Interplay's Fallout MMO on the ropes News
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Robert Purchese
Interplay's Fallout MMO may never see the light of day as Bethesda attempts to terminate the licensing agreement with a lawsuit filed last week.
The Fallout 3 maker claims Interplay needed to check with Bethesda before re-selling old Fallout games online. Licensing them to Steam, GOG.com and GameTap apparently breaches the 2004 trademark agreement.
The result is "immediate, substantial, and irreparable harm" suffered by Bethesda, according to Gamasutra.
Of course, Bethesda has threatened Interplay before, alleging that the latter had broken the licensing agreement by failing to enter full-scale production of the Fallout MMO and by failing to secure enough funding to see the project through.
Interplay doesn't appear to have made any great strides with the Fallout MMO since recruiting Masthead Studios to work on the poorly-disguised Project V13 in April.
Nevertheless, the controversial re-issue of the old Fallout games - as well as the resurrection Earthworm Jim on PSN, WiiWare and XBLA - may be Interplay's way of funding the on-going MMO.
But Bethesda will fight hard to protect the dignity of the licence after the enormous success of Fallout 3. And given the financial clout of the publisher-stroke-developer, the likelihood of a rival Fallout MMO being developed behind closed-doors may not be too far-fetched.
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Comments: 1-21 of 21 in total
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the_dudefather
14/09/09 @ 09:36
-5
boo hiss @ Bethesda, Interplay should totally be allowed to sell games in a franchise that they sold the rights to in whatever way they want, it's not like they signed a contract or anything!
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JACK_BURTON
14/09/09 @ 09:46
+3
The article would seem to indicate that Interplay did sign an agreement. How would Bethseda be able to claim breech if nothing was signed?
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the_dudefather
14/09/09 @ 09:54
+1
From what I understand, Bethesda own the fallout IP, but interplay can distribute the older fallout titles (Bethesda have to verify the marketing materials for the game), while the GOG and steam versions are fine, the disagreement comes from a 'fallout trilogy' pack released (that contains 1+2+tactics), which wasn't approved by Bethesda
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poopmonster
14/09/09 @ 09:57
0
Some of us remember when Interplay were a good publisher and on the ball. Those days are long gone.
It's hard to blame em for trying in the current climate, and with the reborn interest in the Fallout brand. But if they did wrong, they did wrong. And publishers are renown for trying to contractually screw devs, so it's interesting when the tables turn. |
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Jonathan_Fakenham
14/09/09 @ 10:25
0
Nah, they didn't rework anything. Basically, they just threw the games on Steam and GOG. (And I re-bought the pack, for easy access in my Steams.)
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 14/09/09 @ 11:25
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+1
I got these from GOG ages ago, and they were consistently the top sellers until they were released via steam as well. Seems a bit heavy handed from Bethesda, but strongly indicates they want to develope their own fallout MMO.
But then if interplay signed on the dotted line I guess they haven't got a lot of come back. |
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MrChuckles
14/09/09 @ 10:53
+3
Seling Fallout 1 & 2 harm the Fallout brand? Excuse me?
Fallout 3 has harmed the brand created by the first two... |
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metalangel
14/09/09 @ 11:10
0
Uberfrog, Interplay just published most of the games, they didn't make 'em themselves.
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actionfitz
14/09/09 @ 11:16
+1
because what the world needs is another MMO.
with wow's future still bright, Aion out next week or so, The Secret World, The old republic and Star Trek Online all looking promising... where the fuck are we gonna find the time to play any of these MMO's hehe. |
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Optimaximal
14/09/09 @ 11:25
+6
Isn't this just based on the fact that Interplay have started selling 'The Fallout Collection' as 'The Fallout Trilogy', which is just asking for trouble.
I suppose the question is, if GOG.com & Valve are forced to remove Fallout & Fallout 2 from sale, will they still be allowed to offer it for repeat download/access, and if not, will customers be getting refunds? Could set a precedent either way! |
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-1
While Bethesda now own the IP. They would do well to remember that the only reason the IP is worth anything at all is because of the original games bought out by interplay. Do they really then think it is a good idea to try to remove the original titles and so piss off the very gamers who have only just made their own fallout game a success?
If so then things may well start to get ugly for bethesda and rightly so. |
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+3
Seling Fallout 1 & 2 harm the Fallout brand? Excuse me?
game quality aside,i guess that's because Interplay is selling F1, F2 and Tactics advertised as "The Fallout Trilogy". the word trilogy usually implies parts 1, 2 and 3 (obviously not the case here), so i can understand how bethesda might have a problem with this. |
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Skorms-Boss
14/09/09 @ 13:20
+1
If you two don't stop arguing I'll send you to your rooms..... children huh!
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trooperdx3117
14/09/09 @ 13:29
+4
I don't understand why so many seem to misinterpret Bethesda when they say that Interplay hurt the brand of Fallout 3 considering Interplay downright insulted Bethesda by releasing Fallout 1, 2 and tactics as the Fallout trilogy which seems to suggest that Fallout 3 isn't a real Fallout game. Also im almost positive that Interplay completely sold the Fallout IP to Bethesda back in 2005 or 2006.
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+1
As much as I am going to get downrated for this, do we need ANOTHER post-apocalyptic MMO? Huxley and Fallen Earth are pretty much covering the bases on that front (As well as a few older ones but we'll keep it to modern times), and as much as I love Fallout - wouldn't we rather have a proper sequel than an MMO?
Just a thought. But totally with Bethesda here - when you package a "Trilogy" and leave out arguably the most well-known part, you're just asking for trouble.
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 14/09/09 @ 17:08
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0
It's not like anyone was actually expecting a Fallout MMO from Interplay to ever see the light of day, is it?
Not that I wouldn't love a Fallout MMO (assuming it was done well of course), but I can't really say I have much faith in Interplay ever again being in a financial position to undertake a development project of that magnitude. But I could be wrong of course. |
Comments: 1-21 of 21 in total
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