""At this stage we are really right down to the very end of the process," he told GameSpot this week. "I'm just trying to get discs done and sent off and certified and released to manufacturers. … So there's a mad scramble to get all those copies made and into stores.""

"Shack: Similar question in the sense that it's an issue that can be overblown. What kind of copy protection will be included on the PC version of Fallout 3?

Pete Hines: Pretty similar to what we did for Oblivion, which was--we basically don't do any--we do the mildest form possible. I actually don't know if I even want to get into what it is that we exactly do, but we try to be really noninvasive when it comes to that stuff. [ed- Oblivion employed a simple DVD check.]

And it is a pain i..."

"Oblivion had tons of girlie things for me to do. I could pick pretty flowers, collect pretty crystals and buy pretty clothes. Fallout 3 is distinctly un-pretty, but what did you expect from an irradiated post-apocalyptic Earth? The only flowers you’ll find here contain death, and you can forget those fancy brocade gowns.

After being filled in by Manfriend, I was able to take a look at Fallout 3 and judge for myself if it has more in common with Oblivion than it does with Fallout. And after..."

Yet more screens for Bethesda's Fallout 3 have popped up, showin' some shootin', creepin, landscapes, enemies, environments, dialogue, and the battle systems. More are through the alternate source.

Fallout 3 is coming to you shortly: October 28.

"The wonderful thing about doing previews of Fallout 3 is that there’s seemingly no end to the new content that players can discover. Behind every rock, in every metal container, and under every stretch of post-nuclear Washington DC lies some new (though not always valuable) tidbit of content that waits expectantly for the player to stumble in its direction. Fallout 3 is shockingly--almost affrontingly--huge. And the whole game is all the more boggling when facts come to light like the recent ..."

"1. Okami (PS2, Wii)
2. LittleBigPlanet (PS3)
3. Shadow of the Colossus (PS2)
4. Mirror's Edge (Xbox 360, PS3)
5. Halo 3 (Xbox 360)
6. Metroid Prime (GC)
7. ICO (PS2) ICO (PS2)
8. Fallout 3 (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)
9. Team Fortress 2 (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)
10. Mega Man 9 (Wii, PS3, Xbox 360)"

"For Borderlands it’s a bit different coming into the plot and unfolding the story. The entire scope of the way the story unfolds involve what’s happening on the planet and its inhabitants. Within the macrocosm of Borderlands’ main story resides the individual, branching narratives for each of the three main characters. In other words, this is one of those grand-fantastic adventures that could be a huge summer blockbuster."

"Before anyone sets foot in the post-apocalyptic Washington, D.C. portrayed in Bethesda Softworks' Fallout 3, they should read through our Fallout timeline. Then come back here of course. Series newcomers won't necessarily be lost walking into FO3 cold, but they'll miss plenty of inside references not to mention the historical context which has grown out of the two canonical entries in the series."

"The company also announced that Chris Taylor, a game designer who was a part of the original Fallout game development team at Interplay in 1994, has rejoined the company. Taylor will serve as Lead System Designer for “Project V13,” the working title of Interplay’s next generation Massively Multiplayer Online Game (MMO) currently in development. Taylor joins other original Fallout team members on staff at Interplay’s internal game studio, which recently opened an office in Irvine, Calif. Addit..."

1 Wii sports
2 Braid
3 Halo 3
4 Fallout 3
5 Rockband

A very interesting list indeed. Recently a newspaper in the UK named the Independent released their list of the top 50 games of all time, above is the top five.

Their number one choice was Wii Sports, is this a joke? The inclusion of Halo3 makes some sense, but are there not many better games that should've made the top 5?

"Bethesda just launched the full version of PreparefortheFuture.com, which is packed full of gameplay footage, mock tourist vids and talking buildings. And it pretty much rocks. You can check it out on the site, or below. Either way, you’re preparing for nuclear holocaust in a fun (and most importantly safe!) manner."

"Just before the launch of their games, Bethesda holds an intra-office speed run to see who can get from the beginning to the end of the main quest the fastest. The two finalists for this year’s competion, in honor of the impending release of Fallout 3, were Jim Browne, a level designer for the game, and Sam Bernstein, a QA tester."

