Fallout license changes hands

[hordespawn]

If Fallout were a person this would be sick. Fallout is dead. The team that made it, the masterminds behind it, the company that created it are gone, never to return to their brain child. Now its corpse is being passed around in a bizarre form of prostitution, further being defiled at each stop.

 

[Francis]

With this news, I officially believe that Interplay is now dead.

Their chances of Fallout Online being a success are very slim, and with Bethesda now retaining complete ownership over Fallout 3, Interplay is done for.

The next question is: Will he even manage to pay off his debts with the money that he recieved from Bethesda?

Am I truely the only one who has supreme doubts that Interplay will actually manage to create that game in the first place? I mean sure, a few years ago, maybe. But now?

Edit: Never mind that, should have read the rest of the posts.

Why did IP do this? I don't think Herve has any real delusions that IP can produce this game but probably just wants IP to have some spare cash lying around so he can continue to receive his (probably exorbitantly high) managerial wage until IP dies for good.

Somehow, this reminds me of SCO. "No, we're not dead! We have great products and we will win the lawsuits too!" I think the chances of IP making this game are about the same as SCO winning just one of its many lawsuits (read: zero).

 

[pexxx]

It is only a beginning...

 

[Davaris]

Umm, you all do realise that now that Bethesda has invested a lot of money into Fallout they expect to make even more money, and in their eyes the best way to do that is to appeal to the lowest common denominator. In all probability it also means spinoffs.

Personally I think they'll lose money without the support of the fan base. One thing I've learned over the years, is the vast majority of CRPG players prefer swords and sorcery RPGs. So I think they're going to have a tough time selling it if the fan base doesn't like it.

On the other hand, perhaps they bought it so they could license it out to other devs? It would be a good way to spread their risk.

 

[Francis]

Umm, you all do realise that now that Bethesda has invested a lot of money into Fallout they expect to make even more money, and in their eyes the best way to do that is to appeal to the lowest common denominator. In all probability it also means spinoffs.

Personally I think they'll lose money without the support of the fan base. One thing I've learned over the years, is the vast majority of CRPG players prefer swords and sorcery RPGs. So I think they're going to have a tough time selling it if the fan base doesn't like it.

They've demonstrated with Oblivion that they can take a "franchise" (god I hate that word!) and create a new fanbase for it from people who usually play other types of games (other than RPGs). The same people that bought Oblivion en mass probably also bought games like Halo or Fable and will probably love FO3. Plus you can be sure that a wall of hype will hit us soon so dense and hard that every magazine and gaming website will shower FO3 with torrents of praise before they've even seen it

On the other hand, perhaps they bought it so they could license it out to other devs? It would be a good way to spread their risk.

I doubt it. They wouldn't pay that much and then trust someone else with it. They'd only do that on small, unimportant stuff like those Star Trek strategy games.

 

[Corith]

Why did IP do this?

If you had ever met Herve, you know the answer to that one.

This is about ego and arrogance. Herve has no doubts of his own ability, his own designs, and his choices. In his mind, he has made all the right choices and it was only the poor choices of others that landed him in his current position.

Deep down, Herve firmly believes he can do this. He can rise from the ashes with the greatest game ever to grace the computer. His arrogance does not allow him to suffer from any form of self-doubt.

From my interaction with Herve, I am willing to bet he feels he got the better of Bethesda. He got 6 million, which he will use to parley in to much, much more via FoL. He gets to stay the head of Interplay and lead it onto the path of greatness, while only have to give Bethesda a token percentage.

 

[Dracon M'Alkir]

Why did IP do this?

If you had ever met Herve, you know the answer to that one.

This is about ego and arrogance. Herve has no doubts of his own ability, his own designs, and his choices. In his mind, he has made all the right choices and it was only the poor choices of others that landed him in his current position.

Deep down, Herve firmly believes he can do this. He can rise from the ashes with the greatest game ever to grace the computer. His arrogance does not allow him to suffer from any form of self-doubt.

From my interaction with Herve, I am willing to bet he feels he got the better of Bethesda. He got 6 million, which he will use to parley in to much, much more via FoL. He gets to stay the head of Interplay and lead it onto the path of greatness, while only have to give Bethesda a token percentage.

This story seems strangely familiar.. I think it was about a person wanting to bring Germany up from the ashes and making it the best country in the world, or something like that. I forgot what happened to the leader though.

