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The Elder Scrolls Online using HeroEngine 'as a whiteboard'

Jef Reahard — Sat, 26 May 2012 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, MMO industry, New titles, News items, The Elder Scrolls Online

Fan outcry over the announcement of The Elder Scrolls Online was long and loud, not just for the presumed MMOification of a beloved single-player franchise, but for the toolset chosen by ZeniMax Online Studios to bring the world of Tamriel to its new audience.

Game Informer confirms that ZeniMax is using the HeroEngine -- which also powers Star Wars: The Old Republic, and which has come under fire from some in the MMO fan community. Game director Matt Firor says that the firm isn't using the engine like you may expect, though.

"Think of HeroEngine as a whiteboard for us -- a great tool to get some ideas in the game and start looking at them while the production engine was in development," he explains.

[Thanks to Austin for the tip!]

The Elder Scrolls Online using HeroEngine 'as a whiteboard' originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 26 May 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Discussing the design of quests in The Elder Scrolls Online

Eliot Lefebvre — Wed, 23 May 2012 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Game mechanics, Previews, News items, The Elder Scrolls Online

The Elder Scrolls Online has certain player expectations going in, such as an expectation of the sort of quest structure you usually find in the series. More specifically, it's the sort of structure in which you start off on some simple quest and wind up wandering off into some completely unrelated point of interest. A recent interview with creative director Paul Sage and lead content designer Rich Lambert reveals that the team is aiming for just that sort of model in the game.

As Lambert explains, the team wants to move away from the usual hub design in favor of several points of interest, each of which provides a little snippet of content and story. The points aren't meant to be structured as an A-to-B affair; instead, you have several points of interest in a given region which build into a large overarching story. Take a look at the full interview for more information about how quests will work in the game and how players will be guided through objectives as they play.

Discussing the design of quests in The Elder Scrolls Online originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 23 May 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively Speaking Episode 202: Rubbernecking at the scene of an MMO accident

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 22 May 2012 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Podcasts, MMO industry, News items, Guild Wars 2, Massively Meta, Massively Speaking, Miscellaneous, Diablo III, The Elder Scrolls Online, Pirate101

Massively Speaking Episode 202 is hot at the scene of the 38 Studios disaster, and without hyperbole we can say that this is more tragic than Pompeii, the Titanic, and Showgirls combined. Will Curt Schilling's dream team survive this financial crisis? We brought expert analyst Eliot Lefebvre on the podcast to give us his opinion.

Have a comment for the podcasters? Shoot an email to podcast@massively.com. We may just read your email on the air!

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Continue reading Massively Speaking Episode 202: Rubbernecking at the scene of an MMO accident

Massively Speaking Episode 202: Rubbernecking at the scene of an MMO accident originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 22 May 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Elder Scrolls Online Ebonheart Pact faction profiled

Elisabeth Cardy — Fri, 18 May 2012 18:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Lore, News items, Races, The Elder Scrolls Online

The flashlight of knowledge has already been directed at two of The Elder Scroll Online's three main political factions, and now the third is getting a little time in the light. We've already told you about the Daggerfall Covenant and the Aldmeri Dominion, and today Game Informer is closing out ouroboros with the third faction, the Ebonheart Pact.

The alliance that makes up the Ebonheart Pact was first forged after an Akaviri invasion, when the Nords and Dunmer banded together and then cut the Argonians in on the friendliness in order to find safety in numbers. While the Aldmeri Dominion is bent on conquering and ruling, the Ebonheart Pact is really just an attempt to stay alive in a world of invasions and power struggles.

The Dunmer, also called Dark Elves, call the familiar lands of Morrowind home. Skyrim, which a few folks may have heard of thanks to a rather underground game that came out last year, is home to the militant and cold-resistant Nords. The reptilian Argonians, or Saxhleel as they like to call themselves, come from the Black Marsh, also known (by way of total coincidence, I'm sure) as Argonia. They share the area with the Hist, a race of sentient trees, and all matter of poisonous and malicious critters and plants.

If you need help keeping all the names straight (the Nords are also referred to as children of the sky, by the way, although apparently that's an informal title), be sure to read the full profile.

The Elder Scrolls Online Ebonheart Pact faction profiled originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 May 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Matt Firor on The Elder Scrolls Online's '100% solo' personal story

Matt Daniel — Fri, 18 May 2012 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Interviews, New titles, News items, The Elder Scrolls Online

Games in the Elder Scrolls series have always been about giving players the opportunity to become the game's hero, and it looks like The Elder Scrolls Online will be no different. The title's game director, Matt Firor, has announced that each character's main storyline in the game will be "100% solo."

Firor points back to the previous entries in the series, stating that "in The Elder Scrolls games, you're always the hero... The last thing you want to do is have the final confrontation with Mehrunes Dagon as he's stomping across the Imperial City, and you see like 15 guys behind you waiting to kill him." While it's a good point, we can't help but wonder what kind of an impact this design will have on the social aspect of the MMO, but at this point all we can do is wait and see. Firor's full interview over on Game Informer has plenty of extra information as well, so if you're jonesing for more details, just head on over and check it out for yourself.

