Fallout Online - Bethesda May Sue

Law shenanigans about to start between Interplay & Bethesda over FOOL licence.

Financial papers from Interplay suggest that Bethesda might sue the struggling publisher over its planned Fallout MMO.

Interplay retained the rights to make online games based on Fallout when it sold the rest of the rights to Bethesda back in 2004. However, it seems there were certain conditions involved in this - conditions which Bethesda claims have not been met.

According to the Securities and Exchange Commission filing (spotted by Fallout fansite No Mutants Allowed), Bethesda reckons Interplay is in breach of their agreement because it had not commenced "full scale development" of the Fallout MMO by April 4 2009, and has not secured enough funding for the game. Interplay, naturally, disagrees.

"Interplay recently received notice that Bethesda Softworks, LLC ("Bethesda") intends to terminate the trademark license agreement between Bethesda and Interplay which was entered into April 4, 2007 for the development of Fallout MMOG," reads the filing.

"Despite the fact that no formal action is currently pending, Bethesda claims that Interplay is in breach of the trademark license agreement for failure to commence full scale development of same by April 4, 2009 and to secure certain funding for the MMOG. Interplay adamantly disputes these claims... If Bethesda ultimately prevails and cancels the trademark license agreement, Interplay would lose its license back of the Fallout MMOG."