Joystiq

Fallout trademark covers a TV show in an apocalyptic paradise

Jessica Conditt — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 21:45:00 EST

Bethesda may be looking toward the future of its franchises, trademarking the Fallout brand for the purposes of using it in "entertainment services in the nature of an on-going television program set in a post-nuclear apocalyptic world," according to a USPTO listing. We thought Desperate Housewives had the "reality we would never want to live in" genre covered, but the more, the merrier.

Fallout forum member Conor Murton posted about the trademark today and Bethesda has yet to comment on the listing. Bethesda could simply be protecting its franchise, or it could have more active plans.

Fallout trademark covers a TV show in an apocalyptic paradise originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 Jan 2013 21:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fallout: Lanius fan film shows off its first trailer

Jessica Conditt — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 20:00:00 EST

Fallout: Lanius is a large-scale, in-depth fan homage to Fallout: New Vegas, with real-life actors playing out the origin story of Legate Lanius. The creators, a team from Australia, want to capture a true cinematic experience, something "more than just another Fallout fan film." The video above is our first glimpse at that vision.

The Lanius team snagged New Vegas voice actor Mitch Lewis for the film, and they're using input from Obsidian's Chris Avellone and John Gonzalez. The Indiegogo drive for Lanius has nine days remaining and the project has already received more than the $10,000 it requested. With that cash, Lanius should be able to provide some friendly competition to Wayside Creations' Fallout: Nuka Break series.

If anything, check out those soaring landscape shots in the teaser video. The apocalypse sure is gorgeous.

Fallout: Lanius fan film shows off its first trailer originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 25 Nov 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pay-what-you-want Interplay bundles on GOG for a limited time

Jordan Mallory — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 20:30:00 EST

In addition to all that Mac OSX hoo-haa that happened earlier today, GOG announced a trio of pay-what-you-want Interplay bundles, featuring games such as Shattered Steel, Messiah, Earthworm Jim and Fallout.

Available for the next 14 days, the bundles' incentivized pricing structure should be familiar to anyone who's bought a Humble Bundle. Any price entered will purchase the basic bundle of eight Interplay games, which includes Conquest of the New World and Evolva, among other things. Paying more than the average price ($11.50 as of press time) unlocks 12 more games, and dropping down $35.00 or more brings the bundle's total up to 32 games.

The $35 bundle also includes 21 different soundtracks, 37 wallpapers, 410 pieces of artwork, a 205-page "Fallout Bible" and "much more." Click here for the full list of games in each bundle.

Pay-what-you-want Interplay bundles on GOG for a limited time originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 18 Oct 2012 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Good Old Games taking half off Interplay titles this weekend

Jessica Conditt — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 20:30:00 EST

Good Old Games is hosting an Interplay 50 percent off sale this weekend, cutting the prices of 32 games right in half. Or, as we like to call it, this is GOG's "buy 16 games, get 16 games free" sale.

The sale includes Fallout 2, Earthworm Jim 1 and 2, MDK, Freespace and Invictus: In the Shadow of Olympus, for $3 each. Every title is $3, actually, making the entire bundle $96 -- a savings of $96. Yes, that's what we meant with "buy 16, get 16 free." This could also be the "buy one, get two half off" sale, or the "buy 8, get 16 half off" sale. Take your pick; any way they're all good old games for a great new price.

The sale runs from now until Monday at 11:59 p.m. EDT.

Good Old Games taking half off Interplay titles this weekend originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 13 Apr 2012 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fallout free on GOG.com for the next 48 hours

Jordan Mallory — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 14:45:00 EST

GOG is hyping up its massive overhaul/relaunch by making the original Fallout free for the next 48 hours. Available for XP, Vista and Windows 7, the free version includes the game itself, Fallout-themed wallpapers, a 205 page "Fallout bible" and the soundtrack.

Originally released in 1997, Fallout will feel familiar and yet dramatically different to anyone whose history with the series begins with Fallout 3. For a total investment of zero dollars, however, it's hard to do much better.

Fallout free on GOG.com for the next 48 hours originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 05 Apr 2012 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fallout: The first modern role-playing game

Rowan Kaiser — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Features, PC, Retro, RPGs, GDC

This is a weekly column focusing on "Western" role-playing games: their stories, their histories, their mechanics, their insanity, and their inanity.

It wasn't supposed to be Fallout. After the role-playing game genre crashed in 1995, new models for the style began to appear. Smart money would have been on the wildly popular Diablo to become the trendsetter, where Fallout was an underdog from the start. At the 2012 Game Developers Conference, Fallout's lead producer, Tim Cain, described its creation: he was the only Interplay employee assigned to the game for months, it was almost canceled twice, and when it shipped Cain was told it was a "risk" despite the low level of company investment.

