Bethesda Reveals Fallout’s Future & Key Lessons
▼ Summary
– Bethesda’s Fallout 3 (2008) successfully adapted the series into a style similar to The Elder Scrolls, leading to New Vegas and Fallout 4, but fans have waited over a decade for a new mainline single-player Fallout game.
– The Elder Scrolls VI was announced in 2018, but recent updates suggest its development still has a long way to go, breaking Bethesda’s previous alternating release pattern between Elder Scrolls and Fallout.
– Bethesda leadership states that developing multiplayer games like Fallout 76 and new IPs like Starfield has made them better developers by building new skills and perspectives.
– Todd Howard confirmed that Fallout 5 is planned to follow The Elder Scrolls VI, with the studio already having a basic concept for the game.
– While most of Bethesda is focused on The Elder Scrolls VI, the studio typically overlaps development on multiple projects.
The long wait for a new mainline Fallout game continues, but Bethesda Game Studios is actively shaping its future. While the studio’s current focus is squarely on The Elder Scrolls VI, leadership has confirmed that Fallout 5 is the next major project on their slate. This continuation of the iconic post-apocalyptic series follows a period where Bethesda expanded its horizons with the multiplayer-focused Fallout 76 and the entirely new universe of Starfield. According to the developers, these diverse projects have fundamentally improved the team’s skills, ensuring that when they return to the Commonwealth or a new wasteland, the experience will benefit from years of accumulated knowledge and innovation.
For over a decade, Bethesda established a reliable pattern, alternating releases between its two flagship franchises. That rhythm shifted with the launch of Fallout 76 and was further disrupted by the development of the original IP, Starfield. This break from tradition, however, is viewed internally as a period of essential growth. Studio director Angela Browder emphasized that tackling a multiplayer game and creating a new intellectual property from scratch exercised different creative muscles. The challenges inherent in these projects forced the team to solve problems and think about design in novel ways. Browder believes this experience will inevitably make them better developers, enriching their approach even when they return to familiar worlds like Fallout.
The studio’s roadmap is clear, albeit patient. Executive producer Todd Howard has stated that Fallout 5 will enter full development following the completion of The Elder Scrolls VI. He has previously mentioned that the team already has a foundational “one-pager” outlining the core vision for the next Fallout adventure. While the majority of the studio’s resources are dedicated to the next Elder Scrolls chapter, Howard notes that overlapping development cycles are a standard practice at Bethesda. This suggests that early conceptual work on Fallout 5 is likely already underway, even as the bulk of the team builds the world of Tamriel.
Looking ahead, the studio’s leaders have shared their aspirations for the franchise’s future. The lessons learned from Fallout 76’s live-service model and Starfield’s vast scope are expected to influence their design philosophy. The goal is to leverage these hard-won insights to craft a deeper, more immersive single-player experience that honors the series’ legacy while pushing its boundaries. The extended development time, while frustrating for fans, is framed as a necessary investment. The team aims to deliver a game that not only meets expectations but surpasses them, built by a more versatile and experienced studio than ever before. The future of Fallout is being carefully plotted, with the promise that the wait, however long, will ultimately yield a richer wasteland to explore.
(Source: Game Informer)
