Fallout Online Confirmed, Readies Beta Program

Though its legal battle against Bethesda Softworks over the game's production continues, Interplay has launched a teaser site for Fallout Online and is now accepting registrations for the MMO. Previously known by its code name Project V13, Fallout Online is under development by Bulgarian outfit Masthead Studios. The developer is best known for its work on another post-apocalyptic MMORPG, Earthrise, which is due to release this fall. The new Fallout Online site invites fans to sign up for a mailing list to receive updates, concept art, and special invitations for the game. Subscribers will be eligible for an early entry beta program that will allow gamers to try out Fallout Online when its open beta launches. Interplay, which published the first two Fallout games, said earlier this year that it expects to bring Fallout Online into its public beta some time in 2012. The project has been under development since 2007. Bethesda Softworks, publisher of Fallout 3 and current owner of the post-apocalyptic RPG franchise, is still pursuing its lawsuit against Interplay for trademark infringement over the sale of previous Fallout games. Interplay previously purchased the rights to a Fallout MMORPG several years ago, but Bethesda argues that the rights should revert back due to the firm's alleged breach of contract. It also claims that the project did not raise enough funding ($30 milion) to ramp up to "full scale" development by an agreed-upon time.