Link: www.fudzilla.com/content/view/15476/1/

"Bethesda has taken the fight to Interplay, accusing the company of failing to uphold its send of the bargain for the company’s use of the Fallout license. According to our sources, the perhaps somewhat unexpected success of Fallout 3 does seem to be generating some Fallout mania that, of course, Interplay wants to also cash in on.

Bethesda threatened to file suit against Interplay if they did not uphold their end of the 2007 agreement and the company has made good on this by filing a preliminary injunction in Maryland on September 9th. The injunction seeks to stop Interplay from the manufacturing or sales of Fallout, Fallout 2, and Fallout Tactics, all of which are on the PC platform.

While the agreement that Bethesda has with Interplay allows the company to continue to sell pre-existing Fallout titles, all packaging, promotional materials and advertising had to be submitted to Bethesda for approval prior to bringing these catalog titles to market. Bethesda claims that Interplay never received any approval to move forward with these re-released titles.

The real struggle seems to continue to be over the development of the Fallout MMO title, which Interplay was and is permitted to develop as part of the agreement. According to our sources, the deal that Bethesda has with Interplay gives Bethesda all of the Fallout rights for a payment of approximately $5.75 million dollars. It is said that this, coupled with the deal Interplay has, secure an additional $30 million to continue development of Project V13; this is said to be the Fallout MMO within 24 months, or the rights would revert back to Bethesda.

According to our sources, it is likely that Bethesda could win this suit and all of the rights would return to Bethesda. Some are suggesting that Bethesda wants to start the development of their own Fallout MMO if the Interplay project fails; based on the success of Fallout 3 the company does believe that there is a large market for such a title."

Will we see a Fallout MMO from Interplay soon? Or will rights go back to Bethesda and we wait another few years for Fallout MMO?

I don't like Fallout 3 and I loved the originals. I don't like any game developed by Bethesda. They are all boring. I hope they don't win this one.

I thought Earthrise developers already started on Fallout MMO?

Oh well... 

Well I like the original Fallout and had fun with it at the time. Like Oblivion too.

However, I hate Bethesda for the major screw up they did with Star Trek Legacy, poor, poor support and broken multiplayer. OMG the trouble I had with them...

A Fallout MMO would be nice to see but can't make mind up whether prefer Bethesda or Interplay.

All the talent that worked on the original Fallouts wont be at Interplay so whocares if they develop it. Truth is Bethesda are in a much stronger position to create the next great Fallout game and Interplay hasn't done anything lately. Also myself I hated the originals they were very buggy and clunky with dated graphics even for their day.

Thanks, Avery. This is an interesting story. I'm not sure who I'd like to win; I like both companies and I like their games. This seems a little petty though, on both parts. It would have been simple for Interplay work worth through Bethesda, but it does seem a little like Bethesda just wants to edge Interplay out so they can make their own MMO of Fallout. Odd.

That is a strange article, informative but strange. Interplay being the original publishers of the game should be able to do whatever they want regardless of any contract however...I also don't know what the agreement was over such as what was expected of both companies. Shit i hope interplay wins. Bethesda puts out some awesome titles and i personally think Fallout 3 was amazing regardless the fallout series is originally interplays so they should be able to do what ever the hell they want. minus what some other corp is bitching about. But like i said, i dont know the terms of the contract.

My impression is that while Bethesada held the rights for the story, Interplay had the MMO rights... correct me if I am wrong. 

Originally posted by aleos

That is a strange article, informative but strange. Interplay being the original publishers of the game should be able to do whatever they want regardless of any contract however...I also don't know what the agreement was over such as what was expected of both companies. Shit i hope interplay wins. Bethesda puts out some awesome titles and i personally think Fallout 3 was amazing regardless the fallout series is originally interplays so they should be able to do what ever the hell they want. minus what some other corp is bitching about. But like i said, i dont know the terms of the contract.

afaik interplay sold the fallout rights to bethesda, and bethesda allowed interplay to make an mmo.

err and yeah. Decided to search it and i was right.

http://fallout3.wordpress.com/2007/04/12/interplay-sells-fallout-license/

Well I remember seeing that int he contract it says Interplay have a certain date to show what they've done with the MMO and they didn't make the date so has broken the cotnract and Bethesda now owns the rights to the MMO. Something along those lines.

