by Stacy Jones on May 31, 2011
Interplay hopes to develop the post-apocalyptic MMORPG Fallout Online despite legal troubles, but can the developer survive its own apocalypse?
Develop recently obtained a 76-page SEC report that paints a very grim picture for Interplay. According to the report, Interplay expressed substantial doubts over our ability to continue as a going concern to investors.
The report further notes that Interplays cash balance had fallen to just $3,000 by the turn of the year and the company remains with a working capital deficit of around $3 million. The company has also been functioning without a credit agreement facility and that has resulted in a reduction of needed and substantial capital to finance its operations.
Develop notes that many times during the report Interplay stated that bankruptcy could be possible and that it may become necessary to sell off the company to generate funds. This could also lead to the possible cancellation of several Interplay titles currently in development, which includes Fallout Online and several others.
To make matters worse, Interplay is currently operating without a chief financial officer and the firm is no longer giving external developers advanced payments, but instead is paying studios once their game is completed and released.
This is certainly grim news for Interplay and Fallout Online fans, but maybe not so much for Fallout IP owner Bethesda, who has been in constant legal conflict with Interplay over the Fallout MMORPG license. Stay tuned and we'll update you with more news as it develops.
Source: Develop