Gold Rush
11-30-2009, 07:10 PM
Basically, for those of you who do not know, Bethesda is in a legal battle over Interplay for the Fallout license. Basically, Interplay was given/paid for a license to use Fallout by creator Bethesda. They was a two year time frame (2 years and 12 days) to produce or start production on an MMO. Bethesda (and we players) have not seen anything to it, so, Bethesda wants the license back.
But it's not that simple, because Interplay seems to have made some work involving a Fallout MMO. Exact details are sketchy, but it is now up to a judge to decide if this was enough work to let Interplay keep the license. In addition to this, seems like Interplay needs fast money and was shopping for a buyer for it's Fallout rights (some contracts allow such sub-letting/passing on licenses). So basically, we have a suit and a counter-suit both ways. :p
More details to follow.
Bethesda suing Interplay over Fallout MMO
by David Hinkle { Sep 11th 2009 at 8:30PM } PC
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2009/10/project-v13-concept-102909.jpg
Things weren't looking good for Interplay earlier this year (http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/17/interplay-still-out-of-money/) and, uh, much hasn't changed since then. Even though the company had virtually no money, it still wanted to make the Fallout MMO, Project V-13 (http://www.joystiq.com/tag/project-v13). Well, Interplay's got another hurdle now: Bethesda. The Oblivion and Fallout 3 developer claims that Interplay infringed on its trademark, court documents show (http://dockets.justia.com/docket/court-mddce/case_no-1:2009cv02357/case_id-171540/). Interplay disagrees, obviously, and says it still holds the rights to develop the title with Masthead Studios, even though it failed to commence the stipulated full-scale development by April 4, 2009.
Gamasutra (http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=25226) has more info on the lawsuit, which also mentions Interplay's licensing of the original Fallout games for digital distribution through services such Steam, GOG.com and GameTap. Bethesda says this has caused "immediate, substantial, and irreparable harm." But, hey, it's not all frowns and sad faces. Above this text is a neat piece of concept art for Project V-13 from Natiq Aghayev. Man, we never thought post-apocalyptia could look so good.
Source - Court documents [Via VG247 (http://www.vg247.com/2009/09/11/bethesda-to-sue-interplay-over-fallout-mmo/)]
Source - Gamasutra
Report: Interplay countersues Bethesda over Fallout rights
by Xav de Matos { Oct 21st 2009 at 6:00PM } PC
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2009/09/projectv13091109.jpg
The infighting between Fallout's father and newly adopted guardian continues. According to a forum post by supposed Interplay stockholder frymuchan, Interplay has been given a 10-day extension to answer a preliminary injunction filed by Bethesda, which claims Interplay no longer holds rights to sell the original titles in the series. Following the release of Fallout 3, Interplay began selling the original titles across multiple PC-based digital distribution services.
Previous court filings by Bethesda claimed that Interplay's plans to develop a Fallout MMO -- codenamed Project V-13 -- were no longer valid because Interplay did not commence development prior to an agreed date of April 4, 2009. According to the post by RagingBull forum user "frymuchan" -- who claims to have received the information from official court documents -- Interplay claims it did issue a letter to Bethesda prior to the April date outlining details of a Fallout MMO, but Bethesda told it "for no apparent reason" that Interplay was no longer allowed to develop the game. Interplay believes that Bethesda's interference with licensing agreements to make the original titles in the series available digitally is unreasonable based on the current contracts in place.
Frymuchan also claims that Interplay has filed a countersuit versus Bethesda over statements it made to third party companies to whom it was attempting to license the original titles. According to the post, Bethesda released statements to companies such as GameTap and Good Old Games, claiming Interplay had no rights to license Fallout 1, 2 or Tactics for sale on its services. Interplay's counterclaim maintains this "unreasonable interference" puts Bethesda into breach of contract and makes the license sale "null and void," therefore reverting the agreement back to a sub-licensing deal between Interplay and Bethesda. In short, Interplay claims Bethesda now only holds rights to Fallout 3 with options for a fourth and fifth game in the series.
It's an argument of apocalyptic proportions and we're expecting more details when the extension expires next week.
