E3 2011

Fallout Online teaser site launches

By Tor Thorsen

E3 2010: Legal battle not stopping Interplay from moving ahead with the Masthead-developed post-nuclear MMORPG; beta testers being solicited.

LOS ANGELES--The threat of a court-ordered shutdown isn't stopping Interplay from moving ahead with Fallout Online. This morning, the once-nearly bankrupt company launched a teaser site for the massively multiplayer game, which was previously known by its code name, Project V13. After offering some visual references to the first two Fallout games, released in the 1990s, the site asks visitors to sign up for a newsletter to be considered for the game's beta test.

Interplay is moving ahead with the Fallout MMORPG.

Interplay is moving ahead with the Fallout MMORPG.

In development at Masthead Studios, the Bulgarian shop developing the postapocalyptic role-playing game Earthrise, Fallout Online has been the subject of a legal battle between Interplay and Bethesda Softworks, developer and publisher of Fallout 3. The dispute stems from a disagreement about the deal, which saw Bethesda purchase the Fallout IP for $5.75 million in 2007 and then license the Fallout massively multiplayer online role-playing game rights back to Interplay.

The license agreement had a stipulation that Interplay had to start full-time development within two years or the Fallout MMORPG rights would revert to Bethesda. Two years later, Bethesda terminated the deal, citing Interplay's lack of progress on Project V13. In a lawsuit filed in September, Bethesda accused Interplay of not having enough money to move forward with the game.

The following month, Interplay accused Bethesda of acting in bad faith in a countersuit. It quickly released the first concept art for Fallout Online, claiming that work on the game was proceeding apace. In December, a judge agreed, denying Bethesda's request for an injunction that would have halted all work on Interplay's MMORPG.

However, even with a legal green light, Fallout Online faces many obstacles on the road to release--foremost of which is Interplay's shaky financial state. In a financial report released last year, the company reported a loss of $1.052 million on $854,000 of income for the nine months ending September 30, 2009, thanks mostly to $1.48 million in "general and administrative" costs. During that same period, the company reported it had only spent $195,000 on product development.

By Tor Thorsen

97 Comments

  • kazoo128

    Posted Dec 28, 2010 9:07 pm GMT

    Sounds like Interplay is digging themselves a grave . . . . $195k of 1.4 million isn't the way that games get built. Spending way more than you make= economic fail. (I would like to see the game though)

  • azazelis

    Posted Dec 24, 2010 12:11 am GMT

    I know there are a lot of Interplay fans on here (I myself have played Interplay before they made games for Windows) but I think everyone needs to understand this: Fallout 3 was released 10 years after Fallout 2. If Bethesda didn't step in, we might not have ever been able to experience another Fallout title. Interplay, for all the great games they have come out with over the years has had a habit of continuously sabotaging themselves by not sticking with their most popular titles. Now that Bethesda has resurrected the franchise Interplay executives come in and look for a way to bleed it again.

    My opinion - I like to see results, and Interplay just hasn't delivered lately.

  • doomsoth

    Posted Dec 23, 2010 5:00 pm GMT

    IMO, Interplay should just move on and change the name of the game as well as some of the iconic Fallout symbols to something else, so they don't have to worry about Bethesda.

  • georgeorjose

    Posted Oct 22, 2010 3:43 pm GMT

    interesting, must hear more

  • 666NightsInHell

    Posted Oct 22, 2010 8:44 am GMT

    Looking forward only if game will be free to play, if pay for play then no point to play, tonns of great free to play games around

  • DevilDude19

    Posted Jul 18, 2010 3:51 pm GMT

    I may not have played any of Interplay's titles such as the FO games. The first FO I've played was FO3 for the 360 and i thought it kicked ass. If the game looks as good as the concept arts and screenshots i've seen then i shall give it a shot.

  • SuperYeti22

    Posted Jun 23, 2010 3:43 pm GMT

    oh and @what I said earlier, really, it's more like like picking up a toy that a little kid wasnt even using, and then when you walk away he throws a tantrum because he wants it back!

  • mull20641

    Posted Jun 22, 2010 8:14 pm GMT

    @awarriorg bethesda is not the one that made Fallout 1 and 2 two of the best rpg's of all time. That's why you would buy this now.