Matt Firor on The Elder Scrolls Online's '100% solo' personal story originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 May 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Elder Scrolls Online factions profiled

Elisabeth Cardy — Wed, 16 May 2012 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Lore, News items, Races, The Elder Scrolls Online

Three alliances control the political scene in The Elder Scrolls Online's Tamriel, and Game Informer is taking a closer look at all of them, starting with the Daggerfall Covenant and the Aldmeri Dominion.

The Daggerfell Covenant is made up of the Orcs (also called Orsimer), Bretons, and Redguards -- although the latter two are coming out of something of a love-hate relationship, with a history of as much internal conflict as external. Apparently time does heal all wounds, though, because the three races have worked out a democratic system of mutual love and respect. The Orcs and Bretons call the beautiful land of High Rock home, while the Redguard are based in Hammerfell.

The Aldmeri Dominion is a more hostile power composed of the Altmer, the Bosmer, and Khajiit and intent on total domination. Also known as Wood Elves, the Bosmer call Valenwood home (surprise: It's a heavily wooded area) and enjoy tramping through forests, living in harmony with nature, and building cities in migratory trees. The Altmer, or High Elves, can be found in the little-known Summerset Isles. The Khajiit, who missed out on the alternative name lottery, live in Elsweyr, whose climate is ideal for the cultivation of Moon Sugar.

Got all that? Study up, there'll be a test. Feel free to read the full profiles, and keep an eye out for Ebonheart Pact information on Friday.

The Elder Scrolls Online factions profiled originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 16 May 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Soapbox: Translating Elder Scrolls Online dev speak

Jef Reahard — Tue, 15 May 2012 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, Opinion, The Soapbox, Sandbox, The Elder Scrolls Online

Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

Language is a pretty fascinating thing, and studying a second one is something I've long intended to do. Aside from entertaining thoughts of learning Korean to play ArcheAge, though (seriously, I looked into it), I haven't gotten around to much beyond college-level Deutsch.

But as I watched last week's interview with The Elder Scrolls Online creative director Paul Sage, I realized that I already have some pretty good second-language skills. I'm fluent in both English and MMO dev-speak, so as a public service, I'm going to translate some of what Sage said into the former.

Continue reading The Soapbox: Translating Elder Scrolls Online dev speak

The Soapbox: Translating Elder Scrolls Online dev speak originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 15 May 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Analyst predicts The Elder Scrolls Online will launch with a subscription fee

Eliot Lefebvre — Wed, 09 May 2012 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, MMO industry, Previews, News items, Opinion, The Elder Scrolls Online

Are you hoping that The Elder Scrolls Online will be part of the classic subscription model rather than go the free-to-play route? According to analyst Nicholas Lovell, founder of Gamesbrief, the odds are good that you'll get your wish. Lovell notes that since the game began development in 2007, when subscription games were at their apex, Bethesda is likely to launch using the more familiar business model. Whether or not it will remain as a subscription game is another matter.

Of course, the price of play is far from the minds of most fans -- the real question is what the game will look like when it's actually playable. Director Matt Firor recently sat down to discuss the game's earliest stages of development, the relationship between ZeniMax Online Studios and Bethesda, and working within the lore of the established IP. It's an interesting look behind the scenes of development, and if you're interested in the game, watching the video is certain to be six minutes well spent.

Analyst predicts The Elder Scrolls Online will launch with a subscription fee originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 09 May 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively Speaking Episode 200: Bicentennial!

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 08 May 2012 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Podcasts, News items, Opinion, Massively Meta, Massively Speaking, Miscellaneous, The Elder Scrolls Online

Massively Speaking Episode 200 is a nice round number, and people are supposed to celebrate those, right? Join us for a Very Special Episode, during which Shawn joins Justin and Bree to reminisce about the past, talk about the behind-the-scenes activities on the site, and drop a Tabula Rasa reference or two.

Have a comment for the podcasters? Shoot an email to podcast@massively.com. We may just read your email on the air!

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Continue reading Massively Speaking Episode 200: Bicentennial!

Massively Speaking Episode 200: Bicentennial! originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 08 May 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Elder Scrolls creative director: We want to make a good game first

Jef Reahard — Tue, 08 May 2012 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, Interviews, MMO industry, New titles, News items, The Elder Scrolls Online

The recently announced Elder Scrolls MMO has a lot to live up to. If the initial fan reaction is any indication, it's not doing as well as you might expect in the court of public opinion. Creative director Paul Sage recently stepped in front of the camera to talk at length about the project, and some of what he has to say probably isn't going to sit well with fans who are concerned that ZeniMax is making a generic themepark MMO out of the much-loved single-player sandbox series.

"We have to make our own game," he tells Game Informer. "We want to make a good game first. Not a good MMO, not a good Elder Scrolls game, we want to make a good game first, a great experience for the player."

Elder Scrolls creative director: We want to make a good game first originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 08 May 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ask Massively: Thieving on the fast track edition

Eliot Lefebvre — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Expansions, MMO industry, Opinion, Legal, Ask Massively, Miscellaneous

One of our readers was kind enough to point us to two sites that, once again, were stealing our posts without crediting our authors or anything like that. (I don't mean "this post looks suspiciously similar"; I mean abusing copy and paste.) Unfortunately, while we're aware of these things, there's not a whole lot we can do other than request that the sites get taken down. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't, but it's all we can do. I guess it's nice to be good enough that your work is worth stealing without credit? That's something.

