Kotaku: Interplay

A Long Look Back at Fallout

Owen Good — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 12:00:00 MDT

Gametrailers has put together a very comprehensive retrospective on Fallout that fans will very much enjoy, and neophytes will find educational. The 15-minute video covers the entire history of games set in post-apocalyptic environs, beginning with 1986's Wasteland, by Electronic Arts and Interplay. Then comes a very detailed look at the first two Fallouts, plus Fallout Tactics, mentioning everything you recall from the games. (Check out the Doctor Who phone booth at 4:35.) For those who will just be coming to the series with Fallout 3, this is your backstory primer.

The Fallout Retrospective [Gametrailers, thanks reader dayeight]

Fallout Now Free Via GameTap

Stuart Houghton — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 15:20:00 MDT

If you are looking forward to Fallout 3 but are either too young to remember the original or just fancy reliving a genuine no-messing-about classic, GameTap is offering up Fallout for free.

You will have to sign up with GameTap to get at the goods, and you can expect they will probably ask if you want to start paying for their premium service at some point.

There is a slight bug in GameTap's implementation of the game that means the screen will occasionally go blank (fixable with a few key presses) but whaddaya want? Its free, and its one of the games you need to at least pretend that you have played to avoid embarrassment at dinner parties.

Fallout [GameTap via Shacknews]

Interplay Brings Back Original Fallout Designer

Michael McWhertor — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 18:00:22 MDT

Publisher Interplay continues to pick itself up and dust itself off, hoping to turn our warm memories of Earthworm Jim, Fallout and Freespace into cold hard cash. While the announcement of a newly relaunched web site generally doesn't get us pumped for an on-the-20 minute mark update, the re-hiring of designer Christopher "Chris" Taylor does.

If you aren't familiar with Taylor's work, you've never played Fallout or Star Trek: Starfleet Command. (He's not to be confused with the more casual Chris Taylor, creator of titles like Dungeon Siege and Supreme Commander.) Interplay says that bringing Taylor back on board is just one of the additions to its "growing development studio."

As long as we just leave Clayfighter alone, Interplay, remembering it was a cute curiosity for its time, we're on board with this whole shoring up thing you're doing.

Interplay launches new web site; adds Chris Taylor to growing development team [Interplay - thanks, Mr. Blah!]

Go Play Fallout & Descent On GameTap

Luke Plunkett — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 16:20:00 MDT

More free stuff on GameTap? Sign me up. Interplay have announced a deal with the service whereby some of their older titles - like Fallout, MDK and Descent - will be made available. And not just on the subscription service or download store, either. In the totally free, ad-supported bit as well. While I imagine most of you will head on over to give Fallout one last try before the third game hits later this year, I'd recommend a quick spin on Descent first. Only two games have ever made me literally dizzy. Even a little bit sick. But in a good way! Descent is one of them.

GameTap to Offer Classic Interplay Titles [Shacknews]

New Earthworm Jim Games? And Cartoons? Thanks!

Luke Plunkett — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 20:20:00 MDT

Aged between, lemme see, around 22-40? Like spacemen and earthworms? Let's dance. Because Douglas TenNapel, the creator of Earthworm Jim, has just signed a deal whereby he'll act as creative consultant on not only a new Earthworm Jim game (Earthworm Jim 4), but also a new animated series and feature film as well. No details on timeframes or anything like that - for the game or cartoons - but publisher Interplay will no doubt have something to say about that come E3.

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., April 22, 2008 — Interplay Entertainment Corp. (OTC Bulletin Board: IPLY) announced today that the company signed a partnership arrangement with Earthworm Jim creator Douglas TenNapel to relaunch the videogame icon.
TenNapel will serve as a creative consultant on Earthworm Jim 4, and will simultaneously develop an animated series and feature film to expand the well known brand.

TenNapel created the original Earthworm Jim character, which Interplay developed into a video game with Shiny Studios for the Sega Genesis console in 1994. The game became an immediate hit, and later spawned sequels on various computer and video game platforms, including Earthworm Jim 2, Earthworm Jim 3D, and Earthworm Jim: Menace 2 the Galaxy.

The iconic character became a virtual hero whose popularity took him far beyond video games into TV and toys. An animated Earthworm Jim television series, produced by TenNapel, aired for two seasons from 1995 to 1996, on The Kids WB! with Dan Castellaneta of "The Simpsons" providing the voice for the title character.

Earthworm Jim, Clayfighter Coming To Virtual Console

Luke Plunkett — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 00:30:00 MDT

I know, you're a little over the Virtual Console. Sure, pleasant surprises like C64 games get your attention now and again, but for the most part, you're done with it. Just...look, give it one more chance, OK? For Interplay's sake. Because, yes, they're releasing some of their classic titles onto the service, including Clayfighter, Boogerman and both Earthworm Jim titles. All four are due "later this year", and if this is a deal-breaker, they'll be the Genesis/Mega Drive versions.
Earthworm Jim, Clayfighter to Virtual Console [1UP]

Interplay Sequelizing Earthworm Jim, Dark Alliance, Descent, MDK

Brian Crecente — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 09:00:00 MDT

Interplay Entertainment sure is making a come back. Late last year they were talking about securing cash for their proposed Fallout MMO, then they set up a sexy new website and now they're gushing about their 520 percent jump in revenue and churning out sequels.

