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Posted By Austin Yorski about 10 months, 2 weeks ago
They're one metro away from owning every post-apocalyptic shooter.
If you’ll recall, earlier this year development of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 ended, as developer GSC Game World ran into problems with money and intellectual property rights. Today it is being reported–by the same Ukrainian blogger who broke that story–that American publisher Bethesda has acquired the rights to make a S.T.A.L.K.E.R. game. Both Bethesda and their parent company Zenimax have declined to comment on these reports.
Assuming this is true, we won’t necessarily be seeing a full makeover of the series the same way we did when Bethesda acquired Fallout. The blogger, named Sergey Galyonkin, says that, “GSC owner Sergei Grigorovich has not sold the [whole] brand” and that Bethesda would not have access to any of the extended universe of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. franchise. At this point, all we can do is wait, but it’s interesting to see the company behind gaming’s most prominent post-apocalyptic series attached to the purchase of another high profile I.P. with the same setting. Could Bethesda be planning something in the wake of the legal disputes over the Fallout brand? It’s always fun to speculate.
Source: Rock, Paper, Shotgun
Fallout cross over?
I would not mind the next Fallout being set over in the Ukraine/Russia…Really has nothing to do with STALKER, but I just like the setting lol
Well the rumor was slapped down again by Bethesda, of course that could just mean they don’t want anyone to know about it for awhile, but either way, it’s just a dream for some folks now.
I hope they don’t just take a Fallout game that is currently in development and slap the STALKER logo on it. I would rather have a new Fallout.
For me, it was the survivor elements of STALKER that made the game so brilliant. Ammunition quickly became sparse, a good weapon was hard to come by, what was in your backpack mattered, nothing was there to help you and death came quick to the careless. It was the first game I ever played that had you in a truly hostile environment and the first game that never held the players hand.
It was also the first game that made me feel like I was working, not playing, and sometimes it felt more like a chore than a game (although somehow this made it more enjoyable as I felt like I was actually contributing to something). Plus, the blow-outs (at least the patched ones from the first game) made it all the more tense and enjoyable.
If Bethesda can keep true to the original games in terms of atmosphere, environment, danger and survival aspects, then they’ll probably do good by the series as it was a bit weak in the story department. But it was those aforementioned elements that made STALKER what it is… the plot will only make it better.
I find this a little odd. Bethesta makes some good games, Fallout 3 being probably my favorite right now, but it seems like a mooch off of popularity for the genre from how I see it. Personally, and in all honesty, I’m still trying to figure out what makes Stalker so good among what seems like the majority of PC gamers. I have tried, retried, and retried several times but I just can’t see it. Maybe Bethesta can give it the touch it needs for me to grow an interest in the series, but on the other hand I think I would just liked to see more from the Fallout franchise. That’s just me though.
For STALKER, it’s about creating an atmosphere that very few games of it’s genre ever really bring. It’s a solid shooter, but it’s also about survival, learning the secrets of the twisted terrain. It’s certainly a game you have to look past the faults of to truly find the hidden gem, but it’s easily one of my favorite series.
Fallout 3 is one of their worst games actually.
The twisted look-alike downtown DC area with all those underground subway stations connecting them (the stations all look the same too) to the terrible gun feel (they all feel the same) and some really big dissonance that is created between the different locations and how they don’t really “FIT” in the same world they supposedly inhabit.
And I’m NOT just saying that because I have a LP of Fallout 1 and 2 and I hate everything else, I say it out of love because I really liked Fallout 3.
I tried to go back and play FO1 & 2 and just couldn’t. Way too outdated in every way lol That’s just me though. I simply loved Fallout 3 and New Vegas, New Vegas being better for what they improved, but 3 is still pretty good. I mean, if that’s their worst game, I’m good to go with whatever lol
Kill me… fast… fast as you can. Of course many people will like Bethesda type of game. But Fallout was American vision of alternative US. Stalker is base on great russian book. Do you think someone will recreate life style in Russia? Bethesda is now more than big corporation who want take over the world of video games. They are making games for everyone. And this is big problem! Nobody is perfect. Who said, whatever Bethesda do it is so perfect? (except Angry Joe)They should stay in Tamriel where is their place.
I’m not even sure what your complaining about. Who is saying Bethesda is perfect? (Just because Joe loved Skyrim, doesn’t mean he thinks Bethesda is perfect) Why won’t it be set in the Ukraine? Why is it wrong for a company to make games for everyone? Bethesda owning the rights isn’t even a bad thing in any way, it might depend more on who develops it.
Newspaper isn’t book.
You are correct. That has nothing to do with what we were talking about, but yes…a newspaper is not a book.
I think there is only one good way to finish a game. The same way as New Vegas was done. Bethesda give engine and original developer have to create what they can imaginate. But I see problems in Bethesda themself. Every next game isn’t so mature as previous one. Skyrim wasn’t as fun as Oblivion for many people and even Oblivion looked like cheap version of Morrowind. I don’t see improvements. I see how many stuff they deleted to sell their game everyone. STALKER is FPS with few elements of RPG. For (New)Fallout fans that game was too hard. I think they will create a game where in the same way as Fallout 3 and Skyrim – casual game. Where with weakest gun every player will kill their own “dragon”.
There’s little reason for them to “casualize” STALKER, a game that really isn’t that hardcore compared to others. It’s pretty laughable to say even Fallout 3 and Skyrim are “casual” games. Is that how far that labeling has dropped? If it’s not insanely difficult like Demon/Dark Souls, it’s now casual? Anyways, I think them looking at getting STALKER, makes it seem like possibly they are wanting a tougher survival experience for their catalog. DayZ is ULTRA popular right now and it’s only in Alpha and will become it’s own game. There’s alot of hype for Metro 2033: Last Light. The Last of Us has alot of hype also. If the rumor is proven true, it just seems to be they are looking to where the trends are going and maybe wanting to capitalize on that.
I for one am excited to see what could be done with STALKER if given a fully open world and an engine that is better than what it had before (Xray could look good at times, but everyone knows how buggy it was before Call of Pripyat. People complain about the bugs in Bethesda games, but they have nothing on Shadow of Chernobyl and Clear Sky lol).
Look how complicate was Morrowind. Spell-creator, our own teleportation signs with items made by ourself. With fast travel game became less interesting (to be honest Morrowind was 100% fantasy world made by Bethesda imagination but Skyrim is like 75% of fantasy world). Leveling was much more important when you know that you can not survive first minutes in dungeon. In Skyrim almost every location is based by player’s level so there is no much difference between one cave and the other. So I didn’t enjoy freedom this time.
Fallout 3 was really disapointing for someone who finished Morrowind. Plotline was poor copy of original Fallout (and by the way bad karma character have really wierd motivation it this game). To explain why the game is casual I have to remind entire fallout series (I could write a book in that time). Short: Fallout 3 is not about finding myself in Wasteland but it is neverending battle with mutants.
I think it’s a good fit if it turns out to be true. People just think it’ll be Fallout in the STALKER universe, which in some ways, would not be a bad thing, but I’m pretty sure if Bethesda bought the rights, they understand what made the game endearing to fans and what it would add to their lineup.
Honestly, this is a good fit. The only other companies I can see buying off the rights to STALKER would be EA or Square Enix, but I don’t think they would be a good fit overall for the series.
If you give up any emotional attachment to the name STALKER & and the plotline that goes with it, I think that there’s really nothing too bad about this.
If the rumour is true & Bethesda makes a good title – awesome. If it’s bad it doesn’t matter; Vostok are still making Survivarium.