"In the press release ZeniMax states that at the Austin GDC they are recruiting talented people to begin work on an MMO. The press release Bethesda as one of their primary companies and touts them as the developer of Elder Scrolls and Fallout (not that we didn’t know that already)."

"That leaves the unwashed masses, gamers who never delighted in the fruits of Interplay's Fallout and Fallout 2. Sure, they'll enjoy killing mutants and barking orders at the in-game dog, but will they really pick up on the underlying narrative, one built on several hundred years of fictional history? We honestly cannot say, but our nights are spent gripped in cold terror for the lot of you. Not really, but it sounds much more dramatic that way. In any event, every Fallout survivor knows that ..."

"There’s been a lot of talk in the blogosphere about changes that were made to Fallout 3 so that the game wasn’t banned in certain territories (most notably Austraila). It was revealed yesterday afternoon by 1up.com that the changes made to the game would be made across all territories, so as to not create confusion, but what changes, specifically? I shot a note to Pete Hines, VP of Marketing and PR at Bethesda, to find out just what was changed."

"The drought has officially broken for gamers. This upcoming Christmas is set to be one of heartbreak for many as tough decisions are made as to which titles will make it into the collection and which will have to wait or become a weekend rental.

Someone has to do it as friends and relatives will be soon asking what we want for Christmas. And so as not to disappoint them, this list has been developed to give you the games that will make it, and those that will fail (probably...)."

VE3D.com has procured 20 "raw" minutes of footage from the highly anticipated Fallout 3. Complete with narration, this should pretty much prove that it is in face "Oblivion with guns" - as it was claimed to be.

For many, this will probably put you over the fence to purchase (if there was any shadow of a doubt in your mind)

You can find five videos at the link.

"Bethesda’s Vice President of Marketing Pete Hines has confirmed that the PlayStation 3 version of Fallout 3 will not include Trophy support when the game hits stores later this year, but did not rule out the possibility of the feature being added at a later date.

"Not at launch," said Hines, during an interview with PSU.com to be published later today.

"It remains to be seen what we do down the road. It wasn't something we were able to incorporate into the game for launch."

With Fal..."

"Once your vision adjusts to the strange luminescence of the outside world, the battered landscape of Washington D.C. comes into full scope. The land stretches for miles; a vast city shorn of its order and prominence, but something rugged and beautiful has been born from the chaos. There is an unsettling calm in this seemingly derelict wasteland."

"Over the years, gamers have seen dozens of high-profile titles make their world debut by being featured on the cover of Game Informer. In fact, if you’re a regular shopper at GameStop, you’re probably one of the magazine’s more than two million readers.

But does a game getting on Game Informer’s cover signal it’s going to be great?

Can you be confident that these debuts will, one or two years later, become games you want to buy and play? Perhaps the magazine has a “Madden” curse (though..."

""Bethesda Softworks®, a ZeniMax Media company, announced today that its highly anticipated title, Fallout® 3, will be available on store shelves and online in North America on October 28, 2008 and in Europe on October 31, 2008. Developed at Bethesda Game Studios – creators of the 2006 Game of the Year, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion® – Fallout 3 is slated for release on the Xbox 360®video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, and Games for ..."

""Here are three new screenshots from Fallout 3 to come out of the Games Convention Leipzig today. Fallout 3 is scheduled for an October release. We got our hands on the game at E3 this year and posted our impressions...""

"THE highly anticipated video game Fallout 3 has been approved for release in Australia after portrayals of drug use were edited out of the game.

Fallout 3 was refused classification last month for realistically portraying drugs as an "incentive or reward" for players, which meant that it did not quality for a rating of MA15+.

Because there is no R18+ rating for video games in Australia, any title that exceeds MA15+ must be refused classification and denied release.

Fallout 3, deve..."

Almost four minutes of new Fallout 3 gameplay footage for you, as shown during the Bravo Channel's TV show Playr's.

"The drugs depicted are fictional; drugs are depicted as stylised icons on a menu with the drug use itself not depicted. Whilst navigating a post-apocalyptic futuristic landscape, players can invoke the use of a variety of "chems" listed by fictitious names which include "Buff", "Rad-X", "Psycho" and "Ultrajet". Within the context of the game's narrative, the player may choose to make use of these "chems" to alter the physiological characteristics of their character in the game.