This week's installment of Ask Massively isn't going to focus on that, however. Instead, we're going to focus on the recent spate of MMO litigation and the potential for a boxed RIFT expansion. If you have a question you'd like to see answered in a future installment of Ask Massively, mail it along to ask@massively.com or leave a comment in the field below. Questions may be edited slightly for clarity and/or brevity.

Continue reading Ask Massively: Thieving on the fast track edition

Ask Massively: Thieving on the fast track edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The MMO Report: Baby names edition

Brianna Royce — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Video, MMO industry, Opinion, Humor, The MMO Report, Miscellaneous

This week on The MMO Report, Casey discusses the un-disbanding of the Multiverse project and associated Firefly/Buffy IPs, Wakfu's bright and bizarre character classes, DC Universe Online's timely crafting update, and Razer's new Fiona gaming tablet. He also notes that Bethesda came away the clear victor in the Fallout Online settlement. Now, where's our Fallout MMO?

Finally, Casey dips into the mailbag to dispense advice to aspiring game designers and gratitude to a pair of gamers who are planning to name their first child after Casey himself. Says the Beard: "I am equally honored and aghast... I'm just a loudmouth with a camera who reads hit-or-miss jokes about nerd stuff off a teleprompter so that someone can put it on the internet."

Watch Casey blush at the prospect of little baby beardlings in the full MMO Report video tucked behind the break.

Continue reading The MMO Report: Baby names edition

The MMO Report: Baby names edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 12 Jan 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bethesda and Interplay settle Fallout MMO lawsuits, Interplay's rights revoked

Matt Daniel — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: MMO industry, News items, Legal, Post-Apocalyptic, Fallout Online, Miscellaneous

Bethesda and Interplay have been embroiled in a legal battle for quite some time now, arguing over whether or not Interplay had the rights to create a Fallout MMO. Well, that lawsuit has finally been settled and it appears that Bethesda has come out on top. In a press release today, Bethesda announced that "under the terms of the settlement, the license granted to Interplay to develop the Fallout MMO is null and void, and all rights granted to Interplay to develop a Fallout MMO revert back to Bethesda, effective immediately." Bethesda fails to make any mention of whether or not the studio will use its freshly re-acquired rights in order to actually make a Fallout MMO, however, so the future of the online wasteland remains in flux.

[Source: Bethesda Game Studios press release]

Bethesda and Interplay settle Fallout MMO lawsuits, Interplay's rights revoked originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Jan 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The MMO Report: Cool balloon bro edition

Brianna Royce — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Video, MMO industry, News items, Opinion, Humor, The MMO Report, Miscellaneous

This week on The MMO Report -- where everyone prefers "a blaster over hokey religions and ancient weapons" -- Casey tries to make the most of a slow MMO news week. He reports that the fallout over Fallout Online has settled, Multiverse (the Buffy/Firefly MMO platform) is dead in the water, CCP is launching EVE Online character avatars into orbit via balloon, and Star Wars: The Old Republic is boasting 350,000 concurrent users.

There's no mailbag this week, he relates, because everyone's too busy playing lightsabers with their friends, which is probably true.

He also thanks BioWare for teaching him how to /getdown... and I think you should tune in at the five-minute mark to see his moves for yourself. The video's tucked behind the break for your amusement!

Continue reading The MMO Report: Cool balloon bro edition

The MMO Report: Cool balloon bro edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Jan 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bethesda vs. Interplay case finally settled

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: MMO industry, Legal, Fallout Online, Miscellaneous

War. War never changes. And neither, it appeared, would the long-running legal dispute between Bethesda and Interplay over the rights to the Fallout IP. For years, it seems, we've been reporting on this courtroom tug-o-war between the companies which has kept the fate of Fallout Online in limbo.

Well it looks like it is finally over, one way or another. An administrator on the Fallout fan site Duck and Cover says that a settlement has been reached although the details have yet to emerge to the public:

Today, DAC has confirmation that a settlement has, in fact, taken place. It actually took place the day of the trial -- and had I been able to get online and sort through the documents I would have reported as much. We do not yet have the details of the settlement -- they will be announced this month (January 2012) -- but we can report that on the day of trial, the atmosphere in the court room was tense until the judge recessed. This recess was extended, and then they recessed for lunch. After the lunch recess, the court room was locked to everyone except attorneys and clients. When our source asked why this was the case, our source was told it was because they were working out a settlement. The following day, another source called the court reporter to ask what the next hearing schedule for the case was -- this source was told there was no schedule as a settlement had been reached.

We'll be following this story as it develops to see how it affects the potential Fallout Online and what each studio is walking away with from this bitter dispute.

Bethesda vs. Interplay case finally settled originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 03 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bethesda and Interplay may be close to settling Fallout dispute

Jef Reahard — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Legal, Post-Apocalyptic, Fallout Online

Is the long-running war of words between Bethesda and Interplay nearing its end? The two firms have been engaged in a legal tug-of-war over the Fallout IP (and its potential entry into the MMO space via Fallout Online) for several years now, but a new blurb on GamePolitics suggests that there could be some light at the end of the tunnel.