Despite all that, the original Fallout has become widely known as one of the greatest and most influential games of all time, and the model for the biggest RPGs of recent years. Several weeks ago I argued that Ultima was the most important game series of all time, but Ultima's influence through new games was almost gone in 1997. Fallout was its replacement; it was the first modern role-playing game.

Continue reading Fallout: The first modern role-playing game

Fallout: The first modern role-playing game originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 16 Mar 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The year role-playing games broke

Rowan Kaiser — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Features, PC, Sony PlayStation 3, Retro, Microsoft Xbox, Microsoft Xbox 360, Online, RPGs, MMO

This is a weekly column focusing on "Western" role-playing games: their stories, their histories, their mechanics, their insanity, and their inanity.

The most important year in western role-playing history was also its worst. The late 1980s and early 1990s were an obvious Golden Age, as RPGs were the drivers of innovations in graphics, interface, complexity, and narrative in Wizardry, Ultima, and the Gold Box series. That came to a screeching halt in 1995, when the once wildly popular genre suddenly became devoid of games.

The genre was rebuilt after 1995, but it looked very different. The companies and franchises which had dominated withered away, replaced by the ones we know now: Fallout, BioWare, and Blizzard. All these started shortly after 1995, and the only residual series from before, The Elder Scrolls, squeaks in with its first installment in 1994. So what changed, and why did it change?

The chief contributing factor was the rise of the compact disc for storage. Games comprised of a dozen ungainly 1.5 megabyte floppies were growing more and more common, so the CD, with 500 megabytes, was a godsend (or so it seemed). All the other technological advances: better sound and music, voice-over, 3-D polygonal graphics, full-motion video, etc, could be used with CDs. This made games bigger -- but it also made budgets bigger, teams bigger, and development times much longer. Role-playing games and their developers struggled to adapt.

Continue reading The year role-playing games broke

The year role-playing games broke originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 12 Mar 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Classic game postmortems return to GDC

JC Fletcher — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:15:00 EST

Last year, for the 25th anniversary of the show, GDC featured a series of "Classic Game Postmortems" on games like Pac-Man, Prince of Persia, Another World, and Marble Madness. These new looks at old games proved so popular that the show is bringing them back for the crucial 26th anniversary event.

This year's set of classic games to go under the microscope includes Alone in the Dark (with designer Frederick Raynal), Fallout (with designer Tim Cain), Gauntlet (with creator Ed Logg) and Harvest Moon (with producer and former Marvelous CEO Yasuhiro Wada). Forget about all those new games! This is why we really go to conferences.

Classic game postmortems return to GDC originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vault Decoration 101: Free printable Fallout posters and vectors for the masses

Jordan Mallory — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 18:30:00 EST

Let's face it, a nuclear fallout shelter isn't exactly the brightest, most cheerful place to spend an eternal global winter. The walls are cold and metal, the halls echo and there's a terrible draft from the oxygen recycler, not to mention the dog-sized cockroaches.

There are some things you can do to spruce the place up a bit, however. If your shelter is equipped with a printer, for instance, printing out and hanging up these free safety posters and advertisements will give your new home a little bit of the consumerist flair that has now been turned to ash on the surface. Scalable vector logos are available as well, which means you'll be able to keep your Vault-Tec home looking good as new as its logos and markings fade over time.

Be sure and join us next week on Vault Decoration 101, where we'll teach you over 1,000 different games to play by yourself in a pitch black room. See you next time!

Vault Decoration 101: Free printable Fallout posters and vectors for the masses originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 04 Dec 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Work on Fallout MMO can continue for now; Bethesda injunction appeal denied

Ludwig Kietzmann — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 17:30:00 EST

There's been so much written about Interplay's nebulous Fallout MMO in the context of tedious litigation, it almost seems to welcome the franchise's thorough, irradiated reduction of modern society. But for those interested in legal tussles, here's where we stand today: Fallout property owner (and former licensee) Bethesda was recently denied a preliminary injunction against Interplay, which would have denied Fallout Online use of the franchise's story, characters and other identifiable elements for a limited time. Today, an appeal against that decision was denied.

United States Court of Appeals documents show that Bethesda's aim was to show "the district court abused its discretion and misapplied the law in concluding that Bethesda failed to establish a likelihood of irreparable harm." And while the property owner continued to delve into fears over Interplay's suspect financial stability (a potential source of said irreparable harm), today's outcome similarly found Bethesda's claims unconvincing.

The legal saga is still far from over, as Bethesda and Interplay must still settle their polluted licensing relationship and come to a conclusion regarding the possible release of Interplay's work -- which may continue for now, but still requires "express permission" from Bethesda to launch. What state the world (both inside and outside the game) will be in by the time the courts clear things up is anyone's guess.

