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Bethesda sueing Interplay over upcoming mmo?
16 years ago
Bethesda, the game giant of popular title The Elder Scrolls, and most recently Fallout3, is sueing the previous owner of the Fallout series over a reserved copyright issue that would allow them to make an mmo.
Interplay, which has been bankrupt for nearly the last 10 years, was a company I once regarded as king of game development. They've been out of the game for a very long time, but the mark they left on the gaming industry back in their prime was a very deep and bold one. Fallout, The lost vikings, MDK. Earthworm Fucking Jim. This is assuredly a company that delivers quality as an art form.
They were planning on relaunching with everyones favorite cash cow, an mmo. And what better than the fallout series? I hope I am not alone in saying that Fallout1 and 2 are what made me realize what a joy immersive, non-linear games are. These were freaking masterpieces, man. Novels within a program that captured the imagination and harnessed the soul into a state of wonderment at what could be. and taking into consideration what technology they were working with back then, I think they did it best. I'm sorry, but now that they are back, I think the sticks need to be passed. I want the quality back in games that this company had so much care for in choosing their projects. They were willing to try the things people want to see in games. Letting good projects run with what they've got. I just hope they can stick to it in the new market. As Interplay is proving in their countersuit, they aren't going down without a fight.
Bethesda had a great run with it in Fallout3, and they made their money. Trying to kick interplay back in the hole with a lawsuit is low. They agreed that Interplay would publish an mmo when they bought the contract from them, and if Bethesda fucks that contract, they are going to be a lot worse off. I don't know what is a greater threat to them -- interplay back on the market as a potential competitor, or the fact that they might make a better game than Bethesda. Either way, it's a very underhanded attack I hope interplay can thwart.
http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/ne.....hp?story=25872
"Interplay: 'By gamers, for gamers.'"
Interplay, which has been bankrupt for nearly the last 10 years, was a company I once regarded as king of game development. They've been out of the game for a very long time, but the mark they left on the gaming industry back in their prime was a very deep and bold one. Fallout, The lost vikings, MDK. Earthworm Fucking Jim. This is assuredly a company that delivers quality as an art form.
They were planning on relaunching with everyones favorite cash cow, an mmo. And what better than the fallout series? I hope I am not alone in saying that Fallout1 and 2 are what made me realize what a joy immersive, non-linear games are. These were freaking masterpieces, man. Novels within a program that captured the imagination and harnessed the soul into a state of wonderment at what could be. and taking into consideration what technology they were working with back then, I think they did it best. I'm sorry, but now that they are back, I think the sticks need to be passed. I want the quality back in games that this company had so much care for in choosing their projects. They were willing to try the things people want to see in games. Letting good projects run with what they've got. I just hope they can stick to it in the new market. As Interplay is proving in their countersuit, they aren't going down without a fight.
Bethesda had a great run with it in Fallout3, and they made their money. Trying to kick interplay back in the hole with a lawsuit is low. They agreed that Interplay would publish an mmo when they bought the contract from them, and if Bethesda fucks that contract, they are going to be a lot worse off. I don't know what is a greater threat to them -- interplay back on the market as a potential competitor, or the fact that they might make a better game than Bethesda. Either way, it's a very underhanded attack I hope interplay can thwart.
http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/ne.....hp?story=25872
"Interplay: 'By gamers, for gamers.'"
I guess that was an overall awkward period of time for games. They finally had the performance to do light bloom and glossy surfaces and dynamic lighting but they didn't really know what to do with it... kind of like a young adult who's just gotten a job but doesn't know what to do with his money.
Anyway to complete my previous comment, what I don't think I ever got around to saying was "Fat chance they'll go back to being as good as Morrowind in their next title, consoles ruined Oblivion and they're only becoming much more prominent and important in the development process and considerations."
Overall I fucking hate current IP ownership stuff, and legal crap, so legal crap over IP ownership is just... bleh. Here's hoping things work out best for consumers.
To be specific, The Lost Vikings was by Silicon and Synapse. The company now known as Blizzard Entertainment.