GamePolitics cites a Fallout wiki entry and the leak of a partial court transcript from earlier this month that says "both sides have previously agreed to drop this from the case (Bethesda raised it, and Interplay agreed). The case now just concerns future Fallout games."

The website points to another source that claims that Bethesda is attempting to seal parts of the case (which is often a harbinger for an out-of-court settlement).

Bethesda and Interplay may be close to settling Fallout dispute originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Dec 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Perfect Ten: The upcoming long-shots

Justin Olivetti — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Sci-fi, World of Darkness, Fallout Online, Perfect Ten, Miscellaneous, Transformers Universe, Otherland, MechWarrior Online

In coming up with a follow-up list to my previous Upcoming MMO Contenders list, I found myself almost paralyzed by more choices than I could shake a wireless mouse at. Pointing at the sure bets is one thing, but narrowing down a field of dozens and dozens of interesting -- yet more far-flung -- prospects is far more difficult. It's one thing to have a good idea; it's another to say whether or not this game will actually make it to launch, and if it does, that it'll pull the idea off well.

That said, I've lost some hair and two pounds sweating out this list, and I feel sleeker for it. Today's Perfect Ten is all about the long-shots, the titles that may not have the huge budget, big name studios, or anything solid to show for it, but could still become contenders in their own right if everything is played just right.

Deep breath -- let's give it a go!

Continue reading The Perfect Ten: The upcoming long-shots

The Perfect Ten: The upcoming long-shots originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 15 Dec 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MMObility: The clever design behind War of Dragons

Beau Hindman — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Trailers, Video, Business models, Game mechanics, PvP, Opinion, Free-to-play, Browser, Casual, Roleplaying, MMObility

Ah, the things that rev up the imagination of gamers. Right now I can almost feel the excitement as players all over the world are waiting to jump into games like Skyrim or Star Wars the Old Republic. I'm a bit excited as well, but honestly none of those titles tantalizes me like some of the browser-based goodies I have been playing lately. It could be the model railroad world of RuneScape or the epic scale of Illyriad that is inspiring me, making me spend hours of dog walking or drinking tea while daydreaming of game creation.

I've also stumbled across this newish world of semi-graphical, browser-based, MUD-like MMOs. They have shown me that text and description can still be very powerful tools, especially mixed with graphics or even basic animation. Then I stumbled upon War of Dragons, a wonderful browser-based MMO that shows me just how amazing browser-based gaming can be.

Click past the cut and I'll explain.

Continue reading MMObility: The clever design behind War of Dragons

MMObility: The clever design behind War of Dragons originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Nov 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bethesda's Todd Howard not interested in an Elder Scrolls MMO

Justin Olivetti — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Interviews, MMO industry, Massively Event Coverage, Miscellaneous

Whenever the subject of untapped RPG franchises that could make the jump to MMOs comes up, Bethesda's Elder Scrolls series is almost always mentioned. After all, if Blizzard and BioWare made the jump, why not the folks behind Oblivion?

In talking with our sister site Joystiq at PAX, Bethesda's Todd Howard fields the question with blunt honesty. "I like this kind of game better," he said. "You know, it's what most of us are into. I'm not really an MMO guy. I respect them, I look at them, but I don't play them. It feels more real to me when I'm the hero and it's crafted for that. A community aspect to it, I recognize a lot of people would want that in a game like this, but it changes the flavor for me.

Of course, one man's feelings toward the genre aren't always enough to stave off corporate demands, but Howard says that isn't the case: "We can just do our thing, and it's kind of grown with each game. So there was no pressure from anybody above me to say 'Hey, you need to change this.'"

That doesn't mean Bethesda will forever abstain from MMOs, however. Bethesda's parent company, ZeniMax Media, built an MMO customer support facility in Ireland earlier this year, an indication that online gaming may very well be in the company's future.

Bethesda's Todd Howard not interested in an Elder Scrolls MMO originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 31 Aug 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Interplay v. Bethesda deathmatch continues

Matt Daniel — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: MMO industry, News items, Post-Apocalyptic, Fallout Online

The punches keep flying between Bethesda and Interplay in the battle for Fallout Online. A recent court filing from Interplay claims that Bethesda knew good and well that its in-development Fallout MMO would (prepare for a shock!) include elements from the Fallout universe, despite Bethesda's claims to the contrary.

The filing goes on to confront Bethesda's arguments that the MMO would lead to confusion amongst players of Fallout 3 due to plot conflicts between the two games. Interplay points out that this is a rather ironic statement, considering that "Bethesda contends Interplay should have created an entire game of incompatible story, characters, and art and labeled it Fallout only in name." Between this legal sparring and Interplay's financial woes, the future of Fallout Online remains to be seen.