Continue reading Work on Fallout MMO can continue for now; Bethesda injunction appeal denied

Work on Fallout MMO can continue for now; Bethesda injunction appeal denied originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 26 Oct 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fallout: Nuka Break goes episodic, first episode out now

Ben Gilbert — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 20:30:00 EST

Wondering what happened to your favorite trio of Wasteland wanderers from Fallout: Nuka Break? After a run-in with the most dreaded creature of all -- fundraising -- Wayside Creations is back in business and producing a full webseries. And lucky you: the first episode is already available!

Fallout: Nuka Break goes episodic, first episode out now originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 30 Aug 2011 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fallout Monopoly is something we wish we could buy

David Hinkle — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 23:30:00 EST

Guys, if you're wondering if your significant other is The One, there's only one question you need to ask yourself: Would he or she go through the painstaking process to create something as awesome as this Fallout-themed Monopoly board just for little old you? If so, put a ring on it!

This was created by deviantART user PinkAxolotl, who swapped out classic Monopoly stops such as Baltic Ave and Park Place for locations from Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas. The Go space has been changed to G.O.A.T. and the Free Parking space has been changed to the "Please Stand By" screen. The only similarity between this version of Monopoly and the classic? Your cousin Brian is still guaranteed to throw a hissyfit when you eventually trade all your railroads for a ham sandwich.

Fallout Monopoly is something we wish we could buy originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 29 Aug 2011 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Interplay says Bethesda knew Fallout MMO would, in fact, be a Fallout game

Griffin McElroy — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 14:30:00 EST

Just a couple of days after watching our nation's highest legal officers debate the impact of video games across this great country, it's time for us to return to a much sillier gaming lawsuit. Gamasutra obtained a June 23 court filing issued by Interplay regarding the developer's legally troubled Fallout MMO. The filing comes as a response to a preliminary injunction filed by Bethesda which attempted to prevent Interplay from using the franchise's story, setting and characters in their online opus.

Interplay's counter-filing explains, "For at least four years, Bethesda has known that Interplay interpreted its right to create the Fallout-branded MMOG to include copyrighted content from the Fallout universe in order to make the MMOG a recognizable Fallout game." We don't know, guys -- that seems a little unreasonable. When we heard Interplay was working on a Fallout MMO, we just assumed it would be a massively multiplayer online puzzle-platformer set in a colorful, kid-friendly version of ancient Rome.

Interplay says Bethesda knew Fallout MMO would, in fact, be a Fallout game originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 29 Jun 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GOG selling Interplay titles for half off, including Freespace and sequel

Mike Schramm — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 01:00:00 EST

GoG.com has announced a big half-off sale on a bunch of older Interplay titles, allowing you to pick up some titles of serious quality for just a couple bucks apiece. There are some real gems in there, including the Descent games, the classic Giants: Citizen Kabuto, Fallout 1, 2 and Tactics, and the great Sacrifice, all for just $2.99 each.

We'd be remiss as well if we didn't point out that the much-loved space combat game Freespace is also on sale, along with its sequel, for the same ludicrously low prices. Three bucks for a bunch of must-play titles from video gaming's days of yore? Deals don't get much better than that, people.

GOG selling Interplay titles for half off, including Freespace and sequel originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 21 Jun 2011 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GameStop saves you a fortune with $20 Fallout: New Vegas

Randy Nelson — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 23:00:00 EST

Miss Fortune is smiling on you, friend, and motioning towards your local GameStop with her gleaming silver revolver. That's where you'll find almost all versions -- PS3, 360, PC -- of Bethesda's mighty fine post-apocalyptic RPG, Fallout: New Vegas, on sale for $20. It's probably best to act quickly if you've been wanting a copy, as there's no mention of when this 66 percent markdown expires.

Wait, did we say almost all versions? That's right: the downloadable PC version is still 60 bucks. Some would call that extra $40 for a version that doesn't even have packaging a silly mistake; GameStop would probably call it a "convenience fee."

[Thanks, Eric K.]

GameStop saves you a fortune with $20 Fallout: New Vegas originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 06 Apr 2011 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fallout's Vault Boy does your dry cleaning, apparently

Ben Gilbert — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 08:00:00 EST

Vault Boy isn't just a Vault-Tec mascot in the post-apocalyptic wasteland -- he's also been spotted recently representing a Providence, Rhode Island-area dry cleaners (as seen after the break). Here's hoping those clothes don't come back glowing with radiation!

Continue reading Fallout's Vault Boy does your dry cleaning, apparently

Fallout's Vault Boy does your dry cleaning, apparently originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 21 Jan 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fan-made Fallout film 'Fallout: Nuka Break' revealed

Ben Gilbert — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 21:40:00 EST

There are lots of reasons that wastelanders set out across the post-apocalyptic United States -- to find rogue droids, locate a lost parent, or perhaps simply to escape the shallow grave they woke up in. The three folks in this debut trailer of fan-made Fallout short film "Fallout: Nuka Break," however, are simply in search of a refreshing, cold Nuka-Cola.

