin #16 2 years ago

    @Slipstream
    Beat me to that one yer bugger...
    I got me secret stash of weapons, chainsaw, AA route map for the shopping centre and diesel fuel for the zombie apocalypse...
    I got me green card to get me on the 'Ship' in China in case Dean and Roland actually know something we don't...
    I got me space in Vault 13 all sorted in case North Korea get a little trigger happy...
    So I couldn't give a f**k what they're up to.

  • TonyCocaCola #17 2 years ago

    Sod making an MMO, why isnt Fallout 1 on the iphone yet?