Ever sinceFallout 76came out in 2018, information regarding the future of theFalloutfranchise has been limited to rumors. Fans talk about where the game could be located, whetherFallout New Vegaswill have a sequel, and how the franchise can improve, but there has been no truly concrete information given over the years. A lot of evidence seems to say that the franchise will not be emerging with new titles for a while.
The latest said byBethesda chief Todd Howardin an IGN interview was thatFallout 5is being proposed, but thatFallout 5is not confirmed. Some say there are leaks, but that is usually unreliable information. A lot of leakers have come forward over the years, but once again, nothing they have said has yet been confirmed. In other words, the franchise’s future is utterly unknown right now.
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Fallout 5 May Be A Long Time Away
A sobering and likely scenario is thata newFalloutgame could be very far in the future. This probability was discussed last year, and with more than a year passing, news and information have not changed. In January 2021, video game leaker Tyler McVicker mentioned in a Tweet that he does not expect “anything close to aFallout 5” until the 2030s. This was a big deal, as McVicker is one of the leakers well known for his accuracy for Nintendo and Valve.
A point McVicker made that still is true a year later is that the studio behindFallouthas their attention on other franchises such asThe Elder ScrollsandStarfield.Starfieldhas not yet come out, and how it does with audiences and critics may also impact the future of Bethesda.Elder Scrolls 6has been long-awaited by gamers as well and seems more likely to be worked on next since its last main title came out 11 years ago, whileFallout 4is only seven years old.
Lastly,Fallout 76exists, and it is an MMO that can constantly gain more content and DLC. This may make the studio focus more on its other projects while supplementing its fans with DLC inFallout 76. Hopeful fans may hear that Bethesda is working onFallout, and think that is a hint ofFallout 5, but it could very likely just be more content forFallout 76. Back in Todd Howard’s interview with IGN, which was back in November 2021, he described that the proposal forFallout 5is just a “one-pager.” That is an incredibly rough outline that could completely change.
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Obsidian And Fallout
Bethesda is not the only developer behind certainFalloutgames. Obsidian was licensed by Bethesda andmade one of the most loved games in the series:Fallout New Vegas. A lot of fans are hoping for a sequel, and there have been some rumors of Obsidian entertaining the idea. However, Obsidian has its own hurdles. Since 2018, it has become part of Microsoft Studios.
For Obsidian, it has been 12 years sinceFallout New Vegas, and its plate is full of other franchises.The Outer Worldswas a success, and soObsidian is currently creating a sequel. It is also working onAvowedand hasGroundedin early access. In other words, their situation is very different from how it was in 2010.
However, like withFallout 5, there are leaks. One by the name of Jeff Grubb said that a sequel could happen due to Microsoft obtaining Bethesda as well as Obsidian. However, Grubb mentions that if Obsidian did end up making a sequel, it would not be released for a very long time. So, likeFallout 5,aFallout New Vegassequelis purely speculation and utterly unknown.
What A Long Wait Could Mean
With theFallout 5being just being one-pager proposal a year ago, a lot of fans are convinced they are going to need to wait a long time for the game if it even happens (until it is confirmed,Fallout 5not happening is always a small possibility). Waiting a long time, as usual, does lead to speculation. If the game does not come out for a very long time, then it’s possible that it will be on next-gen consoles, which are a mixed bag of pros and cons. The pros are next-gen means better graphics and new mechanic possibilities. The cons are thatFallout 5could have more glitchesdue to working on a new console, with developers unable to learn as much fromFallout 4.
If Bethesda waits too long, oldFalloutdevelopers can move on and developers with lessFalloutexperience may be in charge ofFallout 5. Bethesda itself can undergo a lot of change, and that ultimately will affect the games it makes (and whether they even get to be made).
Fallout 76’s Involvement
Fallout 76had a troubled launch and has since been fixed with patches. Despite these fixes, though, the MMO did damage Bethesda’s reputation a little. While some fans ultimately view the MMO asaFalloutspin-offand feel thatFallout 5would not be impacted by its existence, it still does affect the future ofFallout5. BeforeFallout 76launched, Bethesda senior vice president of global marketing and communications, Pete Hines, did say the servers could be active forever.
After the negative launch, it is likely Bethesda wants to be as careful as possible with aFallout 5. There is a possibility that the bad launch ofFallout 76will make Bethesda take longer when deciding whatever is next for the franchise. While this can be disappointing to fans, it could be a good move. The hope is that the more time it’ll take for futureFalloutgames to happen, the better quality they will be.
