After the release of the PC version of Monolith Productions’ creepy FPS F.E.A.R. in October ’05, a massive battle has been raging ever since; it wasn’t between the player and Alma’s armies but in the real-world between the game’s publisher Vivendi Universal and developer Monolith Productions.
As detailed in Jeff Green’s blog (Games for Windows mag editor-in-chief), both companies were in a massive legal mess over the title. What began as a rather friendly partnership ended in an ugly and forceful divide over the rights of the game.
In the end, Monolith owns everything regarding the F.E.A.R. universe — story, characters, locations, along with the game’s engine (LithTech), AI system and the combat engine.
In other words, basically everything having to do with F.E.A.R. besides, well, the name itself, which Vivendi owns. Remember the "name your F.E.A.R." contest last month? Well, that is a direct result of this legal mumbo jumbo.
In the meantime, Monolith is working on the "true" F.E.A.R. sequel but it won’t be named F.E.A.R. 2 or whatever. In fact, Vivendi is working on, literally, F.E.A.R. 2 but it won’t have any of the familiar characters, locations or story. Talk about cash cow; Vivendi already released one expansion pack riding on the F.E.A.R. name, F.E.A.R.: Extraction Point and has another coming up called F.E.A.R.: Perseus Mandate. Technically, these aren’t the "true" F.E.A.R. continuations; that is what Monolith is working on.
Since we’re speaking about Perseus Mandate, here’s the E3 trailer. It’s being developed by TimeGate Studios.
