Troika pipped by Bethesda for Fallout 3 License

Discussion in 'News Comments' started by DarkUnderlord, Jul 15, 2004.

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  1. DarkUnderlord

    DarkUnderlord Administrator Staff Member

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    As some of you probably already know, Bethesda (<a href="http://www.elderscrolls.com/index.php">creators of Morrowind</a>) have <a href="http://www.bethsoft.com/news/pressrelease_071004.htm">bought the license to make Fallout 3</a> from <a href="http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/040712/dem038_1.html">Interplay</a>.
    <br><blockquote>Interplay Entertainment Corp. today reported it has entered into a licensing agreement that will allow Bethesda Softworks to develop and publish Fallout 3, a sequel to the highly popular Fallout role-playing game franchise. The deal awards Bethesda exclusive worldwide rights to publish the title for PC, console, and handhelds with the rights to develop and publish future sequels. Interplay retains all online gaming rights for the Fallout franchise, as well as ownership of the Fallout intellectual property.</blockquote>
    <br>According to several unconfirmed rumours however, our beloved <a href="http://www.troikagames.com">Troika</a> were also in the bidding for the license. In the end though, with the masses of cash Bethesda scrapped in from Morrowind, Troika were simply out-gunned. In case you don't know, Fallout was the original creation of Troika's three key founders of <a href="http://www.nma-fallout.com/article.php?id=7219">Tim Cain</a>, <a href="http://www.nma-fallout.com/article.php?id=7623">Leonard Boyarsky</a> and <a href="http://www.mobygames.com/developer/sheet/view/developerId=46342/">Jason Anderson</a> (<a href="http://www.nma-fallout.com/article.php?id=7143">among many others</a>). In fact <a href="http://www.troikachronicles.com/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=8">in several interviews</a>, Tim Cain mentioned he would like to work on another Fallout game. It seems unfortunate that now, he won't get the chance.
    <br>
    <br>So, what does this mean for Fallout fans? According to an <a href="http://pc.ign.com/articles/529/529773p1.html">interview with IGN PC</a> it means there'll be at least 3 sequels:
    <br><blockquote><b>IGNPC: Interplay is still working on the Fallout MMORPG it had announced. Does this mean Interplay still owns the Fallout intellectual property?</b>
    <br>
    <br>Pete Hines: Yes. We've licensed the rights to Fallout 3 as well as sequels -- Fallout 4, Fallout 5.
    <br>
    <br><b>IGNPC: Can you tell us how long Bethesda has had its eye on Fallout?</b>
    <br>
    <br>Pete Hines: A pretty long time. For the majority of five years we've said, internally, that if we could pick another game to develop internally, it's been that we could do a great Fallout game. It's something we've talked about internally for a very long time.
    <br>
    <br><b>IGNPC: Can we expect something similar to the work done on Morrowind, in terms of that style of game experience?</b>
    <br>
    <br>Pete Hines: Again, it's early to say, but it wouldn't be a leap of faith to say that we plan to use technologies in development otherwise. You could make some fairly safe leaps of faith that it would be similar in style. We're not going to go away from what it is that we do best. <u>We're not going to suddenly do a top-down isometric Baldur's Gate-style game, because that's not what we do well.</u></blockquote>No isometric view and likely no turn-based combat. Are they making Morrowind with Guns?
    <br>
    <br>... and finally <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/news/2004/07/13/news_6102442.html">here's a snip from GameSpot</a>:
    <br><blockquote><b>GameSpot: There is some concern in the PC gaming community that if Fallout 3 is developed for both PC and consoles, it won't have the same depth as other PC RPGs. What can you say to allay their fears?</b>
    <br>
    <br><b>Todd Howard: </b>Play Morrowind on PC, and then play it on Xbox. Anyone who says a console game can't have depth hasn't played enough of them. The platform is 100 percent irrelevant.</blockquote>
    <br>Personally I found the depth in Morrowind lacking. Yes, it looked nice and yes, it was fun to play dress up... but depth? No.
    <br>
    <br>Now being that Fallout's not one of the games we cover, if you want to follow it's development more closely, I highly recommend you head on over to <a href="http://www.nma-fallout.com">No Mutants Allowed</a>. The world's oldest (and angriest) Fallout fan site for all your Fallout 3, 4 and 5 news.
    <br>
    <br>I personally think it's dissapointing that Troika couldn't get their shot at Fallout just once. I'm sure they would've made been able to put their own stamp on the RPG genre once again. Hopefully though, they'll be able to create their own unique post-apocalyptic game world one day. One that will be as successful as Fallout.
    <br>
    <br>By the way, as of yet, I've been unable to find out how much the Fallout licence was sold to Bethesda for. Being a public company, Interplay should make it public knowledge given enough time.
     
  2. Kenny-fan

    Kenny-fan New Member

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    I think Fallout 3 will be a very good game. I really enjoy playing Morrowind and the second part of Fallout. This game must be a HIT! :)
     
  3. DarkUnderlord

    DarkUnderlord Administrator Staff Member

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  4. CABaaL

    CABaaL New Member

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    I would rather give Troika Fallout licence than Bethesda and if Bethesda makes it 3d rpg like morrowind all is lost :-x
     
  5. xento

    xento New Member

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    The biggest problem isn't it being 3D. We all know and love the classic Fallout view, but just because the view and fighting style is altered won't, in itself, make the game bad. What I'm worried about is that they will have the unimaginative people who did the Morrowind story work on Fallout 3. Then it will be shit heaven. A game isn't about looks; it's about gameplay.
     
  6. Phadech

    Phadech New Member

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    A first person Fallout with zillions of bugs? What have we done to deserve this?
     
  7. Sinbad

    Sinbad New Member

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    I don't play most of the 3D RPGs because they give me migraines in very short order, :-o but my son is a major fan of Morrowind. I've shown him some of the comments in here about Fallout and he didn't think much of the attitude here. He thinks that the Morrowind story is just fine and there is a lot of depth to the game. :evil: Having NO experience with the game myself, I can't comment on that, but I thought I would pass that along for him. :wink2: He plays that game constantly and I respect his opinions. 8) :)

    Now, if Bethesda DOES blow the new version of Fallout totally, THEN will be the time to yell and scream. :mean: However,...maybe everyone should wait until they see a little SOLID proof in the form of screenshots, etc., to show that they've actually blown it before they start screaming? :/
     
  8. DarkUnderlord

    DarkUnderlord Administrator Staff Member

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    I dunno. Waiting for someone to blow your favourite franchise is like... Well... Like waiting for someone to blow your favourite franchise. By that time, yelling and screaming won't do anything as it's beyond the point of no return.

    Yelling and screaming now however, at least gives us a chance. At least a bit anyway.
     
  9. Sinbad

    Sinbad New Member

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    I guess I can relate to that, DU.
     
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