People here seem to be confusing the Interplay of today with the Interplay that created the original Fallout games. The Interplay we have now is a train wreck of a company and bares little resemblance to the company they once were. If left up to them we will never see a Fallout MMO. The best possible thing that could happen to the IP at this point is for Bethesda to get the rights to the MMO. This is the only possible way a Fallout MMO will ever see the light of day. Interplay is not in a position to even produce a AAA single player game much less a MMO. The only hope this franchise has to have any future is to be totally owned by Bethesda. I hope they win and put the wounded animal that is Interplay out of it's misery once and for all.

Bren

Dude

Bethesda isn't a great company.

Interplay on the other hand kicked some major ass back in the day

if they got their shit together I'd love to see them come back

We need more developers in the market not less.

Fallout 3 was great but it was never on pare of Fallout 2 an Fallout. Bath needs to calm down and let he original owner do their stuff. OH NO fallout 2 is on sale fo 5$ ... the TEARS!!!!!

Originally posted by PoopyStuff

Dude

Bethesda isn't a great company.

 

Interplay on the other hand kicked some major ass back in the day

if they got their shit together I'd love to see them come back

 

We need more developers in the market not less.

 

Go and look up exactly what they have been doing for the last 8-10 years. It isn't pretty. The only guy there that even had anything to do with the old Interplay that we knew and loved is the current CEO. From his track record over the last 8-10 years it's very clear he hasn't a clue as to what he's doing. Everyone else from the old Interplay has moved on to bigger and better things a long time ago. The company that Interplay is today isn't what most of you think it is and will never 'get it's shit together'. If it hasn't in ten years what makes you think it will now? It's been on life support for the last 8-10 years and it's time someone pulled the plug. I sincerely hope Bethesda manages to do just that. It's painful to watch what the current management(or lack thereof) is doing to a company that was once one of the greats.

Edit: The only other option really is for Bethesda to buy Interplay outright. Then they could pour money and resources directly into the Fallout MMO project and oversee it's development. This would at least make sure that we would see a Fallout MMO under the Interplay name. I don't think this will happen though. It will be a lot easier and cheaper for Bethesda to rip the MMO rights out from under Interplay which is exactly what is happening now. This will be the death blow to Interplay as they really have nothing else to fall back on. I hate to see the name Interplay die as much as anyone else as in their day they made some great games. The company they are now however has nothing to do with the company they were then though other than the name.

Bren

I believe that Fallout 3 is Bethesdas only big hit, and I would guess that is partly due to Interplay.

I love the Fallout series.  Each game has just grown on the orignal award winning rpg engine making each one different but enjoyable in play.

I am thrilled to see that after Fallout 3 there will be development of a Fallout MMO.  It will probably not run on my current machine but that does not mean that I am not interested in it in the future.  To me it would be the multiplayer version of 3.

Good luck with whatever deal you put together.  

Yours truly,

Macklin Von Smythe - Vault  65

dude, they ran out of money

what company do you know of does ANYTHING when they don't have money?

I'm gonna root for the underdog on this one. I like market competition.. 

if there's even a slim hope that interplay can come back and be a major player I'm for it

Originally posted by Kalay

I believe that Fallout 3 is Bethesdas only big hit, and I would guess that is partly due to Interplay.

I love the Fallout series.  Each game has just grown on the orignal award winning rpg engine making each one different but enjoyable in play.

I am thrilled to see that after Fallout 3 there will be development of a Fallout MMO.  It will probably not run on my current machine but that does not mean that I am not interested in it in the future.  To me it would be the multiplayer version of 3.

Good luck with whatever deal you put together.  

Yours truly,

Macklin Von Smythe - Vault  65

LOL... Ummm... no, The Elder Scrolls series is one of the most successful single player RPG franchises to date. It built Bethesda into the software giant they are today. Morrowind alone outsold Fallout 3 by a long shot. Fallout 3 is a great game and an outstanding success but it's hardly their only hit game by a long shot.

Bren

Edited because I felt like it.

Originally posted by PoopyStuff

dude, they ran out of money

what company do you know of does ANYTHING when they don't have money?

I'm gonna root for the underdog on this one. I like market competition.. 

if there's even a slim hope that interplay can come back and be a major player I'm for it

 

Yeah, like ten years ago. They've also stiffed so many investors that no one is going to give them any money at this point. They probably couldn't even get a bank loan with their track record. Root for them all you want but it won't change the fact that they are pretty much done.