During their annual earnings report the company said that their net revenue for last year was just over $6 million, with a net income of $5.86 million, most of which came from the sale of the Fallout IP.

The company also went over what they called a two-pronged strategy for 2008. Prong one: Secure loads of money to turn Fallout into a money-printing MMO. Prong two: create sequels, lots of sequels.

At the same time, the company will leverage its portfolio of gaming properties by creating sequels to some of its most successful games, including Earthworm Jim, Dark Alliance, Descent, and MDK.

Interplay says they want to do all of this in-house and is currently on a hiring binge.

Massively Multiplayer Online Game, Sequels Seen as Key to Resurgence

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., April 8, 2008 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Interplay Entertainment Corp. (OTC Bulletin Board: IPLY - News) recently announced its earnings for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007, and its plan for the company going forward.

Net revenues for the year ended December 31, 2007 were $6,001,000, an increase of 520 percent compared to the same period in 2006.

The Company reported net income of $5.86 million, or $.059 per basic share and $.057 per diluted share, compared to net income of $3.08 million, or $.032 per basic and diluted share, in the same period last year. The net income reported in the twelve-month period of this year was primarily the result of the recording of $5,750,000 in income from recognition of the sale of the "Fallout" intellectual property.

In addition to reporting the annual results, the company also pointed to its two-pronged growth strategy. First, management is working to secure funding for the development of a Massively Multiplayer Online Game (MMOG) based on the popular "Fallout" franchise. Interplay sold "Fallout" in 2007 while obtaining a license back, under certain conditions, to create and develop a "Fallout" MMOG.

At the same time, the company will leverage its portfolio of gaming properties by creating sequels to some of its most successful games, including Earthworm Jim, Dark Alliance, Descent, and MDK.

The company has recently reinitiated its in-house game development studio, and is hiring game developers.

Interplay Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Herve Caen said, "2007 set the foundation for our growth strategy. Going forward, we have the vision, unique intellectual property, and low debt and operational costs to help us pursue financing for our various projects. Our new Website will streamline our ability to communicate development progress with the public, share brand information with the fans and support our customers."

About Interplay

Founded in 1983, Interplay Entertainment is a developer, publisher and licensor of video game software headquartered in Southern California. Interplay is best known for its successful titles in the Role-Playing Game (RPG) genre with hit series like "Fallout" and "Baldur's Gate." The company has produced and licensed titles for many of the most popular interactive entertainment software platforms in the action/arcade, adventure/RPG and strategy/puzzle categories. Its portfolio of well-recognized Intellectual Properties includes Battlechess, Clayfighter, Dark Alliance, Descent, Earthworm Jim, Freespace, Giants, Messiah, MDK, Run Like Hell, Sacrifice and others.

Interplay Readies Sexy New Website

Mike Fahey — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 19:00:12 MDT

Ahhh, now there is a sight for sore eyes. Up until recently, Interplay.com looked like this. Ugly, right? I wasn't kidding about he sight for sore eyes bit. Now they're getting ready to resurrect their website just as they have resurrected their intellectual property. All of the players are in place too, making my nostalgia gland pump out extra past-tosterone over images of Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance, Earthworm Jim, Descent, Fallout, and the awesome MDK coil suit. Oh how I've missed you, Kurt Hectic. That's one damn fine lineup right there. Let's see what they do with it!

Interplay.com [Official Website - Thanks Patrick!]

Interplay Proposes Fallout MMO

Mike Fahey — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 11:40:54 MST

Interplay might have had to sell Fallout 3 to stay in business, but it looks like they kept an ace up their sleeve, retaining rights to create a Fallout MMO. A proposal filed in late November with the US Securities and Exchange Commission reveals that the company hopes to raise $75 million dollars through various means, including sales of Interplay common stock in order to fund the massive project, with a target release of 2010.

Right now it is only a proposal, but Interplay predicts 1 million subscribers globally within the first year and revenue of $160 million after its first year in operation.

A Fallout MMO would be absolutely awesome. Just what the MMORPG market needs to escape the tried and true medieval setting and start fresh. Unfortunately it isn't up to us gamers, and Interplay's track record could very well drown out the fans' cries of joy in the ears of investors. Michael Fahey

Interplay Proposes $75M Fallout MMO?
The US Securities and Exchange Commission Filing

GameTap Grabs More Games

lsmith — Thu, 12 Jan 2006 09:42:32 MST

Geek.com reports that GameTap will see a significant jump in the number of available games with the new publishers it added to its roster. Interplay, SNK Playmore USA and Riverdeep all signed on with GameTap bringing the online subscription service new titles like Earthworm Jim and Where in the World is Carmen San Diego? And no, the singing guys from the coffee commercials are NOT involved.

GameTap Boosts Its Gaming Library [Geek.com]