 

[Corith]

This story seems strangely familiar.. I think it was about a person wanting to bring Germany up from the ashes and making it the best country in the world, or something like that. I forgot what happened to the leader though.

Duke Henry of Saxony? Umm, he suffered from a stroke and died on July 2nd, 936. But, before he died he did united the German tribes of Franks, Saxons, Swabians and Bavarians into a single kingdom, Regnum Teutonicorum (Kingdom of the Germans).

 

[Maphusio]

This story seems strangely familiar.. I think it was about a person wanting to bring Germany up from the ashes and making it the best country in the world, or something like that. I forgot what happened to the leader though.

Duke Henry of Saxony? Umm, he suffered from a stroke and died on July 2nd, 936. But, before he died he did united the German tribes of Franks, Saxons, Swabians and Bavarians into a single kingdom, Regnum Teutonicorum (Kingdom of the Germans).

"And now we know, the rest of the story." ...936 eh?

 

[Dracon M'Alkir]

This story seems strangely familiar.. I think it was about a person wanting to bring Germany up from the ashes and making it the best country in the world, or something like that. I forgot what happened to the leader though.

Duke Henry of Saxony? Umm, he suffered from a stroke and died on July 2nd, 936. But, before he died he did united the German tribes of Franks, Saxons, Swabians and Bavarians into a single kingdom, Regnum Teutonicorum (Kingdom of the Germans).

Touche.

 

[Angrim]

In all probability it also means spinoffs.

Yeah, that was the thing that first popped into my mind. I fear there will be a whole big series of "Fallout" games if Fallout 3 is a big success.

FooS2, Fallout FPS, Fallout: Vertibird Fighter etc. etc...

...

 

[13pm]

the most sad thing about it is that Fallout now won't be ever developed by any other company (except Beth goes bankrupt too )

If until totally selling rights to Beth, there was a slight chance that someone else could develop Fallout 6 (will there ever be one?), now it's clear that beth would take maximum of this franchise.


Had some thougths recently.. One of the components of the atmosphere of FO was the wonderful soundtrack. Could Beth ever create such? or will they take the tracks from original? They have rights for it now...

 

[Davaris]

They've demonstrated with Oblivion that they can take a "franchise" (god I hate that word!) and create a new fanbase for it from people who usually play other types of games (other than RPGs). The same people that bought Oblivion en mass probably also bought games like Halo or Fable and will probably love FO3.

All they've proven (to me) is they can sell a fantasy based CRPG, which is a walk in the park compared to selling a dark, gritty futuristic CRPG. All of the CRPG related companies that I know of that are successful long term, stick to swords and sorcery.

Plus you can be sure that a wall of hype will hit us soon so dense and hard that every magazine and gaming website will shower FO3 with torrents of praise before they've even seen it

I don't think it will work in this case, because the Fallout fan base is jaded/educated and can't be easily conned. Also because it is not a swords and sorcery CRPG, average Joe/Jane won't get it.

I know I’m sounding like a broken record, but I'll stick to my theory until proven wrong. I've seen research on the user bases of massively multiplayer games and 95% of them are playing fantasy games. I've also spoken to and read interviews with developers over the years and they were punished when they tried something other than swords and sorcery in a CRPG.

This is just my opinion based on what I've seen and heard over the years, so I can't win any arguments. I just think if they alienate the Fallout fan base, then they're going to find the going tough.

I doubt it. They wouldn't pay that much and then trust someone else with it. They'd only do that on small, unimportant stuff like those Star Trek strategy games.

6 million is peanuts when you consider the budgets of AAA games these days. They got a bargain.

the most sad thing about it is that Fallout now won't be ever developed by any other company (except Beth goes bankrupt too )

Stranger things have happened. Interplay was a giant in the 1990's and now look at the state of it.

Also don't forget Bethesda have the option to license Fallout out now, so if they don't do well with Fallout 3, we could be seeing Fallout 4 made by another company.

 

[Francis]

Also don't forget Bethesda have the option to license Fallout out now, so if they don't do well with Fallout 3, we could be seeing Fallout 4 made by another company.

Wow. It almost sounds as if you still have hopes for Fallout

 

[Frog]

And, even his some of his Frog buddies do give him the money, his massive ego will put him at loggerheads with Bethesda very quickly.

