ZeniMax Online Studios - Website Launched

ZeniMax Online sent us a note to say they've launched an official site, although they note it will be quite some time before they release product details. The banner art looks a little post-apoc wasteland to me but, of course, they've licensed Fallout Online back to Interplay at least until that fails to meet the contract criteria.
More information.

Sorry, missed this one, I generally do my posting away from the machine I have the e-mail account set up on.

So this is where the Mythic guys went? I'd still be surprised if it wasn't an Elder Scrolls MMO even with that very wasteland looking picture there.

The art doesn't look Falloutish to me at all (not saying that you said so Dhruin) but I also have no doubts that "FOOL" will be developed by ZeniMax/Bethesda and not by Interplay as the latter already failed to comply with the contract (Interplay had to start full scale development of Fallout Online by 2008).

I think right now ZeniMax is just waiting to see how well Fallout 3 is going to sell to decide whether or not they're going to develop FOOL.

Like Woges I'm putting my money on a Elder Scrolls MMO for the currently in development project. FOOL is propbably going to be their second project.

Originally Posted by Hedek
The art doesn't look Falloutish to me at all (not saying that you said so Dhruin) but I also have no doubts that "FOOL" will be developed by ZeniMax/Bethesda and not by Interplay as the latter already failed to comply with the contract (Interplay had to start full scale development of Fallout Online by 2008).

Incorrect. Interplay had to start full scale development of Fallout Online "within twenty-four (24) months of the Effective Date of this Agreement", agreement having been signed April 12 2007. So that's before April 12 2009, not by 2008.

Besides, what makes you think FOOL is not currently in development? You think Interplay has been hiring people to twiddle their thumbs?

The art style certainly looks like it's from the FO3 concept artist, same technique with art over photograph. And of course it doesn't really mean anything. If it's a hint for a TES related game, it might point to Hammerfell as the location. The Alik'r is the only major desert in Tamriel, IIRC.

Fallout certainly is an interesting setting to have an MMO, so I wouldn't be surprised if it's in development right now. There's huge potential in such a setting, and I very much doubt Interplay will let such a thing pass them by.

I have no doubt they are trying - but I also don't believe they'll secure the funds to get that far.

Originally Posted by Maylander
There's huge potential in such a setting, and I very much doubt Interplay will let such a thing pass them by.

Well, one thing's for sure and that's that ZeniMax would rather have the whole license to Fallout, including FOOL. If Interplay succeeds in publishing FOOL ZM will be one unhappy camper.

Originally Posted by Dhruin
I have no doubt they are trying - but I also don't believe they'll secure the funds to get that far.

They are definitely trying, despite some factors working well against them. I'm certainly not labelling it "not vapourware" yet tho'. Still Interplay we're talking about.

Originally Posted by GhanBuriGhan
The Alik'r is the only major desert in Tamriel, IIRC.

A desert named after me ???

Jason Anderson, if he is still lead of FOOL, is enough to make me root for Interplay. And I don’t care much for Bethesda and I defineitly don’t want them making FOOL.
From the interview where Jason speaks about WoW and MMO’s (I think interviewed by Brother None) I trust him to get what made WoW popular, to stay as true to FO as a MMO can, soehow fit these two ideas in a package with compeling gameplay and original ideas. But I’m definitely not sure that it will be released in a stable state without being stripped and gutted at luanch, mainly due to funding. I don’t see much capital being poored into the MMO market in the future for slightly risky ventures, and FOOL by Interplay has to be seen as much more than slightly risky by debt-issuers.

Wild speculation forecast:
I hate to say it but I think Bio’s MMO is the only MMO with the funding and possible appeal that has a chance of being the next cash-cow. But I think it will be short lived as Blizzard has to be working on something as well, and they are far too smart to do an EQ2 with WoW. I’m thinking a World of Diablo that is basically WoW with a different setting and better graphics and slight twists on what they currently offer as content. Don’t fix it if it ain’t broken.
I don’t see WHO, after playing in the OB, really taking much of WoW’s market (not a month before WoW’s next expansion). If they released six-months ago, or 4 months from now, but this is just shitty timing.