Fallout 3

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article or section contains information about an unreleased video game.
It is likely to contain information of a speculative nature, and the content may change dramatically as more information becomes available.

Fallout 3

Developer(s)	Bethesda Softworks
Publisher(s)	Bethesda Softworks
Designer(s)	Todd Howard, Executive Producer
Engine	Custom Gamebryo engine
Release date(s)	TBA
Genre(s)	RPG
Mode(s)	Single player
Rating(s)	ESRB: Rating Pending (RP) Expected: Mature (M)^[1]
Platform(s)	Microsoft Windows
System requirements	TBA

Fallout 3 is a role-playing game currently under development by Bethesda Softworks.^[2] It will be the third major game in the Fallout series, which has also spawned two spin-offs, Fallout Tactics, and Brotherhood of Steel. Unlike previous games in the series, Fallout 3 is purportedly set on the East Coast of the United States.^[2]

1 Development history
2 References
3 External links

[edit] Development history

[edit] Interplay

Main article: Van Buren (Fallout)

Fallout 3 was initially under development by Interplay, the original owners of the Fallout license, under the codename Van Buren. Interplay went bankrupt before the game could be completed, and the license to develop Fallout 3 was sold to Bethesda (a video-game studio famous for the Elder Scrolls series) for $1.175 million minimum guaranteed advance against royalties^[3].

[edit] Bethesda

Bethesda stated it will be working on Fallout 3 in July 2004^[4], however principal development did not begin until after The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion was completed ^[5] . Bethesda have announced their intention to make Fallout 3 similar to the previous two games, focusing on non-linear gameplay, a good story, and true "Fallout humor." Bethesda has also stated the game will be rated M for mature, and will have the same sort of adult themes, violence, and depravity that are characteristic of the Fallout series. However, no videos or concept art have been made available to the public. Fallout 3 will use a version of the same Gamebryo engine as The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion^[1], and is being developed by the same team.^[6]

[edit] Controversy

Bethesda's purchase of the rights to the Fallout franchise from Interplay was not well received by everyone. Leonard Boyarsky, one of the creators of the original Fallout, when asked about Bethesda's acquisition of the rights, said that he felt as though "our ex wife had sold our children that she had legal custody of." ^[7]

In response, Bethesda has tried to reassure fans of the series that they want to preserve the feel and quality of the Fallout franchise. In 2007, Vice President of Public Relations and Marketing Pete Hines stated, "Internally, we're a bunch of Fallout geeks. There is nobody [here] who hasn't played that game and enjoyed it. I have that game on my laptop, I take it with me and play it. But it's definitely different, because it's not really considered ours, the franchise. We didn't start it. There is a little bit of that sentiment out there that we have to prove that we're worthy to be the guys to make Fallout 3. I don't think there's anything wrong with that, because we have very high expectations for ourselves."^[6]

[edit] Release Status

In February 2007, Bethesda stated that the game was "a fairly good ways away" from release, but that detailed information and previews would be available later in the year.^[6]

Bethesda has not announced the platforms for which Fallout 3 will be released, although Pete Hines had stated that they intend to make a "multiple platform title".^[1] Microsoft Windows support is likely, given that all but one of the existing Fallout games ran on Windows and Bethesda's custom Gamebryo engine supports Windows. Other platforms supported by Bethesda's custom Gamebryo engine include Xbox 360 and Playstation 3.