I would like to reach out to the community and hopefully bethesda as well!

To whom it may concern,

It is extremely unfortunate that Bethesda and Interplay foolishy acted on seperate fronts instead of developing "Fallout Online". I am severely disappointed in the result of this project being killed off as a Fallout title. We all know Interplay will be continuing their project under a different name as well as removing any likeness to the Fallout series, yet imagine if the creator and the successor negotiated a project that would combine everything we knew of fallout games and everything we know of them now. It would be spectacular.

I am writing this letter in the forums in hope that not only the community but the company Bethesda, or better yet ZeniMax realize that a Fallout MMO should be a thing of the future.

Please note that I am a great fan of the series and have been since fallout tactics released by Interplay. I only wish to not hear that the project has been killed altogether! Not only this but I find that the Fallout series is lacking some kind of magnet, so to speak. For example I can play New Vegas and play the story all the way through, then I have to start over if I finish the last quest. This draws me away from the replayability aspect of the game. Another point I must make is how after doing so I lost interest in playing all over again and become bored very quickly. Now some of you may not agree with this but my only reasoning in saying so is to show how much I want to see this series go in a direction we can all love and enjoy for years to come.

Many people hate WoW for example, but look how much that MMO has evolved. Could you imagine what would happen if the fallout wasteland changed completely like the cataclysm add on for WoW? Or how about the use of regions instead of one area like the mojave. This could all be possible in an MMO version of the game. In my opinion, enough of us love this Fallout series exceptionally remastered by Bethesda. The gods behind some of my favourites such as Morrowind and Skyrim, Brink and RAGE. This is why I think that this fan base would enjoy or at least try an MMO Fallout game.

Bethesda, please continue to make your legendary library of games grow by adding this suggestion. I understand that future projects are already underway for other things, but there will be a time when you need to decide on a new project. This should be it.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Sincerely,
Oxidious

Though a Fallout MMO may happen eventually (But don't hold your breath for anytime soon), it won't be Bethesda working on it. It'll be their sister studio Zenimax Online -which was set up apparently for the purpose of making MMOs (Big theory is a possible TES MMO) Bethesda would probably loan some of its writers, devs and artists to Zenimax, but BGS actual contribution will be minimal.

Bethesda doesn't do multiplayer games, their strength is in single player.


And as an aside, Bethesda didn't make Brink or Rage. Brink was done by Splash Damage (I think) and Rage by ID Software. Bethesda Softworks (The publishing arm) published them, but the work was done by those other studios.

We can only hope BGS does this.

Zenimax was already working on an online title while the legal disputes with Interplay were still ongoing.
So it's highly unlikely that zenimax was working on a FO MMORPG.
And though Zenimax owns MMORPG rights now as well, designing a FO MMORPG is still a legal risk. Any design choice could be questioned by the V13 designteam.. same for mechanics.. etc..
Buying the rights was a "simple" choice to have no FO competition anymore..

Those interested should read what the vault is writing about the cancelled interplay project..
http://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/Project_V13


No offence.. but try to back up your remarks more.
If a Fallout MMORPG was made.. BGS would not be the logical choice.. They have very little to no MP experience... let alone MMO experience.. but all of this was explained perfectly by DevenTarn

Like thorgal said, Zenimax/Beth Softworks owns the total package rights of FO. Zenimax made a studio focused just on MMOs, just like Beth Game Studios does PC/console titles, and their said to of already been on something.

It's a bit too quick to out a FO MMO. Plus it fits FO a hell lot less than TES. FO was devised largely on a single player, you, mattering and alone.

I wouldn't expect anything Fallout related for years, single player or MMO.

I don't want interplay within 5000 miles of the Fallout Franchise ever again. They repeatedly demonstrated that they have no interest in the core of what made Fallout so popular and will just [censored] out shallow, flashy gimmicks.

I think Zenimax has a more sound approach to design decisions, but they will still only operate under a profit v. effort ratio that will end with a relatively shallow RPG. The only way they will make something in-depth is if people demonstrate that they will pay for it.

I can assure you that will never happen.

BGS can barely make a stable single player game, the thought of them making an MMO is scary.

Fixed it for you.

No he had it right. Interplay that created Fallout is not the same interplay that is around now. The interplay that is around now were the ones that cancelled Fallout 3 aka Van Buren and created Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel aka The Burned Game aka FO:PoS. They were the ones that caused Interplay to go down hill and in the end sold the rights to Fallout to the highest bidder which was Bethesda.

