Actually there is hope. I was part of the Battletech scene, my partner was Ralph Reed of Mechforce fame, when we helped do some work on the Battletech simulators. Anyhow, word has it that Jordan Wiesman who created FASA along with L. Ross Babcock, has obtained back the rights to the Battletech franchise from Microsoft. I still cannot figure out why he sold out to them in the first place.
In any case, is this is true then hopefully we shall see a renewed phase of development in the InnerSphere. I was always angry because there was supposed to be a movie made and it never was... could you imagine ... it would be most awesome I think.