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In 2001, PC Gamer named the Fallout franchise the fourth best computer game of all time, cementing the already well-stated belief that Fallout is king of computer roleplaying games (RPGs). Unlike the many high-fantasy RPGs that were brought to market, Fallout took a different approach to RPGs, using a post-Apocalyptic setting to portray life in a dangerous world. Three computer games and a couple poor titles based in the Fallout world later, the series has become a footnote (albeit a prominent one) in the history of computer gaming, among the other greats (Syndicate, X-Com, etc).

While fans have asked for a new Fallout title for some time, Interplay, on account of its many financial problems, canned Fallout 3, effectively damning any hoped continuation of the series. At least until now. Interplay plans to drum of $75M to put towards a Fallout MMORPG, production for which is set to begin in January, 2007. With a three-year development cycle, we may not see the fruits of this campaign until 2010, but the potential result could be phenomenal. Not only is the fan-base for Fallout enormous, but the MMORPG’s development will take place during the hay-day of the genre, when people are coming off their World of Warcraft highs and looking to see what the industry will come up with next.

The potential product here is one that rivals the hopes I had for World of Warcraft. If there is any game series to challenge Blizzard’s Warcraft series, Fallout is definitely up there. Sadly, the original folks behind Fallout won’t be on board with an MMORPG derivative. If Interplay is able to make this happen, however, they may very well be able to pull themselves out their financial woes, and rebuild a gaming legacy.

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