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Bethesda gambling on Fallout Tactics: New Vegas
It's been several months since Bethesda announced plans to release a major iPhone and iPod touch game, providing little information as to exactly what the lauded developer is creating.

The company has gone silent while it hunkers down to finish the game in time for a simultaneous release with console role-playing game Fallout: New Vegas.

Fallout Tactics: New Vegas promises a new game for iPhone and iPod touch that takes the tactical role-playing of the 2001 PC title Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel, while using the south-western locale of the upcoming console game.

It's a brave venture given the company's lack of experience developing portable games, though if this iPhone spin-off is anywhere near as good as its console releases then we're in for a treat.

Bethesda feels that turn-based role-playing works better on portable than real-time, hence the decision to go with a new take on Fallout Tactics. Additionally, the PC game was well-received, and addressing some of the complaints lodged against it - linear structure, major bugs that we never fixed, etc. - with a new instalment seem like a good way to go.

The iPhone game, which sets up the story for the start of Fallout: New Vegas, will also help to promote the console release expected some time this autumn. More details could be coming as soon as June during E3.