Highlights

  • Fallout 3 set up story elements for the plot of Fallout 4, suggesting that Fallout 5's plot may similarly be teased or built upon in Fallout 4.
  • Fallout 4's plot revolves around the conflict surrounding the Institute's creation of synths, which were first introduced in Fallout 3.
  • Characters like Madison Li, who initially appeared in Fallout 3, play a key role in Fallout 4, connecting the events and stories of the previous game to the Institute's work with synths.

Even amid discussion surrounding Bethesda's latest release, Starfield, and its next project, The Elder Scrolls 6, fans are still speculating about the next Fallout game's direction. While Fallout 76 is still receiving content, many fans are looking forward to the next mainline Fallout game that will pick up the torch left by Fallout 4. Looking back at the legacy of previous Fallout games could help fans predict where Fallout 5's story will go, given that Fallout 3 contains several major hints at the plot of Fallout 4.

Despite the Obsidian-developed Fallout: New Vegas releasing between Fallout 3 and Fallout 4, Bethesda successfully connected the dots back to their previous entry with the plot of Fallout 4 by building upon story beats teased in Fallout 3. Characters and plot lines that were set up in Fallout 3 returned in a major way in Fallout 4 to give the series a better sense of cohesion, coming off the heels of Obsidian's entry. Given the long development time between Fallout 4 and when Fallout 5 eventually comes out, Bethesda may be wise to follow this same pattern again in order to refresh players' memories of the previous title.

Fallout 5 might be in San Francisco
Related
Fallout: New Vegas and Fallout 4 Both Point to the Same Setting for the Fifth Game

Fallout: New Vegas and especially Fallout 4 contain some big hints as to where the next Fallout game is very likely to take place.

Fallout 3 Sets the Stage for Fallout 4's Synths and the Railroad

The central conflict within Fallout 4's Commonwealth is the presence of the Institution and its creation of synthetic humans, or synths, and how they interact with the other factions within the game. As the Sole Survivor searches the Commonwealth for their son, they will encounter these synths created by the Institute, along with residents who believe that the Institute is trying to replace people with synths, and those like the Railroad who believe that synths are just as human as anyone else and deserve equality. However, these plot points were first introduced in Fallout 3, before being further fleshed out in Fallout 4.

A major character players will encounter in Fallout 3's Rivet City is Madison Li, a scientist who helps the Lone Wanderer in their quest to finish Project Purity. After the game's main events, she decides to leave the Capital Wasteland and head to the Commonwealth, where she becomes the head of Advanced Systems at the Institute. This new role sets her up to play a key role in Fallout 4, connecting her scientific work at Rivet City and on Project Purity with Father's child synth project at the Institute.

The Outcomes of The Replicated Man Quest Hint at Fallout 4's Main Conflict

One of the clearest connections between Fallout 3 and Fallout 4 comes from The Replicated Man side quest, which can be started by talking to Dr. Zimmer in Rivet City. This quest involves searching for a synth that has gone rogue at the request of Dr. Zimmer so that he can wipe its memory and return it to the Commonwealth. Along the way, players will encounter representatives from the Railroad and learn that the synth in question is named Harkness, who has had his memories suppressed and believes himself to be human.

Players can choose to side with the Railroad and let Harkness live freely by telling Dr. Zimmer the synth is dead, or reveal his identity to Dr. Zimmer and give him the code to unlock his suppressed memories. Not only does this quest introduce players to the Institute, synths, and the Railroad, but it also gives them a taste of the type of moral and philosophical questions they will have to face throughout Fallout 4's synth-centric plot. With this precedent set by the series, it's possible Fallout 5's plot might have similarly been teased in Fallout 4, or will at least build upon elements first introduced in this previous entry.