In the ongoing legal battle between Interplay and Bethesda Softworks it appears a deal has been made that effectively ends the lawsuit regarding Interplay’s development of V13, a Fallout MMO.

The lawsuit began when Bethesda learned of the development of V13 and claimed that Interplay no longer had the right to make a Fallout-based title since Bethesda had purchased the rights to the franchise. However, today court documents were revealed that indicate a deal was struck between the two companies.

According to a Frymuchan investment spokesperson who gave his input to Duck and Cover, “Bethesda dropped their appeal of the lawsuit with Interplay and a secret deal was struck.”

The source then says that he believes part of the deal between the companies was that Interplay would drop its countersuit, which means the legal battle is essentially over. “This will likely mean that V13 will be moving full steam ahead, terms of the new deal not yet known but the fact that the game will be made is nothing but good news for Interplay.”

The beta period for V13 is expected to begin in 2012 and the idea of a Fallout MMO is quite intriguing, especially considering that it’s being developed by Interplay, the company that published so many great RPG’s in the 1990s and early 2000s.

Obsidian, a wing of Bethesda, is developed Fallout: New Vegas, which follows on 2008’s Fallout 3, which won numerous Game of the Year awards and was an excellent RPG title set in a desolate Capital wasteland in the U.S.