Fallout 4was a generally well-received title within Bethesda’s catalog of games, with many fans considering it to forward the core gameplay and depth of the franchise in a positive and memorable way. However, with the title turning eight years old this year, discourse surrounding a potential sequel is inevitably picking up.
However, the nextFallouttitle is likely to be quite far away given fans received the less-than stellar launch ofFallout 76in between. Players can look to how Bethesda has handled other similar IPs with huge gaps between releases to see what the immediate future ofFallout 4might look like. Before the release ofFallout 5,Fallout 4could receive the same level of attention thatThe Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrimhas famously gotten through special editions and ports to a more comprehensive range of platforms.
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Bethesda’s Many Re-Releases of Skyrim
Skyrimoriginally released in 2011, and is regarded by many as one of the best installments in the popularThe Elder Scrollsfranchise to-date. The success of the title quickly led to discussion regarding what the nextElder Scrollstitle may be, withThe Elder Scrolls 6officially being announced in 2018. Much to the dismay of fans, however, no additional updates have been released by Bethesda regarding this elusive sequel. Instead, they’ve been left turning to the unprecedented amount of additional releases thatSkyrimhas receivedto tide them over.
Following release,Skyrimreceived a remastered version in 2016, as well as releases for the Nintendo Switch and VR platforms in 2017 and 2018, respectively. Even before this, theLegendary EditionofSkyrimreleased in 2013, containing its three major expansions, andSkyrimalso received a next-gen version in 2021 to celebrate its 10-year anniversary. The amount of post-launch attention thatSkyrimreceived has become a kind of meme within the industry, with the game effectively receiving a decades' worth of content that includes more jokey nods like compatibility with Amazon Alexa and even smart refrigerators.
Potential Re-Releases of Fallout 4
WithFallout 4aging and fans increasingly looking forward to theeventual release ofFallout 5, it is within the realm of possibility that the former will receive dedicated re-releases and ports in the near future. Given how successful this formula has been for Bethesda andSkyrim, the same tactic could easily be employed forFallout.
It was recently announced thatFallout 4will be receiving a current-gen updateat some point in 2023, and while this is not its own dedicated release, it could be indicative of the title receiving more attention in the near future. For example,Fallout 4has several DLC expansions such as Far Harbor and Nuka-World, which could be bundled together along with the base-game for a future release - much like howSkyrim’sLegendary Editionincluded all the game’s DLC.
The upcoming update forFallout 4may provide a perfect opportunity for Bethesda to go about this, as the concept of replaying the title in higher fidelity with all ofFallout 4’s DLC includedwill be an attractive prospect for many. While ports to less powerful consoles may be a harder prospect forFallout 4when compared toSkyrim, it is clear that the former title could take a page out of the latter’s book on keeping fans engaged during the long periods of time between franchise installments.
Fallout 4is available on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