The crew in charge of F: NB are known as Wayside Creations, a team of Fallout fans who wanted to make a non-profit film based in its world. No further information is given as to when we can expect to see the completed work, but we're hoping Bethesda doesn't shut down the production before that can happen. Check out the trailer in full after the break.

Continue reading Fan-made Fallout film 'Fallout: Nuka Break' revealed

Fan-made Fallout film 'Fallout: Nuka Break' revealed originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 17 Dec 2010 21:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fallout: New Vegas 'Dead Money' DLC tours the Sierra Madre's most exclusive resort

David Hinkle — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 16:00:00 EST

Late next month, Obsidian will launch the first bit of DLC for Fallout: New Vegas. That DLC, according to issue five of the Bethesda newsletter, will take players to the Sierra Madre, "an opulent and extravagant resort that was supposed to be the greatest casino in the west -- except that it never opened." Turns out that whole apocalypse thing really put a damper on the festivities. Who woulda thunk a silly thing like atomic bombs could be such a buzzkill?

The vaykay-spot-that-almost-was had a pretty bitching security system, thus locking the complex up tight following the nuclear holocaust that befell America. As time went on, the climate control and air conditioning system starting pushing toxins out into the nearby area, surrounding it with a mist of poison and making the adjoining city impossible to navigate. A small band of survivors, dubbed the Ghost People, have only managed to scrape by, seemingly resorting to capturing healthy people outside of the plume of pollution surrounding the Sierra Madre. You know, to eat them.

And that's pretty much all we have to go on right now. You can download "Dead Money" for Fallout: New Vegas on December 21, exclusively on Xbox Live, for 800 MS Points ($10).

Fallout: New Vegas 'Dead Money' DLC tours the Sierra Madre's most exclusive resort originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 22 Nov 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Interplay: Fallout Online in second half of 2012

JC Fletcher — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 13:20:00 EST

In an interview with Edge magazine (excerpted by Eurogamer), Interplay president Eric Caen reconfirmed the company's plans to launch a beta of the MMO Fallout Online in 2012. He also specified that the "second half of 2012" will see the release of the commercial game.

Thanks to the ongoing legal troubles with Bethesda, responsible for Fallout 3 and New Vegas, Interplay is in the unique position of trying to promote its game without being able to show it -- because, according to Caen, "anything we show will help Bethesda in their fight." Of course, Interplay staffers are free to go to the store and pick up the current Fallout releases for themselves, which they are doing.

"What I can say is that of course we're playing what Bethesda is doing," Caen said. "We appreciate some portions of it, and we're not necessarily fans of everything. I think they miss a lot of the humor, and the fans seem to agree with that." To that end, the Fallout MMO is intended to be "extremely funny."

Interplay: Fallout Online in second half of 2012 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 22 Oct 2010 13:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Metareview: Fallout: New Vegas

David Hinkle — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 21:00:00 EST

You've already had time to sup on our opinions on Fallout: New Vegas, but we imagine you must be hungry for more, like a lost courier in the Mojave who's been attacked and left for dead. Actually, you know what? That's, like, exactly how this game starts. Weird, huh?

Anyway, let's satiate that appetite for words you've got going, shall we?

Eurogamer (90/100): "Obsidian has created a totally compelling world and its frustrations pale into insignificance compared to the immersive, obsessive experience on offer. Just like the scorched scenery that provides its epic backdrop, New Vegas is huge and sprawling, sometimes gaudy, even downright ugly at times - but always effortlessly, shamelessly entertaining."
GamePro (90/100): "This laundry list of complaints might seem like a game breaker, but that I could suffer through them repeatedly during my marathon New Vegas weekend and still walk away feeling not only satisfied but hungry for more says something about the power of the formula that Bethesda has crafted."
IGN (85/100): "In New Vegas, the fun Fallout 3 formula is intact, with more polished combat, high-quality side missions, and the exciting setting of the Vegas strip. Unfortunately, the bugs also tagged along for the ride."
Game Informer (85/100): "Gamers should expect more of the same from this follow-up. If Fallout 3 holds a place among your top 10 games of this generation like it does for me, another rewarding 200-plus hours of survival awaits you."
PC Gamer (84/100): "More wasteland to wander. New Vegas is good, but the failure to move the series on makes it feel a tiny bit stale."
Giant Bomb (80/100): "It's not a surprise that Fallout: New Vegas sticks closely to Fallout 3's structure and style. But if it weren't for the game's way-too-long list of technical issues, New Vegas would actually be better than its predecessor. Instead, it's a well-written game with so many issues that some of you might want to take a pass, at least until some of this nonsense gets fixed."