Interplay v. Bethesda deathmatch continues originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 28 Jun 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ZeniMax Online Studios builds new MMO customer support facility

Jef Reahard — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: MMO industry, News items, Miscellaneous

The folks at ZeniMax Online Studios have founded a new support facility in Galway, Ireland with the intent to provide customer service for "players of future massively multiplayer online games." While some of you are probably wondering just who in the heck ZeniMax is, others have no doubt seen the parent company name scrolling by on the startup screens for Fallout 3, Fallout: New Vegas and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.

ZeniMax Media owns not only ZeniMax Online but also Bethesda Softworks and id Software (the brains behind the Doom franchise). ZeniMax Online is headed by Mythic co-founder Matt Firor, and ex-World of Warcraft dev Rich Barham is serving as the director of customer support. Though the studio has yet to make an official game-related announcement, it's clearly laying the foundation for something big.

ZeniMax Online Studios builds new MMO customer support facility originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 16 Mar 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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"Fallout belongs to us": Bethesda lays claim to Fallout MMO

Justin Olivetti — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, New titles, Legal, Post-Apocalyptic, Fallout Online

We may as well call it The NeverEnding Story 4: The Battle for Fallout. The ongoing legal struggle and corporate posturing between Bethesda and Interplay took a new turn today as Bethesda declared its biggest claim yet to the entire franchise -- including a Fallout MMO.

According to Gamesindustry.biz, vg247, and Eurogamer, Bethesda's Pete Hines couldn't make it clearer: "We own the rights to the MMO. We own the rights to everything Fallout. The license is ours. Fallout belongs to us."

Earlier this month, Interplay called such claims "absurd."

This is troublesome for Interplay, as the studio has been hard at work on a Fallout MMO of its own, scheduled for a 2012 release. Both companies claim that they have the right to develop an online version of the hit franchise: Interplay because it retained the rights to do so when it sold the franchise to Bethesda, and Bethesda because the company claims Interplay failed to live up to the contract and forfeited its claim.

While the lawyers continue to plow through this legal morass, this statement by Bethesda shows that the studio has no intention of giving up the rights to a Fallout MMO without a fight.

[Update: We've clarified Gamesindustry's sources.]

"Fallout belongs to us": Bethesda lays claim to Fallout MMO originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 21 Jan 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The MMO Report: Good to the last drop edition

Krystalle Voecks — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Video, News items, Opinion, Humor, The MMO Report

It's time once again for another freshly-brewed episode of the MMO report, where we can expect that the week's news will be roasted to a tasty, yet full-bodied finish. This week finds Casey Schreiner and the crew at G4TV touching on some of the most important -- and strangest -- news from the MMO world, as well as getting their caffeine on in Uncle Casey's Mailbag.

First up, Casey reminds us why lawsuits are very silly things, and gives voice to the one thing we suspect many people fear about the legal bickering between Bethesda and Interplay over the Fallout MMO. Up next, the Blood Lord's rampage in Vindictus is on the radar (with a shout out to us here at Massively -- thanks!), proving you can't have slaughter without laughter. From there, it's on to Champions Online, and its move to free-to-play starting on January 25th, as well as news from APB's continuing free-to-play conversion. (We'd have something witty to say about those two, but we keep getting distracted by character creation. The next thing you know, hours have passed.) Finally, Casey rounds out this week's episode with a one-two punch of some truly weird news coupled with the usual dose of insanity in Uncle Casey's Mailbag, aided now with large amounts of caffeine.

So grab your coffee cup, and join us behind the jump for all the best (and some of the worst) in this week's MMO Report. You can also catch it every Thursday on G4TV.

Continue reading The MMO Report: Good to the last drop edition

The MMO Report: Good to the last drop edition originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 21 Jan 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Perfect Ten: Most controversial MMO stories of 2010

Justin Olivetti — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Sci-fi, Dungeons and Dragons Online, EVE Online, Lord of the Rings Online, Warhammer Online, Opinion, Star Trek Online, Free-to-play, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Final Fantasy XIV, Alganon, Allods Online, Perfect Ten

Well, this is it, folks. The end of the year. A time of reflection, of massive weight gain and of lists. Man, we like our lists, do we not? Fortunately, at Perfect Ten Industries, we've been excelling in lists for months now. Frankly, we're just getting warmed up!

While 2010 may not have been much to write home about in terms of newly launched MMOs, there was more than enough controversy to keep the discussion brewing for months. MMOs are big business, and when every move you make is closely scrutinized by millions of gamers, there's no room to slip up unless you like forum hyenas pouncing all over you, snapping and snarling at your faulty flesh.

So let's take a jaunt down our top 10 list of the most controversial stories of 2010 on Massively, keeping in mind that it was devilishly hard just to keep this list to 10 at all. What's a week without being riled up about pixels and polygons, after all?

Continue reading The Perfect Ten: Most controversial MMO stories of 2010

The Perfect Ten: Most controversial MMO stories of 2010 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 16 Dec 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumor: Elder Scrolls MMO in the works?

Jef Reahard — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, MMO industry, Rumors

Just about every MMO player has an IP he'd like to see undergo the MMO treatment. For some of us here at Massively, that IP is Bethesda's long-running Elder Scrolls series. Due to a deep reservoir of lore and the fact that earlier games in the series (notably Morrowind and Daggerfall) were more MMO-like than many modern MMOs, we'd love to see what Bethesda would do with such a beast.

