Highlights
- Fallout fans may have to wait another 10 years for the release of Fallout 5, leaving the series without a new entry for well over a decade.
- Bethesda could consider giving another developer a chance to make a new Fallout game before Fallout 5's release, similar to how Obsidian developed Fallout: New Vegas.
- However, it is unlikely that Obsidian will be able to develop another Fallout game in the near future due to their existing commitments, leaving Bethesda with a difficult decision on how to handle the franchise moving forward.
With Starfield now in the rearview mirror, the next major title in development at Bethesda Game Studios is The Elder Scrolls 6, leaving Fallout fans in limbo waiting for Fallout 5. Given the long development times for modern AAA games, it's unlikely Fallout fans will see Fallout 5 release for another 10 years, which would leave the series without a new entry in well over a decade. As such, Bethesda faces a crucial choice for the Fallout series that could involve giving another developer a shot at making a new entry in the meantime before Fallout 5's release.
There is precedent for other studios to tackle the Fallout series, with Obsidian responsible for developing Fallout: New Vegas. Many fans believe Fallout: New Vegas to be the best entry in the series, so it would make sense for Bethesda to hand the franchise off to the developer once again. However, there are some complications surrounding this partnership that would make it difficult for Obsidian to develop another Fallout game in the near future, leaving Bethesda with a difficult choice on how to handle the franchise moving forward.
Setting Fallout 5 in New Orleans Would Kill Two Birds with One Stone
Fallout 5 is likely a long way away still, but Bethesda considering it set in New Orleans would neatly cover two angles at once.
Fallout Might Need a New Entry Before Fallout 5
The time it takes Bethesda to develop a game of the same magnitude as Starfield is increasing at an alarming rate, with this latest title from the studio taking around eight years to develop. If this pace is going to be the new standard going forward, it's likely that The Elder Scrolls 6 won't be finished for at least six years, setting the game up for a potential 2030 release date. Even being generous with development times, and with Fallout 5 being planned for development after The Elder Scrolls 6, it still likely wouldn't be released until 2035, over a decade from now.
The last entry in the Fallout series, Fallout 76, was released back in 2018, meaning Fallout 5's release date could be pushing 20 years without a new release in the franchise. While Fallout 76 is still receiving a steady stream of new content, like the recently released Atlantic City–Boardwalk Paradise update, many fans are still eager for a new standalone game. To tide fans over until Fallout 5 releases, it would be smart for Bethesda to tap a developer like Obsidian to develop a new title in the same vein as Fallout: New Vegas, but this strategy would have its own set of hurdles to overcome.
Why Obsidian is Unlikely to Make Another Fallout Game Anytime Soon
While many fans would be very excited by the prospect of Obsidian making a Fallout: New Vegas 2 during the interim before Fallout 5 releases, it's unlikely to happen given the developer's full plate at the moment. Obsidian already has Avowed slated for release later this year, as well as The Outer Worlds 2 still in the pipeline, which will likely mean their attention is split between these two titles for the near future. Beyond those two games, it's unclear if Obsidian would be able to develop a Fallout game in time to have it released before Fallout 5.
It's possible that Bethesda could outsource a new Fallout game to a studio other than Obsidian, but that runs the risk of an untested studio handling the Fallout IP. MachineGames could be a good choice for a Fallout game developer given their history with the Wolfenstein series, and the upcoming title Indiana Jones and the Great Circle might prove that the studio is capable of handling a large franchise. Whether Bethesda decides to hand the Fallout series to another studio or not, it's clear there needs to be another entry in the franchise before Fallout 5 releases.