In the mi..."

"If you've been following the Fallout 3 saga over the last few months, today's news should make you smile - if only slightly. As of August 7, the Office of Film and Literature classification (OFLC) officially announced Fallout 3 has passed through the classification process.

According to the site, Fallout 3 will be rated MA15+ for "Strong violence, drug references and coarse language". No big surprises there."

The Game Critics have announced their E3 2008 awards for this year and there are some pretty interesting winners, with Fallout 3 taking the "Best of Show" award, Mirror's Edge taking "Best Original Game", and LittleBigPlanet getting the "Best Console Game" award. To view all of their awards, hit the source. If you wanna check out the nominees, click here.

Three more screens to whet your Fallout 3 appetite before the game comes out October 7 (October 3 if you're in Europe), depicting a sentry, some kind of helicopter, and a wasteland town.

"roject lead Peter Hines was in town to promote the new action-RPG, and told TechRadar: "We didn’t buy the Fallout franchise to just do Fallout 3 and then stop. But let’s get this one out of the door before we worry about the next one."

Hines also let slip that the Xbox 360 is the main platform Bethesda will be spearheading the launch of Fallout 3 via.

"If you have the PC as your lead machine you have the problem of not knowing what configurations people have, how many gigs of RAM or wha..."

"The Game Critics Awards judges are proud to announce the nominees for 2008. The judges have nominated 46 products from 21 publishers.

Winners will be announced on Tuesday, August 5."

"Banned: the absurdity of Australia's game rating regime

Ask an average Australian about censorship and chances are they'll tell you it's a bad thing.

And yet when it comes to video games, we have one of the toughest regimes in the world in terms of dictating exactly what is available to our adult population. On one hand Australia is an oasis of game development, with a thriving, highly skilled industry generating hundreds of millions of dollars of valuable export revenue. On the other h..."

"DLC is going to be exclusive to the PC and 360, not just 360,” he said. “Every platform has its advantages and disadvantages when it comes to DLC, and I assure you we are intimately aware of every technical, business, and fan-service aspect when it comes to DLC and any given platform.

“We felt [PC and 360 exclusivity] was the right thing to do for Fallout 3.”

Fallout 3 ships on October 7 in the US, and we’re still waiting on a Euro date. No hint’s been given as to when we’re going to se..."

"Steve Masters interviews Pete Hines from Bethesda Softworks about the much anticipated Fallout 3. Check out some of the awesome gameplay footage and info about what to expect; this game definitely looks sharp."

"Adam Sessler and Kevin Pereira present X-Play's award for Best Game of E3."

"Last week, Fallout 3 joined a long list of games deemed unsuitable for sale in Australia. Because that country lacks an equivalent to a Mature rating, many more adult-themed games receive this treatment. Michael Atkinson, Attorney General of South Australia, has explained why he believes that an 18+ rating should not be put in place."

Are you concerned about the global escalation of possible world-wide, Armageddon type violence? Does the prospect of eating canned beans for the duration of a prolonged conflict get you down?

Nuclear war is always on the horizon... but there is no reason to be afraid anymore!

Vault-Tec is here to help.

Call 1-888-4VAULT-TEC and speak to a representative today! You don't have to live in fear anymore... a full and complete life awaits you in the safety of the Vaults. Reserve your sp...

"Cramming 100 hours of RPG goodness into a 3 minute demo is probably the worst way to tease gamers and fans of the Fallout series. However, we take what we can get, and what we have here is one of the most beautiful looking demos ever."

"Looks like Fallout 3 is pulling a Grand Theft Auto IV. Wait, that sentence doesn't make any sense! The upcoming apocalyptic Bethesda sequel will come with an extra treat for Microsoft fans. Both the Xbox 360 and Games for Windows versions will feature DLC that's exclusive from any other version. (That's the PS3, if you couldn't figure it out.) "I just wanted to say how much we love XBLM ... we'll be doing substantial exclusive 360 and Games For Windows downloadable content," said executive pr..."

"Well, Australian Gamer managed to get its hands on the OFLC's report for Fallout 3. The ban had nothing to do with decapitation, gore or dismemberment. It was the drugs, and only the drugs. I should be shocked, but all I can do is shake my head. And shake it hard.