The Interplay that is around now can rot in hell. Most of the people that worked on the Original Fallouts long ago left the sinking ship that is Interplay and many formed Obsidian. The Interplay that is around now only tried to make Fallout Online after they saw how much Fallout 3 was making, and they wanted in on that.

The Interplay that is around now can rot in hell for all I care. I am not crazy about Bethesda but Interplay [censored] those guys.

Interplay under Brian Fargo was taken over by a French company called Titus Interactive and Herve Caen was put incharge and he cancelled Van Buren and sided with FO:PoS and then sold the rights.

I don't want either of them near it to be honest.

I thought they wanted to make the MMO since they sold the franchise.

I don't know all the details but they sold all the rights to Zenimax/Bethesda. Bethesda makes tons of money on Fallout 3 and Interplay says to themselves "How can we get in on that?" Then they said "well we didn't sell the MMO rights" so they started working on that. Then Zenimax said "well you did sell the rights to the MMO." Hence the legal battle that Zenimax won.

if an mmo from fallout get life. i will say: Bye fallout, Hi wasteland.

I don't believe that Fallout could be properly implemented into a MMO....

Fallout Online, was looking forward to being a Ghoul or a SuperMutant.

Well that's not exactly how it went..
Zenimax bought all FO rights.. but with certain conditions allowed Interplay to develop an MMO title.., according to rumor because they already started development.
This was concluded at the sale of the Fallout IP.. So not a Post FO3 decision.

Zenimax had its first legal battle with Interplay because, in conflict with the agreement, they continued to sell FO1,FO2 and tactics as a bundled package without consulting Zenimax about promotional activities. (possibly conflicting with its own promotion of FO3)
(this included cross-promotional activities on the FO mmo website and the use of the Pipbiy image in promoting the FO MMORPG)

The continuing lawsuits were a bit more murky. Bethesda/Zenimax basically said: " OK you can use the name and the setting for an MMO title called fallout.. but none of the story or design elements".
Interplay counter sued.. claiming obstruction of business etc.. etc.. (even taking elements from paper and pen games into the legal struggle)

Without going into much detail let's just say that Zenimax was really breathing down Interplays neck and that Zenimax even sent cease and desist letters to distributors of the FO1/2/tactics bundles..

Interplay then played their card simply claiming that because Zenimax was obstructing their business, the original business-deal was void. Inherently meaning: . Bethesda would only be allowed to produce three FO titles (including FO3 and NV (produced in licence))

Long story short:
Both parties settled.. thus all IP rights for FO fell back to Zenimax, Zenimax paid an estimated 2 million towards Interplay.
Interplay is allowed to sell FO1/FO2/interplay untill december 2013.

So what is with all this talk that Zenimax can now make all the Fallout games they want instead of the orginal 3 games and now Interplay can't make their Fallout MMO at least they can't have anything related to Fallout in it.

Doesn't really matter I guess because I am glad Interplay isn't gettting anything releated to Fallout.

Legally Zenimax claims... they now fully have ownership over the complete IP (discounting the disputed three games rule).. however the FO franchise is about as disputed as the Spiderman Movierights were in the nineties.. So there might be hope.
One certainty.. yes interplay is done... with the Fallout franchise period.

R.I.P Project V13.. It just wont be the same without that direct relation to FO, but I'm still interested in what the game will turn out like.

End of the day Zenimax owns the entire IP and everything related to said IP and whether Zenimax Online or BGS, their internal or external choices work on selected content. Or that's what they had without said MMO rights and now they have the final piece.

But yes thank those above that current Interplay no longer owns Fallout. I feel like those that cling to Interplay do so for nostalgias sake blocking out reality. Or weren't fans during the 80s/90s so really have no idea.

I'll take a dozen 3's and New Vegas's over a contracted FO: BoS thank you very much(And Tactics to a lesser degree)

MMOs are just bad no matter how you put it.

There are a few(FEW) exceptions.

Fallout Tactics was released in March of 2001. Interplay was taken over by Titus Interactive sometime in 2000. So Fallout Tactics was okayed by Brian Fargo before he was removed as president of interplay.

I like Fallout Tactics and see it as all canon but for some very minor things. Van Buren being cancelled in 2003 and Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel in 2004 was all Herven Caen's fault.

Ok, so I know people hate Caen for what he did to Iply and therefore are happy that they cant *or at the time didnt want tome to) finish PV13, but was no one rooting for it because Chris Taylor was working on it? I mean, it isn't as if Herve was actually making the game. I suppose you dont want him to get any of your money. But. I would figure it wouldnt necessarily seem so one sided.

Chris Taylor is pretty much the only guy left who worked on the original Fallouts left at Interplay.