Interplay wins preliminary injunction hearing

[SharkClub]

But without the right people working on this, it would just not be the same.

Supposing the very unlikely event of Interplay taking Bethesda for all they're worth happens, Interplay would be rich as hell and would probably hire Obsidian to finish the job (Van Buren).

 

[Lexx]

This sounds like some dream you get when you eat up all drugs available on the earth.

 

[SharkClub]

This sounds like some dream you get when you eat up all drugs available on the earth.

Y...y...y'know about that "incident"...?
Yeah I know, but If Interplay wins this, that's enough to make me think anything can happen.

 

[maximaz]

I take it the judge played Fallout 3 before making his decision. Suck it Bethesda!

 

[Todd Howard's #1 Fan]

i hate bethesda

i hate what herve did that cause iply and its subsidaries to collapse.

i hate beth more.

i hope this contract gets invalidated and beth gets taken to the cleaners.

at the very least, this refusing of the injunction means that iply could possibly sue for predatory business practices or else contract violation

That's fine we don't need you to pump out EXCELLENT games. At least Bethesda has a Culture of Quality.

 

[Surf Solar]

I smell a troll, or at least a funny one.

 

[The Dutch Ghost]

That's fine we don't need you to pump out EXCELLENT games. At least Bethesda has a Culture of Quality.

Give me a shout when they do this one day, I then might check it out.

 

[TheWesDude]

has any other computer game company since 2000 put out a game with such severe crash issues as FO3 where MS gets so many crash reports they demand the developer fix the crash because it crashes on exit on like 90% of computer systems?

AFAIK only bethesda has that distinction. because, you know, bethesda prides itself on doing QUALITY titles!

 

[generalissimofurioso]

Culture of quality /= quality.

Just like a culture of equality /= equality.

Also, all this talk of lawsuits and contracts just makes me sad, especially how people are freaking out about it.

 

[UncannyGarlic]

People seem to be forgetting that Bethesda will still have the rights to Fallout 5 & 6 per their previous contract.

I thought Bethesda owns the fallout IP outright, and licenses the MMO only option to interplay?

No, I mean that if Interplay wins the suit, Bethesda still has rights to the next two Fallout sequels.

They have zero experience making/balancing an MMO. Their current micro-transaction model(DLC) is rubbish. If that weren't enough, the bulk of their target audience consists of console players. Good luck conning console gamers into shifting their play styles to a subscription-based model(read: expensive box they can't resell when they grow bored of the game on top of a monthly fee). Sounds like so much wishful thinking on Bethesda's part. Oh... and have I mentioned how much MMOs suck?

Given the XBox live scheme and the success of Phantasy Star Online on the Dreamcast, I don't think it's as much of a problem as one would think.

That's fine we don't need you to pump out EXCELLENT games. At least Bethesda has a Culture of Quality.

Some people can't smell satire so let me point it out to those folks. #1 Fan is being satirical.

 

[Pope Viper]

If IP retains the FO name, and Beth is limited to FO4/FO5, does that indicate that IP can do their own version of FO/3? Fallout - Boulder, or something like that?

 

[Brother None]

If IP retains the FO name, and Beth is limited to FO4/FO5, does that indicate that IP can do their own version of FO/3? Fallout - Boulder, or something like that?

Interplay could do their own Fallout SP games but at the same time not really - usually contracts like these preclude the licensee doing damages to the licenser by producing competing titles. For sure they could not produce a game called "Fallout 3" (or 4 or 5), no matter the contract language.

And yes, Bethesda's option for Fallout 4/5 would stand, but Interplay could seriously mess with them the entire way in.

 

[Pope Viper]

Man -
Who to cheer for?

Either way, the franchise is bastardized.

 

[The Vault Dweller]

Clearly you are under a gypsy curse that every time you touch a girl, Interplay gains legal ground. For the sake of the world you must remain chaste forever.

I can only hope that my decision as well will somehow save the world.

 

[swampcat]

imho this seems very good news

Don't mess with IP lawyers

sorry for bad english

 

[The Dutch Ghost]

Man, seeing how much people are suddenly rooting for Interplay again, despite Herve's blunders in the past I can't help but feel there is some kind of design in this.

Could it possible be...

Five years ago, at Herve's residence

Random underling "Sir, by canceling Van Buren and instead focusing all money and effort on BoS, you have lost the interest and possible income of thousands of Fallout consumers.
How do you ever plan to get those back?"

Herve "I have a plan for this contingency, by the time it is completed people will forgive all my mistakes I made and carry me on their backs."

* a set of documents and papers lies in front of Herve, with on top one reading 'Zenimax Bethesda' *

Herve "All have fallen for the illusion I have set up, of being a dim witted moron of a business man who has no design or vision at all.
Oh if only they realized how wrong they could be, it would send shivers up their spines."

 

[LazyD]

Or we all just want to see beth eat shit.

 

[Pope Viper]

Talk about choosing the lesser of two evils.

 

[Iozeph]

Given the XBox live scheme and the success of Phantasy Star Online on the Dreamcast, I don't think it's as much of a problem as one would think.

Phantasy Star Online, on the Dreamcast, was a mess. Most of the people I knew quit when it shifted from free to play to pay to play. The company running the billing service in Japan refused service unless you paid with an actual credit card instead of a checking card- which automatically disqualified half of them. For those that were allowed to pay, those who stayed, the downloadable updates were still few and far in between. Private password- protected games were still being hacked into, and people were being PK'd in the middle of dungeons just as much as before. Nobody wanted to keep paying for what was essentially a broken, half-arsed, version of Guild Wars with a pay to play model.

X-box live may be a horse of another colour, but I'm still unconvinced that players will want to pay out a third of the cost of a new game every month to continue playing one game, which has no definite end or winning scenario. Now, if they go the route of Guild Wars- where the game is absolutely free to play -save for the box, and actual expansion packs, maybe they'll have something. But even so it will still be a shallow game with a high turnover rate.

Once the smoke clears, IP and BS need to stop chasing the MMO and return to what they were known best for(before their respective notoriety) -solid single-player roleplaying games.

 

[Ausir]

I told you this was likely just a proposed order and I would take frymuchan's posts with a grain of salt:

http://interplay.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=1754

Hey, everybody.

You will not often hear from me, but as Interplay's in-house lawyer I feel the need to set the record straight here...

The Court has not ruled on Bethesda's Motion for Prelminary Injunction. A proposed order was filed with our Opposition to the Motion, but that is not the same as an Order of the Court. The hearing is weeks away. Interplay will issue an official statement if there is a material development that needs to be addressed. Please do not rely on rumor or speculation.

In the meantime, we all appreciate your enthusiasm and support.

Thanks,
Chris