From the report:

quote

The game contains the option to take a variety of "chems" using a device which is connected to the character's arm. Upon selection of the device a menu selection screen is displayed. Upon this screen is a...

"

"IGN AU: What did you learn from making Oblivion? What didn't work?

Pete Hines: There's no giant 'we can't ever do that again' stuff. It's more how do we design quests, what kind of choices do we let the player make, how do we account for things we think the player might try and do and anticipate those? So that they're like 'Oh, I wonder what happens when I do this?' And then there's actually something in the game that acknowledges it and takes it into account. And they go 'that's really co..."

"It seems that Fallout 3 has been tagged as Refused Classification by the Australian Office of Film and Literature Classification board. This is just a rumor for now and, if true, there is always the possibility of an appeal. Apparently, the game features the use of Morphine as a stimulant and this is allowed only in case of 18+ titles. The problem is that games in Australia can only be classified 15+ and this rating does not allow such features. We will keep you updated on this matter as it d..."

"Developer Bethesda has unleashed a few new screenshots from its upcoming post-apocalyptic role-playing title, showcasing guns, books, and dogs."

"Fallout 3 is downright misleading. How so? Spin Offs have occured: see Fallout Tactics, (but do not see Fallout Brotherhood of Steel). If any of those games were called Fallout 3, god help me, we would not have to have this debate. This game is no different. Besides mythology there is no similiarity. My envisioning of Fallout 3 is that it should have the same isometric view, but take advantage of all that fancy smancy technology of now - I am talking about blood stains that stay forever, the ..."

"This ultimate Fallout 3 package includes a life-size replica of the Pip-Boy 3000, the wrist-mounted device worn by characters in-game. The Pip-Boy 3000 has been painstakingly recreated and modified for real world display as a digital clock. In addition to the Pip-Boy 3000, the Survival Edition will include all of the items included in the Fallout 3 Collector's Edition..."

""At least when Microsoft developed Halo Wars, an RTS, they didn't call it Halo 4, because its a different game that uses the Halo world. Same goes with Fallout 3, they should call it “Fallout V.A.T.S.” (the added 'Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System), something that's unique about this particular game. Don't ruin a great series by mixing genres and titles.""

"When you purchase the CE, you’ll get the following:

• Vault Boy Bobblehead: Enjoy your very own Vault Boy with this collector’s item direct from Vault-Tec.
• The Art of Fallout 3: This hardcover book features nearly 100 pages of never-before seen concept art and commentary from Bethesda Game Studios artists.
• The Making of Fallout 3: Get an exclusive, inside look at Bethesda Game Studios and the team behind the game with this special DVD.
• Vault-Tec Lunch Box: The entire package comes in a fully ...

"

With RPG fans eagerly awaiting, Bethesda have been fortunate enough to give us one more glimpse of the next in the Fallout franchise - Fallout 3. Three screenshots release today show much detail as well as another 'Statistics' screen from the game.

"The Telegraph reports that a video titled "Nuclear Jihad: The Ultimate Terror" appeared on two password-protected video sites, and is believed to have originated from the al-Qaeda terrorist group. Among the video was a picture of a devastated Washington DC, which the non-profit Search for International Terrorist Entities (SITE) Intelligence Group at first claimed was created by the terrorists to illustrate nuclear strikes in the United States and Britain. The group was surprised (and likely a..."

"As part of our Fallout 3 coverage, TheGameReviews.com was lucky enough to sit down with Pete Hines of Bethesda Software while he showed us a walkthrough of the latest build of Fallout 3. While they were showing us this amazing looking game, TheGameReviews.com thought it would be a good idea to ask what can we expect achievements wise with the 360 version. Bethesda told us that:

“You cannot get them all on one play through. That we are doing some things with Karma and different levels of K..."

"As part of our Fallout 3 coverage, TheGameReviews.com was lucky enough to sit down with Pete Hines of Bethesda Software while he showed us a walkthrough of the latest build of Fallout 3. While Pete was showing us the game, we thought it would be a good idea to ask when they will be showing off new gameplay footage of this amazing game. It has been a long time since the public saw Fallout 3 in motion, and it looks like you will have to wait a month or so more as Pete Hines explains.

“We hav..."

