If you’ve not been following the long Bethesda vs. Interplay struggle, take my advice — don’t. It’s utterly stupid and depressing, and the latest chapter takes it to a whole new realm of stupid.
Bethesda has claimed that it only allowed Interplay to use theFalloutname, and nothing else related to the franchise. Basically, Interplay can call its upcoming MMOFallout, but it would ostensibly have to be a totally different game. It’s quite nonsensical, and Interplay has fired back with that very sentiment.
“Bethesda’s interpretation requires Interplay to develop and release an MMOG under theFalloutname, but unrelated to theFalloutbrand,” says Interplay in court documents. “First, this is not only absurd, but is specificallyprohibitedby the agreement because Interplay was only granted a ‘license and right to use the Licensed Marks on and in connection with itsFALLOUT-branded MMOG’ … and for no other purpose.
“It was not the parties’ intent that Interplay create, for example, an online baseball game or poker game called ‘Fallout.’”
It really is pathetic to see game companies slap each other like children in a schoolyard, especially over issues as petty and silly as this one. At the end of the day, we gamers are the ones missing out, having to sit here and wait while people spend their time talking to lawyers rather than making games.