Apparently we're not the only ones, as SystemLink has posted a bit of speculation on a possible The Elder Scrolls V, highlighting a few job postings as evidence in support of its theory. While we're not completely sold on the author's conclusions -- mainly due to Bethesda's plainly articulated stance on the massive genre -- we suspect this won't be the last we hear of an Elder Scrolls MMORPG..

Rumor: Elder Scrolls MMO in the works? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 18 Oct 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Please stand by: Fallout Online gets its own website

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 23:45:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, MMO industry, Legal, Rumors, Post-Apocalyptic

The Interplay/Bethesda Fallout legal battle is one mired in as much speculation as it is in fact, although we do know that Interplay has been attempting to get a Fallout MMO project off the ground for some time now. Code-named V13, Fallout Online is currently Interplay's baby, although we haven't seen a clear go-ahead due to the legal struggle over the rights.

It was a bit of a surprise, then, to see a teaser website for Fallout Online launch with little fanfare. Currently, there isn't much there, just a brief glimpse at a workshop desk with various Fallout references to the Master, Brahmin, and Nuka-Cola before a form obscures the screen. You then can sign up for their mailing list, as well as a beta opt-in. Following that, you are unceremoniously sent to the Interplay forums.

It looks legit, too: Interplay is promoting Fallout Online from their main website, and the new teaser site is indeed registered to Interplay Entertainment Corp. Seeing as how Fallout fans are incredibly passionate about this franchise, even a hint that this MMO is progressing toward launch should come as a jolt of radioactive bliss. Check out the website and let us know what you think!

[Thanks Eric "Nickelpat" Minaker!]

Please stand by: Fallout Online gets its own website originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 15 Jun 2010 23:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Digital Continuum: My Fallout MMO

Kyle Horner — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, New titles, Opinion, The Digital Continuum

There are times when I feel like being completely indulgent, and this week's The Digital Continuum is one of them.

The Fallout MMO has been a long while coming and probably will continue to be "on the horizon" well into the foreseeable future. So, it's with this knowledge that I've put together a grocery list of ideas that would be in my version of the game -- things that would make me decidedly excited to play as soon as possible. Honestly, I'm kind of surprised it took me so long to write these things down.

Continue reading The Digital Continuum: My Fallout MMO

The Digital Continuum: My Fallout MMO originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Masthead Studios and Interplay finalize agreement for Fallout MMO

Rubi Bayer — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, New titles, News items

We have another step forward in the long-running saga of the Fallout MMO. Late last week, Interplay announced that they had signed "definitive agreements" with Masthead Studios regarding Project: V13, the highly contested post-apocalyptic MMO. We knew this development was a possibility, but things have been delayed by the legal battles with Bethesda.

Terms of the agreement have not been disclosed, Herve Caen is the Interplay Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and gave an interesting piece of information: "This MMOG will have many unique features that we will disclose before launch of the public Beta in 2012."

Project: V13 has been in development since November of 2007 (and highly anticipated by fans for the same amount of time), but has struggled along the way with problems including the court squabbling with Bethesda. This latest development is one in a series of small steps forward that Interplay is making, so we'll hold out hope for 2012.

Masthead Studios and Interplay finalize agreement for Fallout MMO originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 25 Jan 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Court documents say Bethesda's MMO already under dev, rumor says it's Elder Scrolls

Krystalle Voecks — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Legal

In this most recent round of court scuffles between Interplay and Bethesda over the Fallout MMO rights, it would seem that some details are coming to light about what's going on at Bethesda's MMO "branch", Zenimax Media. According to filings, the word is that there are close to 100 people working on an MMO that costs "tens and tens of millions of dollars" and has been under development since late 2006. Apparently these same filings claim that the title is a "World of Warcraft" type MMO. Of course, considering World of Warcraft is about as equal to McDonalds in terms of brand recognition with its millions and millions served, saying something is like World of Warcraft could mean anything from 'it's a DIKU-based, kill-ten-rats, FedEx, fantasy MMO that looks rather a lot like WoW' on up to 'it's somewhere in the general MMO neighborhood.'

Now, to follow this interesting tidbit up, the word is that Bethesda is moving to have this particular chunk of testimony censored to protect trade secrets. To stir the pot a bit further on why they might be scrambling to block it, VG247 have a source they claim is reliable confirming this is the often-rumored Elder Scrolls MMO. What's more, their source says the Elder Scrolls MMO should have been announced last year.

Continue reading Court documents say Bethesda's MMO already under dev, rumor says it's Elder Scrolls

Court documents say Bethesda's MMO already under dev, rumor says it's Elder Scrolls originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 20 Jan 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Current Fallout tally board: Interplay 1, Bethesda 0

Eliot Lefebvre — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: MMO industry, Legal, Academic, Rumors

Whether it counts as one for the good guys or the bad guys depends on your personal tastes, but the ongoing saga of the Fallout MMO continues its relentless back-and-forth process. There was a rumor, back at the end of October, that Interplay had successfully denied Bethesda's preliminary injunction against their work on the franchise. According to Gamasutra, that rumor has finally proven to be true: a US District Court Judge has blocked the injunction, letting Interplay continue their work on the much-anticipated Fallout MMO, most commonly known as Project V13.