Bren

Originally posted by Brenelael

Originally posted by Kalay

I believe that Fallout 3 is Bethesdas only big hit, and I would guess that is partly due to Interplay.

I love the Fallout series.  Each game has just grown on the orignal award winning rpg engine making each one different but enjoyable in play.

I am thrilled to see that after Fallout 3 there will be development of a Fallout MMO.  It will probably not run on my current machine but that does not mean that I am not interested in it in the future.  To me it would be the multiplayer version of 3.

Good luck with whatever deal you put together.  

Yours truly,

Macklin Von Smythe - Vault  65

LOL... Ummm... no, The Elder Scrolls series is one of the most successful single player RPG franchise to date. It built Bethesda into the software giant they are today. Morrowind alone outsold Fallout 3 by a long shot. Fallout 3 is a great game and an outstanding success but it's hardly their only hit game by a long shot.

 

Bren

 

Edited because I felt like it.

I disagree. Fallout 3 is a horrible game that was highly successful.

Originally posted by skeaser

Originally posted by Brenelael

Originally posted by Kalay

I believe that Fallout 3 is Bethesdas only big hit, and I would guess that is partly due to Interplay.

I love the Fallout series.  Each game has just grown on the orignal award winning rpg engine making each one different but enjoyable in play.

I am thrilled to see that after Fallout 3 there will be development of a Fallout MMO.  It will probably not run on my current machine but that does not mean that I am not interested in it in the future.  To me it would be the multiplayer version of 3.

Good luck with whatever deal you put together.  

Yours truly,

Macklin Von Smythe - Vault  65

LOL... Ummm... no, The Elder Scrolls series is one of the most successful single player RPG franchise to date. It built Bethesda into the software giant they are today. Morrowind alone outsold Fallout 3 by a long shot. Fallout 3 is a great game and an outstanding success but it's hardly their only hit game by a long shot.

 

Bren

 

Edited because I felt like it.

 

I disagree. Fallout 3 is a horrible game that was highly successful.

That is your opinion and you are entitled to it but a lot of others expressed their opinions with their wallets and in the end that is all that matters.

Bren

I'd really like to know why some of you guys think Bethesda's games are "bad." I can understand if they don't interest you, but there is often an extremely fine line between "bad" and "dislike" when one tries to prove his point. I myself am not a huge fan/player of their games, but I have to admit they are "good:" polished, engaging, have extensive, in depth stories, and the graphics always go well beyond standards (at the time, Morrowind and the older Elder Scrolls games might not look too good nowadays >.<).

Getting the injunction documents would be nice.

Interplay is never going to secure the funding they need. All potentional investors want the game to be developed by the same people that developed the latest fallout hit fallout 3. They want Bethesda to develop it. They'll wait to invest until interplay breaches their contract and then cash in.

Bethesda is gonna do a better job anyway.

Originally posted by AmazingAvery

Well I like the original Fallout and had fun with it at the time. Like Oblivion too.

However, I hate Bethesda for the major screw up they did with Star Trek Legacy, poor, poor support and broken multiplayer. OMG the trouble I had with them...

A Fallout MMO would be nice to see but can't make mind up whether prefer Bethesda or Interplay.

I think Bethesda are better at making Elder scrolls game then Fallout games. Interplay should do the Fallout game and Bethesda that Elder scrolls online version there have been talk about instead.

Fallout 3 was just a little bit too clean for my taste. If I would choose a developer to make a Fallout MMO I vote... Rockstar. They have the right mind for it. But since that isn't an option I think the creator of the original title should do it.

Bethesda can make their own IPs instead.

Originally posted by Ackbar

Interplay is never going to secure the funding they need. All potentional investors want the game to be developed by the same people that developed the latest fallout hit fallout 3. They want Bethesda to develop it. They'll wait to invest until interplay breaches their contract and then cash in.

Bethesda is gonna do a better job anyway.

How do you know that? Interplay earned some good money on the first two game also.

Originally posted by Loke666

Originally posted by Ackbar

Interplay is never going to secure the funding they need. All potentional investors want the game to be developed by the same people that developed the latest fallout hit fallout 3. They want Bethesda to develop it. They'll wait to invest until interplay breaches their contract and then cash in.

Bethesda is gonna do a better job anyway.

How do you know that? Interplay earned some good money on the first two game also.

Well you could consider the fact that fallout 3 has outsold all the other fallout games combined.