Gallery: Fallout: New Vegas

Metareview: Fallout: New Vegas originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 19 Oct 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We'd sell our plasma for this Fallout 3 plasma rifle replica

Randy Nelson — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 02:30:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

It's been a while since we've seen a really cool Fallout 3 weapon replica, so it's extra-nice that this handmade A3-21 Plama Rifle is so very awesome. It's the work of Ryan Palser, who sent us word of his just-completed project -- a five-month process. Check out a bonus photo after the break!

Continue reading We'd sell our plasma for this Fallout 3 plasma rifle replica

We'd sell our plasma for this Fallout 3 plasma rifle replica originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 24 Aug 2010 02:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wayne Newton, Felicia Day lending voices to Fallout: New Vegas

Ben Gilbert — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 10:20:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Narrators. Narrators never change. Yes, of course Ron Perlman will be featured in Fallout: New Vegas, but you might be interested in hearing about the cadre of other famous folks lending their voices to the forthcoming Obsidian-developed RPG. Wayne Newton will play radio DJ "Mr. New Vegas," while Matthew Perry will voice "Benny, the head of the Geckos family." Felicia Day is handling the voice of "Veronica, a sarcastic Brotherhood of Steel scribe."

In addition, From Dusk 'Til Dawn favorite Danny Trejo will give his gravitas to "a third playable companion," hilariously named "Raul the Ghoul." Kris Kristofferson, Michael Dorn, William Sadler, John Doman, and Rene Auberjonois make up the rest of the star-studded list. We're not quite sure which one is the biggest celebrity -- and thus can't predict which character will disappear after the first ten minutes. It was so much easier when we were dealing with Liam Neeson and Patrick Stewart!

Wayne Newton, Felicia Day lending voices to Fallout: New Vegas originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 10 Aug 2010 10:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fallout Online named, teaser site launches

Randy Nelson — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 03:51:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Interplay has launched a teaser site for Fallout Online, presumably the proper title for Project V13 from Chris Taylor, designer of the original Fallout (with help from Masthead Studios). This comes in the wake of drawn-out legal action between Interplay and Bethesda over the rights to the Fallout IP, and news in January that a beta for the V13 title would be coming in 2012.

The site offers a sign-up form for the Fallout Online mailing list and an option to be informed when registration for the open beta begins. We're contacting Interplay for more on the now-named game and hope to hear back before we all need to start carrying Rad Away.

[Thanks, King of Creation]

Fallout Online named, teaser site launches originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 Jun 2010 03:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fallout: New Vegas vaporizing mutants on Oct 19 in US, Oct 22 in EU

Ben Gilbert — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

What more do we need to say? We'll be heading back into the future '50s world of Fallout, sculpted by Obsidian, on October 19 in the US and October 22 in Europe. In case you hadn't already seen in the recently released E3 trailer, the Las Vegas ... er, New Vegas setting is positively packed to the gills with seedy characters.

So it's a lot regular ol' Vegas then, but with more Geiger counters.

Fallout: New Vegas vaporizing mutants on Oct 19 in US, Oct 22 in EU originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 14 Jun 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fallout: New Vegas gets retailer-specific pre-order items

David Hinkle — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 12:32:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Click image for a rundown of the pre-order bonuses

Anxious to wade through the wastelands of Fallout: New Vegas this fall? It's already got a plethora of pre-order bonuses available through select retailers. Walmart, Best Buy, GameStop, Amazon and Steam are all vying for your pre-purchase dollars through custom in-game bundles, featuring armor, guns and some useful items.

Head past the break for a description of each and check out the gallery below for shots of the bonuses in-game. Enjoy your additional decision-making process!

Gallery: Fallout: New Vegas (pre-order bonuses)

Continue reading Fallout: New Vegas gets retailer-specific pre-order items

Fallout: New Vegas gets retailer-specific pre-order items originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 10 Jun 2010 12:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Fallout: New Vegas box art is stoic

David Hinkle — Thu, 13 May 2010 23:00:00 EST

We struggle to find anything else to say about the Fallout: New Vegas boxart that's been revealed via the Bethesda Blog. Depicting a single New California Republic Ranger standing alone (you know, the guy from the first trailer?), he wields his pistol, presumably ready for any ne'er-do-wells lurking. Or maybe he's just showing his gun to us? We can't imagine it's very impressive, what with all the sand in the post-apocalyptic desert.

Of course, if the regular edition of the game doesn't do it for you, don't forget there's a collector's edition you can snag for $79.99 on PS3 and Xbox and $69.99 on PC -- or about 7,162 bottle caps.*

*Note: Please don't mail bottle caps to Bethesda.