"Most PlayStation 3 owners are fully aware of this growing trend of the mandatory install. Several of the most popular games to date have required the gamer to sit and wait for 5-10 minutes while a certain amount of data is stored on the hard drive. Grand Theft Auto IV, Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds and Devil May Cry 4 are just three recent examples.

So we're used to it. But that doesn't mean every major title is going to require an install before play. According to TheGameReviews, Bethesda..."

"“Bethesda Softworks has repeatedly been responsible for outstanding games as both publisher and developer.” said Paul Wedgwood, Owner and Creative Director of Splash Damage. “Both of our studios share a passion for creating great games, and we’re confident that this partnership will result in even greater experiences for gamers. We’re really looking forward to working with Bethesda.”

“This could not be a more perfect fit,” said Vlatko Andonov, President of Bethesda Softworks. “We are ext..."

It can easily be described as a stunning display of workmanship, and this is only the concept art that we're talking about. With over 500 endings rumoured to be included, it's easy to see why this game is on the 'wish-list' of many RPG fans.. the game is of course Fallout 3. Enjoy the concept art attached below.

"- Fallout 3 (PS3, 360, PC)
- They'll handle the ending as a dynamic cutscene that changes depending on specific decisions you make. Right now there are over 500 variations of the cutscene.

- You can talk to Dogmeat although he only barks and wags his tail. But they say you always tell if he agrees or disagrees with you.

- There are no guilds like in Oblivion. You just go around doing different quests for various groups.

- The world is entirely open from the start although certain ar..."

"Developer Bethesda will release Fallout 3 on the PC, Xbox 360 and PS3 this autumn, but the game maker concedes that the complexity of the format; the unclear nature of system specifications, has left the PC lagging behind consoles.

"In general I think PC gaming still suffers from the fact that it is one platform, and 10,000 platforms, at the same time," he explained.

Several big name PC releases have failed to sell as well as hoped lately, although MMO games, and online distribution ser..."

A new day has brought us 2 new images of Bethesda Softworks Fallout 3. Whilst the screenshots may make you think "ohh a nice new FPS", don't be fooled, Fallout 3 is in fact an RPG, to be released on the XBOX360, PS3 and PC.

"The Fallout 3 Collector's Edition includes:

* Fallout 3: From the creators of the award-winning Oblivion comes one of the most realized game worlds ever created. Create any kind of character you want and explore the open wastes of post-apocalyptic Washington, D.C. Every minute is a fight for survival as you encounter Super Mutants, Ghouls, Raiders, and other dangers of the Wasteland. Prepare for the future.
* Vault Boy Bobblehead: Enjoy your very own Vault Boy with this collector’..."

"Jeff Green: I've played a lot of games in my life, and a lot of weird games, and a lot of weird games that have had weird beginnings. But I don't know if I've ever played a game that started with me emerging from my mother's womb.

Shawn Elliot: Prey's sphincters are as close as I've come, but sure, Fallout 3's "opening" moments are more than a perineum away. I'm sorry. I really wrote that. Seriously, though, the cunning way that Bethesda takes the thinking behind traditional tutorials and ..."

Fallout 3 due later this year and being developed by Bethesda studio's is bound to be one of the RPG's of the year. Yesterday four new screenshots surfaced featuring new enemies, new environments and even animals. Perhaps some Fable 2 like pets are in store?

Yes, you read correctly, two-hundred (200). In the latest podcast by the Official XBOX Magazine, Bethesda Soft's own Todd Howard, mentioned that there would be over 200 possible endings to Fallout 3.

Mike Fahey, of Kotaku, mentioned that when he had previewed the game back in June 2007 Bethesda was shooting for only 9-12 endings. With such a huge leap going from 12 to 200+ you wont have to worry about those setting the launch back and having Fallout 3 delayed. Todd Howard assures us that t...

"Summary of games on the list:
Age of Conan (PC/360)
Frontlines: Fuel of War (PC/360)
Sins of A Solar Empire (PC)
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2 (PC/360/PS3)
Turning Point: Fall of Liberty (PC/360/PS3)
Fallout 3 (PC/360/PS3)
Ghostbusters (PC/360/PS3)
Tiberium (PC/360/PS3)
Operation Flashpoint 2 (PC/Wii/PS3/360)
Space Force: Captains (PC)"

"With this year's gaming harvest already played and beaten and filed away into memory like so many saves, it is time now to look on.