Report: Court backs Interplay in Fallout MMO squabble; concept art surfaces
by Randy Nelson { Oct 29th 2009 at 3:30PM } PC
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2009/10/project-v13-001.jpg
The twists and turns in the saga of Interplay's suspected Fallout MMO, "Project V13," date back to 2006. The latest came this week when, according to a report by No Mutants Allowed (http://www.nma-fallout.com/article.php?id=52822), someone claiming to be an Interplay stockholder revealed that Fallout IP owner Bethesda was denied an injunction it had sought against Interplay.
Bethesda had hoped to strip Interplay of the Fallout license after the publisher had supposedly broken an agreement (http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/16/interplay-may-lose-its-license-to-make-a-fallout-mmo/) to begin development of the MMO before April 4, 2009. Interplay claims that's not the case (http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/21/report-interplay-countersues-bethesda-over-fallout-rights/) and, perhaps to prove its point, has posted concept art from the could-be-a-game on its forums.
(http://www.interplay.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=50)
As much as we'd love to play an MMO based on our favorite post-nuclear RPG, we can't help but feel this falling out between the two companies is going to keep us waiting until the real apocalypse -- and beyond.
Rumor: Interplay's Fallout MMO in-game screenshots leaked by ... Interplay
by Ben Gilbert { Nov 14th 2009 at 3:30PM }
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2009/11/projectv13screen2.jpg
With original Fallout IP holder Interplay currently embroiled in a legal battle with new Fallout IP holder Bethesda Softworks, it's no surprise that the most recently "leaked" images from Interplay's Project V13 are said to be from an "anonymous, but reliable" source. The Vault Wiki (http://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/User_blog:Ausir/First_Project_V13_screenshots) even goes as far as to claim that the images are directly from Interplay, saying "These screenshots were actually submitted by Interplay as court evidence to show that the game is in full production already."
Putting on our super sleuth detective caps, a Nuka-Cola billboard and the inclusion of a supermutant in these screens certainly confirms they are from some form of Fallout game. Big Download (http://news.bigdownload.com/2009/11/14/rumor-are-these-the-first-fallout-online-screenshots/) points out that these screens look awfully similar to concept art (http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/29/report-court-backs-interplay-in-fallout-mmo-squabble-concept-a/) released by Interplay not too long ago. Without any solid confirmation from Interplay as to the origin of these screens though, we're gonna have to keep it filed strictly under the "rumor" category for now.
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2009/11/projectv13screen1.jpg
http://www.joystiq.com/photos/project-v13-fallout-mmo-from-interplay-rumored-screenshots/2452635/
But it's not that simple, because Interplay seems to have made some work involving a Fallout MMO. Exact details are sketchy, but it is now up to a judge to decide if this was enough work to let Interplay keep the license. In addition to this, seems like Interplay needs fast money and was shopping for a buyer for it's Fallout rights (some contracts allow such sub-letting/passing on licenses). So basically, we have a suit and a counter-suit both ways. :p
More details to follow.
Bethesda suing Interplay over Fallout MMO
by David Hinkle { Sep 11th 2009 at 8:30PM } PC
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2009/10/project-v13-concept-102909.jpg
Things weren't looking good for Interplay earlier this year (http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/17/interplay-still-out-of-money/) and, uh, much hasn't changed since then. Even though the company had virtually no money, it still wanted to make the Fallout MMO, Project V-13 (http://www.joystiq.com/tag/project-v13). Well, Interplay's got another hurdle now: Bethesda. The Oblivion and Fallout 3 developer claims that Interplay infringed on its trademark, court documents show (http://dockets.justia.com/docket/court-mddce/case_no-1:2009cv02357/case_id-171540/). Interplay disagrees, obviously, and says it still holds the rights to develop the title with Masthead Studios, even though it failed to commence the stipulated full-scale development by April 4, 2009.
Gamasutra (http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=25226) has more info on the lawsuit, which also mentions Interplay's licensing of the original Fallout games for digital distribution through services such Steam, GOG.com and GameTap. Bethesda says this has caused "immediate, substantial, and irreparable harm." But, hey, it's not all frowns and sad faces. Above this text is a neat piece of concept art for Project V-13 from Natiq Aghayev. Man, we never thought post-apocalyptia could look so good.