The Fallout: New Vegas box art is stoic originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 13 May 2010 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bethesda announces Fallout: New Vegas collector's edition for high rollers

JC Fletcher — Tue, 11 May 2010 11:25:00 EST

Bethesda is releasing a Fallout: New Vegas package worth squirreling away in your bomb shelter. The Collector's Edition includes a bunch of goodies modeled after items found in the game, including a set of seven casino chips representing casinos from the game, a special "Lucky 38 platinum chip," a deck of cards with New Vegas character imagery ("Use the cards to play poker, blackjack or Caravan, an original card game that was created by Obsidian especially for New Vegas!").

A hardcover graphic novel, "All Roads," written by Obsidian creative director Chris Avellone, and a making-of DVD are also included in the package. Bethesda didn't offer a price for the Collector's Edition, but GameStop has it at $79.99 on PS3 and Xbox, and $69.99 on PC.

Bethesda announces Fallout: New Vegas collector's edition for high rollers originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 11 May 2010 11:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Interview: Josh Sawyer on Fallout: New Vegas

Kevin Kelly — Wed, 05 May 2010 20:30:00 EST

Imagine going to work on "Van Buren," the original Fallout 3, as a designer for Black Isle Studios, only to see the title canceled due to parent company Interplay's financial problems. Then, imagine Bethesda buying the Fallout 3 license and developing an entirely different game, which goes on to win multiple awards and accolades. Now, imagine you're brought back into the franchise, as a designer for Obsidian Entertainment, to create a sequel to Bethesda's popular title. Preposterous, you say?

Josh Sawyer is the lead designer on Fallout: New Vegas and, after having the rug yanked from under him on the original Fallout 3, he's happy to be working on the latest new Fallout project -- one that will be released later this year. Read on for our conversation with Sawyer.

Joystiq: What's your history with the Fallout franchise?

Josh Sawyer: I worked on what's called "Van Buren," which was the codename when Black Isle started to work on what would have been Fallout 3, and we had worked on it for maybe half a year, and then it was canceled because Interplay had a lot of financial problems.

Continue reading Interview: Josh Sawyer on Fallout: New Vegas

Interview: Josh Sawyer on Fallout: New Vegas originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 05 May 2010 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Obsidian CEO describes Fallout: New Vegas as 'almost' original IP

Kevin Kelly — Tue, 04 May 2010 18:00:00 EST

Obsidian Entertainment has worked on a number of games based on existing franchises, including Star Wars, Forgotten Realms and Aliens*. While the studio will release an original IP in Alpha Protocol in just several weeks (through publisher Sega), its following release will be the next installment in the Fallout franchise, Fallout: New Vegas, with publisher Bethesda.

At a recent Bethesda press event, I asked Obsidian CEO Feargus Urquhart about the studio's decision to take on the next Fallout versus pursuing an original IP. Head past the break for Urquhart's thoughtful response.

*[Editor's note: The Aliens-based game was ultimately canceled.]

Gallery: Fallout: New Vegas (preview)

Continue reading Obsidian CEO describes Fallout: New Vegas as 'almost' original IP

Obsidian CEO describes Fallout: New Vegas as 'almost' original IP originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 04 May 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Interview: Bethesda's Pete Hines

Kevin Kelly — Tue, 04 May 2010 14:00:00 EST

Two years ago, our discussions with Bethesda were dominated by Fallout 3. Now, the publisher has four new titles in the pipeline: Fallout: New Vegas, Brink, Hunted: The Demon's Forge, and RAGE. Oh, and it also recently announced plans to dominate the world.

At a press event each of those four upcoming games, we spoke with company vice president Pete Hines about future plans and, of course, Fallout: New Vegas. Read on for the full interview.

Continue reading Interview: Bethesda's Pete Hines

Interview: Bethesda's Pete Hines originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 04 May 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Impressions: Fallout New Vegas (update)

Kevin Kelly — Tue, 04 May 2010 11:02:00 EST

Are we really ready for more Fallout? No mere expansion pack, Fallout: New Vegas is equal in size and scope to Fallout 3 and will require a significant time investment to fully explore. Bethesda has brought in Obsidian to develop the title, and the studio is adding a lot of content (more than double the number of weapons in Fallout 3, for example) and necessary tweaks to the Fallout foundation.

Set three years after Fallout 3, New Vegas stars a mysterious stranger, though not a vault-dweller, who recovers from a bullet to the head and ventures forth to figure out the identity of the shooter. Of course, this journey of discovery is just as much about meting out that particular brand of Fallout justice.

