You know, it’s awfully easy to get bitter following this industry, but every now and then there’s a bit of news that’s so delightful that it’s enough to forget some of the more discouraging things you hear. In the last week, we’ve had two such news stories. The first, was the news that Swingin’ Ape, the developers of the severely underrated Metal Arms: Glitch in the System, had taken over the reigns on StarCraft: Ghost. And then today comes an even bigger surprise, that Bethesda Softworks, developers of The Elder Scrolls, have licensed the Fallout franchise, and are starting work on Fallout 3.


Both of these were really, really unexpected, but at the same time, both make so much sense. There is no doubt in my mind that Swingin’ Ape can deliver a kickass game in StarCraft: Ghost, and since their deal with Blizzard applies to other properties as well, we might see some great titles down the line as well. Similarly, Bethesda’s bound to do a heck of a job with Fallout 3. Their press release says it all, with Todd Howard stating flat out that they intend to concentrate on “the hallmarks of a great RPG: player choice, engaging story, and non-linearity.”


I’m as giddy. Not only that, but given how far off this is likely to be, it may turn out to be one stunning looking game. There have been some pretty substantial rumors that The Elder Scrolls IV is being planned as an Xbox 2 launch title…if that’s true, and Fallout 3 uses the same level of technology…hot damn.


Both are likely to be a ways off, but I’m as psyched as can be.