  • Shiftfallout

    Posted Jun 22, 2010 6:10 pm GMT

    @flyin_panda That is the most ridiculous claim I have seen this month. What do you know about game design? Can you even name the games the devs worked on? If you think they have only designed 2D isometric rpgs in their life...you are sorely mistaken. What would make you assume such a thing? Game design is a skill set that isnt dependent upon 2d or 3d, single player or online. If you know game design, it wont matter what the technology is you are working with. Producing is about the pipeline process, the scheduling and finding the right talent...it wont matter if the project is 2d or 3d, its still the same process. You also forget who is actually producing the content, Mast Head Studios. What do you know about costs and what is or is not possible? Tell me, do you know how investors work? Publishers? What about the current budget for Fallout Online? I dont think you have the answers for that. I work with game design and production, its pretty obvious you do not. Nice try though.

  • flyin_panda

    Posted Jun 22, 2010 5:42 am GMT

    @shiftfallout, it does not matter if original Fallout devs are working on Fallout online, they only knew how to design Fallout top down 3rd person style. If they expect people to play MMO in a top down style, they better think again. Not to mention they don't have the financial means to develop a MMO in the first place.

  • ihatespam04

    Posted Jun 19, 2010 8:41 pm GMT

    @ronih
    Bethesda won't pay Interplay. They claim they already have, and that Interplay has violated the terms of the agreement. It seems like Bethesda wants Interplay to fold and just buy out the project for pennies on the dollar. It's sad, like a best friend who's parents are getting divorced and fighting who gets the child.

  • ronih

    Posted Jun 19, 2010 11:19 am GMT

    This is probably all a chess game to get Interplay to default in some way and hand over the remaining Fallout rights to Bethesda, which is totally fine with me. Interplay went sideways a decade ago and never recovered.

    *If* Interplay were smart, they would just sell the rights to Fallout to Bethesda which should also help fix their balance sheet. Pay off their debt, close up shop, and join Bethesda. Interplay as an entity has been comatose for 10 years and it's time for them to pull the plug and take a dirt nap.

  • Shiftfallout

    Posted Jun 19, 2010 1:04 am GMT

    @bodylotion, actually some original Fallout devs are working on Fallout Online, also the setting takes place awhile after the events of Fallout 2. The concept is that people are gathering trying to form civilizations once more, which would make sense. Also in Fallout 1 and 2, you still encountered a lot of people.

  • Reuwsaat

    Posted Jun 18, 2010 4:06 pm GMT

    @DaneGamer

    it was sarcastic lol

  • Reuwsaat

    Posted Jun 18, 2010 4:04 pm GMT

    @MafiaBroad82

    "I'll play this game on february's 30, 2009"

    explanation (lol): february have only 28 days (29 on bi.). It's like saying you'll play it on december 32, and we are in 2010, so it's impossible to play it on 2009 and even more impossible to play it on february's 30. Got it? it was supposed to be a joke @__________________@.

  • P8rt

    Posted Jun 18, 2010 1:19 pm GMT

    @sidzero A much more beneficial solution for all parties. The way the original contract is worded even if Interplay totally collapses down to two guys with part time jobs at 7 eleven who work on this in their spare time,they will still be meeting the vague terms set down in the contract.Bethesda signed the contract because that's what they had to sign to get the rights and it worked out well for them.
    This is the last thing of any real value they have left.

  • Herenr

    Posted Jun 18, 2010 12:53 pm GMT

    @ Gelugon_baat

    Seriously dude, if your "friends" can't accept the fact that you like FO3, then I would contemplate associating with them; particularly if they can't accept differing opinions. For one, this isn't the same Interplay that released FO 1 or 2; no where near. Furthermore, most of the original team are now working on New Vegas. Seriously, some people won't care about the quality of the finished product, just as long as it has "Interplay" slapped on the box.

  • Herenr

    Posted Jun 18, 2010 12:42 pm GMT

    Considering their funds, and the fact that this is being dragged out in court, I seriously doubt Interplay would be able to release a respectable game. This "teaser" site is more likely a response to the recent hype surrounding New Vegas; a game that is actually being designed by a good percentage of the original Fallout team. Besides, the guys currently managing Interplay are the ones responsible for Superman 64......That in itself leaves me skeptical.

  • sidzero

    Posted Jun 18, 2010 5:02 am GMT

    You know, all the money Bethesda is spending on this lawsuit, why don't they just buy out Interplay altogether? It would probably be more cost-effective that way, and they would get a bunch of awesome oldskool IPs that they could either revive, or turn around and sell.

  • bodylotion

    Posted Jun 18, 2010 3:08 am GMT

    Most of the old Fallout crew members left Interplay (maybe all of them) so i'm not sure what they want with a Fallout MMORPG. Fallout universe is great but i don't want to see 5000 people in a 'deserted' Wasteland jumping around and whatnot. If Interplay somehow succeeds in creating a good MMORPG and so i was wrong all the time i probably will buy the game.