Update: We mention later in this piece that Fallout: New Vegas apparently wouldn't have a fast travel system. We decided to contact Bethesda about that ... since just like you, we don't want to spend all of our gameplay time walking from one town to the next. Here's the response we received: "Fallout: New Vegas will have a fast travel system - just like Fallout 3. The guys were just pointing out that unlike Fallout 3, Fallout: New Vegas won't have any underground tunnels (the metro) linking the various locations."

Gallery: Fallout: New Vegas (preview)

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Impressions: Fallout New Vegas (update) originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 04 May 2010 11:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fallout: New Vegas ups the ante with customizable weapons, hardcore mode and more

Randy Nelson — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 23:00:00 EST

Where Fallout 3 is involved, the idea of "more of the same" is never a bad thing, especially when we're still playing the game a year and a half after its 2008 debut. Fortunately, Fallout: New Vegas, due this fall, is more than more of the same. Here's how.

Picking up three years after the events that played out in Fallout 3's Capital Wasteland, this full sequel casts players a courier left for dead in Nevada's Mojave Wasteland. As such, players will have the option to select their character's age during the initial creation (or, in this case, re-creation) process, in addition to choosing their starting S.P.E.C.I.A.L. stats. While they might not be a vault dweller, the game finds a way of outfitting them with the familiar Pip-Boy 3000 wearable computer.

The plot unfolds across a variety of high desert locales, from the New Vegas strip to the Hoover Dam and settlements beyond. The Mojave Wasteland is filled with things that want to kill you -- new and returning alike -- so you'll luckily have a refined combat system and expanded arsenal at your disposal. The V.A.T.S. targeting system from Fallout 3 returns more or less unaltered, save for new special move commands that should make melee fighting fans happy.

Gallery: Fallout: New Vegas

Continue reading Fallout: New Vegas ups the ante with customizable weapons, hardcore mode and more

Fallout: New Vegas ups the ante with customizable weapons, hardcore mode and more originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 30 Apr 2010 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bethesda sets up offices in France and Germany

Ludwig Kietzmann — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 15:45:00 EST

A powerhouse purveyor to the discerning role-player, Bethesda Softworks, has announced the opening of two new offices in Europe. Situated in Frankfurt, Germany and Paris, France, the offices will oversee sales and marketing and act as regional custodians for Bethesda's stable of popular properties. Think of them as Fallout shelters that are thoroughly stocked with baguettes and sausages.

Bethesda has appointed Frank Matzke -- formerly marketing director for central Europe at Vivendi Games -- as managing director for the German arm, and Julie Chalmette as MD for France (just that office, not the whole country). Previously, Chalmette worked as a general manager for Vivendi Games France.

Bethesda sets up offices in France and Germany originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 29 Apr 2010 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Bethesda nukes lawsuit against Interplay over Fallout MMO [Update: Bethesda disagrees, calls it 'ongoing']

Randy Nelson — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 16:30:00 EST

[Update: A Bethesda spokesperson told Joystiq, "It's an ongoing legal matter. I don't know where whoever reported that got their information, but it is ongoing and we are going to see how it plays out in court." So there you have it - Interplay and Bethesda haven't made nice just yet. Original post follows.]

For those of you just joining us, former Fallout owner Interplay has been working on Project V13 -- a Fallout MMO in all but name -- going back a couple of years now. Bethesda - current owner of the Fallout franchise and developer and publisher of Fallout 3 - was understandably nonplussed by this fact, and the two companies have been going back and forth in court over the rights to use the Fallout name ever since. Well, according to Fallout fan site Duck and Cover, the two have made nice, with Bethesda dropping its attempts to block Interplay from having anything to do with the franchise.

The site reports that it spoke with "Frymuchan," an investor in Interplay who has provided updates on the proceedings since they began. According to legal documents furnished by him, both companies came to an unspecified agreement whereby Bethesda would allow Interplay to continue on its merry way with the franchise. He called this "awesome news for Interplay stock," opining that he believes "part of the deal was that Interplay drop their countersuit against Bethesda."

Bear in mind that neither company has issued a formal statement on the outcome, and while the investor believes "this will likely mean that V13 will be moving full steam ahead," we'll await word from Interplay before getting too excited. Heck, the beta isn't even supposed to start until 2012.

[Via VG247]

Report: Bethesda nukes lawsuit against Interplay over Fallout MMO [Update: Bethesda disagrees, calls it 'ongoing'] originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 22 Apr 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First screens from Fallout: New Vegas surface, feature glorious beards

Griffin McElroy — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 19:00:00 EST

Click to embearden

Around these parts, we're all avid supporters of a thick, lustrous beard. Though our tastes for the gaming industries various genres differ greatly, we can all get behind any game so long as it includes characters with copious amounts of facial hair. For this reason alone, a recent batch of screenshots has placed Fallout: New Vegas firmly on our list of most anticipated games of 2010.

