Boston and the Institute were to be expected (if this is true). Meh, not very exciting on its own, not before there are some actual details (about the setting and especially about the gameplay and writing itself).

just cause the site lists THESURVIVOR2299 doesn't actually mean that is the year it could be set in.

Put simply, it's bogus. Every part of the site, every update, has been chosen based on what's freely available to any amateur web developer. Everything on there could've been done in a few hours, which is not how professional marketing teams operate. A the very least you'd have a convincing 3D background, or perhaps a flash animation. That site is 100% freeware; no detail, no evidence of a qualified designer or programmer.

Plus there's the litigious aspect that everyone's overlooked. When it was just the countdown clock they could've avoided putting a logo and disclaimer up (ie. "Bethesda Game Studios LLC, 2013 All rights reserved") but now that they've put up at least one trademarked icon (the VT logo) and some references to trademarked fallout names, they are obligated to put that disclaimer up. Otherwise someone can go ahead and rip off the Vault-Tec logo, the fallout name and so on, and if brought to court they can say: "well I only saw the website, and there was no trademark disclaimer on it", and they'd get away completely free. That's why you see trademarks on every product without exception - because if you release a single poster, website, game case, key-ring or whatever else without it, someone can infringe the copyright of that object and plead ignorance of the existence of the trademark, based on that fact.

Actually it has a lot of interesting lore in it so it shouldn't be underestimated. But it would be great if it would be read correctly. About known... there are only 16 in it (according the date it was made). The 122 are a rumor according to it. Could be less or more. No detailed information is given there.

the release of the website was done with the MIT license for query lol

This is correct,but so many people just QUOTE the book like its the gospal,which unnerves me at times, they can do what ever they want with the franchise,they own it,so the book doesnt even have any marent just like neither do the first games,if they wanted to go that far.

What you are forgetting here is that a disclaimer and fanciness would give away the whole game.

Bethesda isn't obligated to make a disclaimer on their own assets. It's their choice how to use them. What is obligated in countries like germany or austria is legal details (impressum how it's called in my language) for a website. Not sure how it is in Poland where the site is hosted.

Also don't forget the greatest hint that it could be real is simply that it is still on. Bethesda's legal team normally acts pretty quick if someone steps on their toes.

thats what i was about to say, if it wasn't bethesda why would they continue to let them use "fallout" which they just fought for, i would have shout this thing down as soon as that V.T. symbol showed up so as to remove any trace of some one using my trademarks, which would make it pretty suspicous that its still up

See thats what gives

That is what gives this such credit,the fact it has been up,now a week or so and they have yet to file any actions against it whatso ever or to post a comment saying that this is a fake and they are persueing legal actions....So hear hear to BGS and BSW.

I don't think a fan site would have any troubles if the logos are used. But the announcement of FO4 and using Zenimax in "Who Is" that is a different kind of coffee in my opinion.

If it is fake I strongly recommend a short statement from Bethesda after the counter has ended.

Working on a very big mod and a game myself I completly understand not to want to talk about anything of a new upcoming release.

But the hype that this thing has created has to be adressed somehow. Even if Bethesda and Zenimax only wanted to be nice to the fans who created the fake.

yeh logos just for the sake of logos probably not that bad using zenimax and logos for the countdown near VGX's thats kind of pushing it...

No. If they honestly didn't want us to know what game it was, they wouldn't put the VT logo up, or any other direct clues in the code. They either put the logo up and their legal details simultaneously, or they do neither. Otherwise I can go and mass-produce a million toys or whatever for sale in China based on that trademarked material, and claim that I didn't know it was a trademarked asset because their own website didn't make any legal claim to it. It's textbook stuff - teaser sites will never gamble their IP's validity just to maintain a bit of mystique for the few thousand gamers who care to look at these things.

By contrast, if it's just a 'fan-site' like I think, then they're not going to take it down. It makes no money for the owner, and technically it still brings the franchise some attention. I think they (Bethesda) view it as a happy coincidence, because I expect they were going to announce the game around VGX anyway, so until they ramp up their own marketing they may as well just let the fake site stay there.