Source - Court documents [Via VG247 (http://www.vg247.com/2009/09/11/bethesda-to-sue-interplay-over-fallout-mmo/)]
Source - Gamasutra
Report: Interplay countersues Bethesda over Fallout rights
by Xav de Matos { Oct 21st 2009 at 6:00PM } PC
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2009/09/projectv13091109.jpg
The infighting between Fallout's father and newly adopted guardian continues. According to a forum post by supposed Interplay stockholder frymuchan, Interplay has been given a 10-day extension to answer a preliminary injunction filed by Bethesda, which claims Interplay no longer holds rights to sell the original titles in the series. Following the release of Fallout 3, Interplay began selling the original titles across multiple PC-based digital distribution services.
Previous court filings by Bethesda claimed that Interplay's plans to develop a Fallout MMO -- codenamed Project V-13 -- were no longer valid because Interplay did not commence development prior to an agreed date of April 4, 2009. According to the post by RagingBull forum user "frymuchan" -- who claims to have received the information from official court documents -- Interplay claims it did issue a letter to Bethesda prior to the April date outlining details of a Fallout MMO, but Bethesda told it "for no apparent reason" that Interplay was no longer allowed to develop the game. Interplay believes that Bethesda's interference with licensing agreements to make the original titles in the series available digitally is unreasonable based on the current contracts in place.
Frymuchan also claims that Interplay has filed a countersuit versus Bethesda over statements it made to third party companies to whom it was attempting to license the original titles. According to the post, Bethesda released statements to companies such as GameTap and Good Old Games, claiming Interplay had no rights to license Fallout 1, 2 or Tactics for sale on its services. Interplay's counterclaim maintains this "unreasonable interference" puts Bethesda into breach of contract and makes the license sale "null and void," therefore reverting the agreement back to a sub-licensing deal between Interplay and Bethesda. In short, Interplay claims Bethesda now only holds rights to Fallout 3 with options for a fourth and fifth game in the series.
It's an argument of apocalyptic proportions and we're expecting more details when the extension expires next week.
Report: Court backs Interplay in Fallout MMO squabble; concept art surfaces
by Randy Nelson { Oct 29th 2009 at 3:30PM } PC
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2009/10/project-v13-001.jpg
The twists and turns in the saga of Interplay's suspected Fallout MMO, "Project V13," date back to 2006. The latest came this week when, according to a report by No Mutants Allowed (http://www.nma-fallout.com/article.php?id=52822), someone claiming to be an Interplay stockholder revealed that Fallout IP owner Bethesda was denied an injunction it had sought against Interplay.
Bethesda had hoped to strip Interplay of the Fallout license after the publisher had supposedly broken an agreement (http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/16/interplay-may-lose-its-license-to-make-a-fallout-mmo/) to begin development of the MMO before April 4, 2009. Interplay claims that's not the case (http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/21/report-interplay-countersues-bethesda-over-fallout-rights/) and, perhaps to prove its point, has posted concept art from the could-be-a-game on its forums.
(http://www.interplay.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=50)
As much as we'd love to play an MMO based on our favorite post-nuclear RPG, we can't help but feel this falling out between the two companies is going to keep us waiting until the real apocalypse -- and beyond.
Rumor: Interplay's Fallout MMO in-game screenshots leaked by ... Interplay
by Ben Gilbert { Nov 14th 2009 at 3:30PM }
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2009/11/projectv13screen2.jpg
With original Fallout IP holder Interplay currently embroiled in a legal battle with new Fallout IP holder Bethesda Softworks, it's no surprise that the most recently "leaked" images from Interplay's Project V13 are said to be from an "anonymous, but reliable" source. The Vault Wiki (http://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/User_blog:Ausir/First_Project_V13_screenshots) even goes as far as to claim that the images are directly from Interplay, saying "These screenshots were actually submitted by Interplay as court evidence to show that the game is in full production already."
Putting on our super sleuth detective caps, a Nuka-Cola billboard and the inclusion of a supermutant in these screens certainly confirms they are from some form of Fallout game. Big Download (http://news.bigdownload.com/2009/11/14/rumor-are-these-the-first-fallout-online-screenshots/) points out that these screens look awfully similar to concept art (http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/29/report-court-backs-interplay-in-fallout-mmo-squabble-concept-a/) released by Interplay not too long ago. Without any solid confirmation from Interplay as to the origin of these screens though, we're gonna have to keep it filed strictly under the "rumor" category for now.
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2009/11/projectv13screen1.jpg
http://www.joystiq.com/photos/project-v13-fallout-mmo-from-interplay-rumored-screenshots/2452635/