For those of you coming late to this ongoing legal battle, a quick recap. Interplay, in desperate need of money to develop the MMO, sold the rights to the propery to Bethesda, who went on to make Fallout 3 and in turn licensed the rights to the MMO back to Interplay. They are claiming that Interplay did not fulfill the terms of their contract for creating the game, which included clauses regarding timely development, and are trying to win back the rights. For now, however, their attempt at blocking further development has failed, and Interplay will continue their work on the game... although the future for this game seems to be fraught with a great deal of conflict. Ending the world is, apparently, very serious business.

Current Fallout tally board: Interplay 1, Bethesda 0 originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 12 Dec 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Interplay's in-house lawyer corrects Fallout MMO injunction rumors

Rubi Bayer — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Events, real-world, MMO industry, News items

Interplay and Bethesda are continuing to tussle in court over the proposed Fallout MMO, and you may have heard news earlier this week about Interplay's triumph over Bethesda in regards to a preliminary injunction. Well, don't get too excited just yet, because unfortunately it looks like reports got misinterpreted.

Interplay's in-house lawyer jumped in today to correct the rumors that have been flying around for the past few days at various Fallout fansites. Read what he had to say after the jump.

Gallery: Fallout MMO Concepts

Continue reading Interplay's in-house lawyer corrects Fallout MMO injunction rumors

Interplay's in-house lawyer corrects Fallout MMO injunction rumors originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fallout MMO issues at the heart of Interplay countersuit

Eliot Lefebvre — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 18:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, MMO industry, News items, Legal

If you're waiting for a Fallout MMO -- something many fans for the series are, without a doubt -- and you're not getting enough of that itch scratched by Fallen Earth, there's hope on the horizon. Sort of. Assuming that Interplay and Bethesda can sort their problems out in court, where they're currently behaving with all of the maturity you'd expect from two large gaming companies.

The full story can be read here at GamePolitics, but if your head is spinning a bit from all of the legal discussion, here's the short version. Bethesda is angry that Interplay, who sold them the rights to Fallout when in dire need of money, is now trying to back out of licensing the property to develop their promised Fallout MMO. Interplay, on the flipside, is arguing that Bethesda violated the terms of their original agreement and rendered it null and void, which would give them both control of the rights once again as well as meaning that Bethesda might well owe them royalties for the massively successful Fallout 3.

Practical upshot? If things go well for Interplay, they'll have more seed money for developing an MMO based on an immensely popular classic gaming franchise. If they go poorly, of course, Interplay is really up the creek and we'll very likely not see said MMO for quite some time if ever. Take a look at the full story, and start placing your bets.

Fallout MMO issues at the heart of Interplay countersuit originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bethesda and Interplay lock legal horns over Fallout MMO

Seraphina Brennan — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: MMO industry, New titles, Legal

In a month of lawsuits, another one has hit the table. This time the participants are Bethesda Softworks, best known for The Elder Scrolls series of games and the recent hit Fallout 3, and Interplay, the original holders of the Fallout license.

The lawsuit stems from the longstanding agreements between the companies regarding the Fallout IP. Namely Bethesda was allowed to take the rights to the IP except for the case of a Fallout MMO, which would be under the control of Interplay. Interplay would keep these rights as long as they secured funding for the game and began production by April.

Bethesda is asserting that Interplay has breached their agreement, citing that development on the title (which has been hidden under the thinly disguised title "Project V13," standing for "Vault 13," a shelter in the Fallout universe) has not yet begun. Interplay asserts that it still holds the rights to develop Project V13 with the assistance of Masthead Studios, the group behind the upcoming post-apocalyptic sci-fi MMO Earthrise.

Want more info? The legal documents regarding the suit have been unearthed, and are ready for your perusal.

[Via VG247]

Bethesda and Interplay lock legal horns over Fallout MMO originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Sep 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Games that should be MMOs?

Lesley Smith — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Game mechanics, MMO industry, The Daily Grind

We all have a list of favourite games which we think should be MMOs. My first real exposure to RPGs was The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. I absolutely love this game and it's top of my list of titles (or in this case a franchise) which needs to be turned into an MMO ASAP. Logically (and as a games journalist) I know it's not that simple. I've interviewed several folks at Bethesda over the years and I know that their vision of The Elder Scrolls wouldn't translate too well to a Massively Multiplayer Online game.

But that aside, I'm pretty sure most gamers are stoked that Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is being reinvented as an MMO. I want to know, if graphics, dev wishes and game mechanics weren't an issue, what games would you like to see become an MMO and why?

The Daily Grind: Games that should be MMOs? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 12 Jun 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Digital Continuum: Summertime MMO alternatives

Kyle Horner — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: News items, Opinion, The Digital Continuum

You, much like myself, may have had summer MMO plans a month or so ago. But like many things in life, circumstances changed and both Champions Online and Jumpgate Evolution were met with delays in their schedules -- making any plans to play them over the summer null.