You can check out images depicting New Vegas' unprecedentedly hirsute ensemble in the gallery below. There's also a Super Mutant with heart-rimmed glasses and a doo-wop weave, and man, we've got to find out what that's all about.

Gallery: Fallout: New Vegas

First screens from Fallout: New Vegas surface, feature glorious beards originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 07 Mar 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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April OXM features Fallout: New Vegas, Halo: Reach

Richard Mitchell — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:30:00 EST

The small, irradiated pool of Fallout: New Vegas knowledge is about to get bigger. Bethesda has announced that the April issue of Official Xbox Magazine -- set to hit newsstands next week -- will devote its cover story to the game. Readers can expect an eight-page spread on New Vegas and, as a bonus, the included DVD will also feature some exclusive gamer pics (what, no Avatar items?).

Sharp-eyed readers will notice that the magazine has an eight-page feature on Halo: Reach as well. All in all, probably something Xbox gamers should keep an eye on.

April OXM features Fallout: New Vegas, Halo: Reach originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fallout: New Vegas plot details surface from USA Today

Ben Gilbert — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 17:25:00 EST

Aside from a cursory description of the game's premise on its official website, we've heard very little about Fallout: New Vegas. Today, friends, that changes, with a USA Today feature that reveals the game's protagonist as a shot and left-to-die package delivery boy who finds himself in Sin City "and the surrounding area" in 2280. "You were a courier, and you were obviously carrying something that somebody wanted," Bethesda Softworks' Pete Hines says of the player's character. "Part of the story is finding out what you had and what they took."

Hines additionally insists New Vegas will "feel" far different from 2008's Fallout 3 through one key aspect: the setting. "Vegas is up and running. It is not a ghost town. It still exists and thrives. There are casinos, and you can go down onto the Strip. It will have a very different feel from that standpoint."

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Hines also notes that the New Vegas will "take you hundreds of hours to explore every nook and cranny" -- not unlike the 2008 iteration of the Fallout franchise. We'd be straight lying if we said we weren't unbelievably ready to invest that time in more of the Fallout universe this fall, even after all of last year's DLC.

Fallout: New Vegas plot details surface from USA Today originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 22 Feb 2010 17:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fallout: New Vegas coming this fall, teaser coming ... right now

Justin McElroy — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 10:36:00 EST

Bethesda sent word today that the Obsidian-developed Fallout: New Vegas will start irradiating store shelves this fall. It's a little less nebulous than the previous "sometime in 2010," but it's still not specific enough for our tastes.

No, the real draw today is the second half of Bethesda's release, the debut teaser trailer that we've put just above. No gameplay, but it's got style and Sinatra to spare.

Also ... is that a Helghast? It's not, right?

[Update: Bethesda updated the game's official description with a few details. You can find them after the break.]

Continue reading Fallout: New Vegas coming this fall, teaser coming ... right now

Fallout: New Vegas coming this fall, teaser coming ... right now originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 04 Feb 2010 10:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Namco Bandai to spread Fallout: New Vegas across Australia, Europe

Randy Nelson — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 17:00:00 EST

Holy wow, there's actually some news about Obsidian / Bethesda's Fallout: New Vegas. We hadn't seen hide nor hair of the game since its announcement in April of last year and ... well, we still haven't. No, dear Readers, today's news is merely that the game will be distributed in many locales outside of the US by Namco Bandai.

Specifically, the Japan-headquartered giant will be putting New Vegas into the hands of gamers in Australia, Austria, Benelux, France, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland and Rivet City. (We made that last one up.) For its part, Bethesda mostly talked up the partnership, but added that, "Fallout: New Vegas builds upon the immersive gaming experience that made Fallout 3 the 2008 Game of the Year." Yes, please!

[Via CVG]

Namco Bandai to spread Fallout: New Vegas across Australia, Europe originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 29 Jan 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'Fallout Extreme' revealed as another nuked project

Alexander Sliwinski — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 15:57:00 EST

Fallout Extreme is another canceled Fallout project that has emerged from the wastes. Unearthed by Pawel "Ausir" Dembowski and posted on the Fallout Wikia, Extreme was a "squad-based first- and third-person" shooter for Xbox, under development at Interplay's 14 Degrees East (which co-developed Fallout Tactics). The game was in the concept phase for "several months" during 2000, but never really got rolling with a development team.

The premise of the game was players would control a squad in "The Cause," a group of revolutionaries in the Pacific Northwest. The game would follow The Cause as they defeat the local Brotherhood, cross the Bering Strait, and conclude with a showdown in China's Forbidden City. The premise sounds interesting, but, "Extreme?" Really? Might as well have just called it: Mountain Dew presents Michael Bay's Fallout.

'Fallout Extreme' revealed as another nuked project originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 27 Jan 2010 15:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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