Past the bulbous shores of 2007, far off in the distant recesses of release schedules, lies the gone-golden bounty of untapped potential. And while many may slip their surly bonds and give flight to the year 2009, more still will cement their crusted plastic into delighted hands. Here we mark the prophecy of the PC legacy, a concrete, yet tumultuous hour of re..."

"Now, Bethesda has decided that we do not need huge branching discussion trees like this, becaue they do not want the player to miss out on something. I hate to tell them, but the ravenous fans that have been waiting for this game for so long, they remember when Interplay was a good company."

"For those who want to see just how violent Bethesda is planning Fallout 3 to be (and didn't already check out the latest Game Informer), the developer has released new pictures from the game, including Lucas Simms, one of the first NPCs you encounter outside of the vault who looks eerily like Armand Christophe from Oblivion, and a pretty gruesome headshot care of one unfortunate super zombie.

Gears of War also had some gruesome cranial explosions, but from what we saw at E3, Fallout 3 will..."

"Eurogamer: How do you approach developing a game, especially one with the infamy of Fallout, when none of your team was involved in the original development?

Gavin Carter: We treated a lot like we treat our own. We went back and played the old games, so played a lot of Fallout 1 and Fallout 2, to see what we wanted to bring over from those games, and to get our minds away from this medieval space [that of the Elder Scrolls games]. And we watched movies like Mad Max, read books like The Roa..."

"Inevitability, there are similarities to Oblivion, not least in the way your behaviour and etiquette towards non-playable characters can affect your reputation and standing with other NPCs. And, as you’ll see if you click on the screens below, it looks flippin’ gorgeous, probably due to the fact that Fallout 3 uses a version of the same Gamebryo engine last seen in Oblivion."

"Fallout 3 was confirmed to be coming to the Playstation 3 only a few weeks ago, but we already have the first ingame scans for you. These great looking scans came from a Finnish magazine called Pelaaja.

While not much of the story or any other elements of the game have been revealed by Bethesda, some tiny bits of information and a teaser video are available here. The scans below don’t disclose much new information but anyone can agree that this game is going to look pretty good."

"Part of Article Transcript

You were born in the Vault. And you'll die in the Vault. It's what you've always believed. For 200 years your people have survived down here, in this test tube of a home - bleached clean steel walls, sterilized floors, and dozens of fellow survivors crammed into this self-sufficient hole in the ground. Xenophobia is a lifestyle. The world above is gone, annihilated centuries ago in one brief radiation-filled flash, leaving you here to live out your sad existence ..."

Bethesda Softworks has released a trailer for Fallout 3 to tease our senses. They've teased us with images and now a trailer. It seems as though they're slowly releasing more and more information.

"Bethesda Softworks has revealed that world-famous actor Liam Neeson has signed up for a major role in Fallout 3 and will appear prominently throughout the entire game.

Speaking about his role in the upcoming post-apocalyptic title, Neeson said: "It's been a pleasure bringing the father to life and working with the wonderfully talented people at Bethesda on Fallout 3. I hope the fans of the franchise and the game will be excited by the results."

Todd Howard, executive producer of Fallout..."

"It's been almost ten years since the release of Fallout 2 and fans have been growing restless for a true sequel. The long wait may soon be over. Bethesda has launched an official site for Fallout 3."

"Oblivion developers Bethesda has purchased the rights to the Fallout series from Interplay for a reported USD 5.75 million.

Previously, Interplay had given Bethesda the rights to develop titles in the Fallout series, along with the possibility of creating a Fallout MMO. Development of a third title in the series is currently underway.

With the new deal now in place, Bethesda now has full ownership of the Fallout IP and will be licensing rights of the new MMO to Interplay.

The licence..."

"According to the filing, first spotted by Fallout fansite No Mutants Allowed, the purchase of the Fallout license and accompanying IP was settled on April 9th, with final payment installments expected to be delivered by the third quarter of this year.

In an interesting twist, as part of the agreement Interplay now acts as a licensee of the IP as it continues to ramp up production on its own Fallout-themed massively multiplayer game, first announced in 2004 alongside Bethesda's sequel, and..."