It's a bummer, but not all is lost. Another thing I'm certain we all share is our love of gaming in general. I've been thinking of a list of games I plan to play through this summer in lieu of shiny new MMOs to delve into, with an emphasis on filling the void left by a lack Cryptic's and NetDevil's still forthcoming titles. I'm sure I'll play more than just three, but these are the ones I'll definitely play the most of overall.

Continue reading The Digital Continuum: Summertime MMO alternatives

The Digital Continuum: Summertime MMO alternatives originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 01 Jun 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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More hints of a Fallout MMO?

James Egan — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, MMO industry, New titles, Rumors

We've alternately consulted both our Magic 8 Ball and a Ouija board for answers to the Fallout MMO question. As in, will there be one? We think we've got a handle on the licensing intricacies of Fallout between ZeniMax Media (parent company of Bethesda Softworks) and Interplay thanks to a stellar article written by Daedren for r1ft Gaming. Briefly stated, Bethesda owns the rights to the Fallout IP, but not a Fallout MMO. Interplay holds the Fallout MMO rights, but only if they could raise $30 million and begin development by April 2009. Interplay has mentioned an MMO project with a tongue-in-cheek codename Project V13 (a nod to Fallout) but we've heard little of this game beyond that 2008 announcement that a dev team was being formed. In addition, we reported just last week that ZeniMax Media is hiring for an MMO division, project(s) unknown. While it hints at the potential to bring Fallout into the MMO space, we're still chalking it up to rumor.

That rumor got a bit juicier today though when we came across something of interest at our sister site Big Download. The original Fallout designer Jason Anderson, formerly the creative director for Project V13, has parted company with Interplay to work for inXile on a new RPG. We're still not certain if the various bits of news we've found in the last few weeks indicates a potential ZeniMax/Bethesda Fallout MMO or if Interplay's Project V13 will chug along just fine without Jason Anderson, so we're still firmly in the realm of "rumor," albeit an interesting one to fans of all things post-apocalytic.

More hints of a Fallout MMO? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 18 Mar 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ZeniMax Media hiring for MMO division

James Egan — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Business models, MMO industry, New titles, News items

ZeniMax Media Inc., is currently seeking out MMO development talent for its online game division, GamesIndustry.biz reports. Why is this significant? ZeniMax is the owner of Bethesda Softworks, and thus both Fallout and Elder Scrolls. A Fallout MMO is entirely possible, but the business side of producing this title is somewhat complex. Daedren over at r1ft Gaming dissected the issue as it stood in November:

Bethesda Softworks owns the rights to the the Fallout IP, while Interplay retains rights to a Fallout MMO. However, those rights are forfeit provided Interplay is unable to raise $30 million and begin development of the Fallout MMO by April of 2009. (This is presumably Interplay's "Project V13" which involves other original Fallout team members.)

Continue reading ZeniMax Media hiring for MMO division

ZeniMax Media hiring for MMO division originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Digital Continuum: Let's talk about the Fallout MMO

Kyle Horner — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Opinion, The Digital Continuum

Fallout 3 is out this week and I've spent a whole lot of time exploring and fighting in Bethesda's singleplayer MMO world. I've always wondered whether a post-apocalyptic MMO would work well or not, which is part of the reason I've kept a close eye on Fallen Earth in the past. But what's always been in the back-burner of my mind is whether or not the Fallout license would be necessary for a post-apocalyptic to flourish. While endlessly exploring our own personal post-apocalypticia is incredible fun, do we want a massive one?

Continue reading The Digital Continuum: Let's talk about the Fallout MMO

The Digital Continuum: Let's talk about the Fallout MMO originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 01 Nov 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Zenimax Online kickstarting development with new digs

Chris Chester — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Business models, MMO industry

We haven't heard terribly much from Zenimax Online over the past few months. The company, the online off-shoot of Zenimax Media and corporate cousin of highly-lauded development house Bethesda Softworks, has been tight-lipped since they told the media to get off their lawn back in November. Of course, that didn't stop us from including the purely speculative Elder Scrolls MMO as #5 in our Top 10 MIA MMOs of 2007.

But times, they are a-changing. Word has it that Zenimax Online will be moving to a new 40,000 square foot facility in Huntsville, MD in anticipation of scaling up the development process on their as-yet-unnamed MMO project. Naturally, they're also going to need some new blood to make use of all that office space, so they've posted a bunch of positions for hire. East coast development houses are pretty rare these days, so if you're in the area you might want to get on that ASAP.

Zenimax Online kickstarting development with new digs originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Apr 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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An Elder Scrolls MMO in the works?

Tateru Nino — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: MMO industry, New titles, News items

The domain name elderscrollsonline.com was registered on 15 August this year by ZeniMax Media Inc, parent company of Bethesda Softworks - the lovely people who make all those wonderful Elder Scrolls games.

Adding fuel to the speculation, ZeniMax Media obtained 15 million US dollars in funding from Providence Equity Partners Inc in late October, which will be used "to fund future growth, increase game development and publishing, facilitate acquisitions, and finance massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs)." [our emphasis]

Bethesda, the Elder Scrolls, and MMO development. These things potentially add up to Massively Tasty Online Games.

An Elder Scrolls MMO in the works? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Nov 2007 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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