I aint his buddy

In all probability it also means spinoffs.

Yeah, that was the thing that first popped into my mind. I fear there will be a whole big series of "Fallout" games if Fallout 3 is a big success.

FooS2, Fallout FPS, Fallout: Vertibird Fighter etc. etc...

...

... Dark Messiash of Fallout and Wasteland ...

 

[Mangler]

What Bethseda should do would be:

Convert/Update Fallout 1/2 to use 'modern' True color graphics,
rip out the RAD sound system and replace it with their own.
Make it compatible with Vista/ OS-X or whatever.

Release it as a Fallout Classics 'GOLD' version for PC/Mac/Xbox360(Bahahah!).

They supposedly have the source code and textures/models.

It would "re-educate" the gaming masses on what the original Fallouts where.

3-4 months and 2 or 3 programmer / artists could whip up this quick for virtually no cost.

Of course in this day and age they would get promptly sued by some lawyer claiming the game was politically incorrect or some damed crap like that.

Also Bethseda would probably want to tinker with the storyline or dialog... everyone likes revisionist history right?

It would be like the example of STAR WARS:

Craploads of games, for movies that would be considered pathetically dated now were they not 'updated'.

I see this a the very reason why Bethseda went back and bought the full property from Interplay. They will make a "remake" of 1 / 2 at some point.

 

[Mad Max RW]

I think the reason they bought all that shit is just so nobody else (more specifically the fans) can do it themselves. Do you realize how much of a pain in the ass it is for somebody new to a game's code to suddenly be handed everything with little/no documentation and none of the original developers to talk to? The only people crazy enough are fans with lots of time and no bosses yelling at them. Look at what people did with Doom, Quake, Half Life, etc. It'd be a nice gesture if they released the source codes and assets to be modified as we please.

But they're assholes. Bethesda wouldn't waste their time. The most they will do is pack the games on a DVD with an XP installer and re-release at $60. No fancy manuals, no frills, all in a tiny box.

 

[Davaris]

Also don't forget Bethesda have the option to license Fallout out now, so if they don't do well with Fallout 3, we could be seeing Fallout 4 made by another company.

Wow. It almost sounds as if you still have hopes for Fallout

When I first heard the news I was very depressed, but by the end of the day I remembered that Fallout is bigger than Interplay or Bethesda.

People will still be discovering and talking about the original in another 10 years and if Bethesda mucks up F3, it will be forgotten just like BOS. So I think there is hope for Fallout, or for another classic influenced by Fallout.

 

[Dirt Nap]

I find it hard to believe a game such as Fallout, (a game I lost a job and girlfriend over) has fallen from grace. I'd rather play Fallout 3 if it was created by fans such as those of NMA. I know Bethesda won't make FO3 the same way You and I want, but for fucks sake please don't piss all over this wonderful game.

 

[Dracon M'Alkir]

the most sad thing about it is that Fallout now won't be ever developed by any other company (except Beth goes bankrupt too )

If until totally selling rights to Beth, there was a slight chance that someone else could develop Fallout 6 (will there ever be one?), now it's clear that beth would take maximum of this franchise.


Had some thougths recently.. One of the components of the atmosphere of FO was the wonderful soundtrack. Could Beth ever create such? or will they take the tracks from original? They have rights for it now...

The soundtrack will be superb. Bethesda has never dissapointed in that regard, Jeremy Soule worked wonders with the Morrowind soundtrack.

In fact, the only reason that I've ever liked Bethesda was because of Morrowind, and due to the quality of Elder Scrolls 3, I was actually excited about Oblivion. I awaited it so gleefully that I actually missed school intentionally claiming to be sick to run down to EBGames and get a copy.

You can imagine how low my mouth dropped when I got home to play the game. It descended from mouth being dropped from excitement while it was installing, to "What the @#$* is this shit!?" once I actually got to play the game.

I liked the game for about five minutes, no more.

Bethesda has robbed me of my cherished Elder Scrolls series, and now it's going for the kill - Fallout.

Blizzard is helping add onto this by refusing to make anything other than their god damn World of Warcraft MMORPG.

Starcraft 2? Pfft. Why make devs waste money on making that? We do practically jack and make millions a month from our MMORPG.

What is happening to the video gaming industry?