In short, people will forget about this hoax crap the moment a legitimate site goes up, and Bethesda knows that.

ok so im going to replay the events since i've messed with the website

1) countdown with hidden sentence "nuclear winter is coming. Reserve your future home today! 870-260-2299

- called this number got tranquility lane music, followed by more, Morse code, decoded it said "code7667"

- called 870-260-7667 got the "your call could not be completed" in english and spanish, then a message that said "message 6, code KY04UN" then hung up

- still dont know what thats for^

2) site changed to cryptogram that says "My dear sister. i am heading to the institute. god knows what happened to this place. that old bastard can help us. he has to" --0321--

and this is where i am with figuring this out...

unless of course this started out as a hoax and beth, bought it from them under the table and is letting them run it till the timer hits ZERO and then lauch the actual site,which would be a WEL PLAYED moment on there marketing team.

Site looks fake,everyone believes it fake...

Real page lauches everyone goes nuclear.....

Nuclear winter is coming...

(lol perfect joke)

I almost think it fake now. I don't think Beth would reveal the location of the game until the reveal trailer.

If it real they totally took away the surprise of the setting.

We disagree about the legal details. The chinese toymakers can already start according to your description we already had a similar stunt with FO3 including Vault-Tec logo which was pretty clear too from the begining.

But about the conclusion--- yes I think the same that there is a interesting coincidence going on.

i think i'm going to stop my speculating and just let the timer count down and see what happens

same here,I'm just letting it roll

Good point. I personally think the fact that Bethesda formally refused to comment on the whole thing (when asked to by IGN) suggests that it's probably real. Obviously they know that fans are gonna be really excited about a potential Fallout 4 announcement, so why would they knowingly let us all get so excited for nothing? We know that they are aware of it... If it weren't them, all they'd have to do is put out a single tweet that was like "nope, it's not us, sorry!" Why would they instead let fans get their hopes up so high just to be majorly disappointed?

The Tumblr and Twitter on the other hand (which turned out to be fake) got shutdown pretty quickly. I wouldn't doubt that someone official told that dude he better quit AND keep his mouth shut (about being contacted), or face serious legal trouble (for ripping off trademarks such as the Vault boy and the vault-tec logo, essentially committing plagiarism by claiming to be an official source for content he held no rights to).

That's true. Although it was so expected, that the surprise wouldn't have been very great if they revealed the institute (if that is indeed the location) with the trailer later.

At least now people can brace them selves for what ever the storyline will be and adjust their hopes and expectations accordingly. Will the player play the role of that games dedicated Harkness? Will it be about eevile scientists building and enslaving poor little androids with the noble Railroad (or what ever they were called) claiming human rights for them - or better yet, are the androids created to take over the world and "bring about a master race, one able to survive, and even thrive in the wasteland"; or both? (ugh...)

If its fake the timer won't reach zero.

The site is registered under Zenimax's name on GoDaddy. After 15 days GoDaddy will require a verification of whoever made the site. So in a week if it is still up it could still be real.

I'm still not sure what to believe. Registering a site that has gotten so popular under Zenimax's name would be sure to make them bring down the hammer of justice, but yet it remains.

I am sure it will be absolutely terrible. At least in your eyes. I have no doubt in that

We shall see, we shall see.
All will be settled.

Well I would tend to agree, but didn't the Fallout 3 viral ads sort of give away the location too?

Ex.: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5dlaF4rqrA&list=PL5826C44B5A4609C4&index=3

Regardless, I still think its fake, but I don't think its necessarily because they wouldn't give the location away.

Edit: Actually I'm not sure those are the ads from the viral campaign. So maybe you're still right.

I hope we can see the day where we laugh at the people who thought this was fake.

Personally I am leaning towards its being real. At the very beginning I believed the Tumblr to be fake and the countdown to be legit. I was right about the Tumblr and now it's only a matter of time to see if the count down is real.