Until now, Bethesda has been among the most predictable RPG studios. Focusing exclusively on developing theFalloutandElder Scrollsfranchise for years, both in their iconic first-person format, it has often been easy to predict the developer’s next moves compared to other studios. All that, however, has changed over the last few years.
As gaming enters the next generation of consoles, Bethesda is undergoing a significant change as well. This has left the fate ofFallout 5in particular in question. Considering things like the Microsoft acquisition and introduction of a new IP likeStarfield,many may wonder ifFallout 5is in development, and if so, when fans might be able to expect the next game in the post-apocalyptic roleplaying series.
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Bethesda’s Schedule
It isn’t currently known ifFallout 5is in development, but it is known that Bethesda is currently working on two separate projects, with the first being isStarfield. This is the first new IP Bethesda has embarked upon for over two decades, and it remains unclear exactly what the final product will look like. It is known, however, thatStarfieldwill be a space-set RPG which will use procedural generation to create multiple worlds for the player to explore.
More importantly for the development ofFallout 5, it has been confirmed thatStarfieldis set to release before Bethesda’s other main project,The Elder Scrolls 6. That particular entry in the franchise was announced back in 2018, but the lack of news regarding its progress has led many to speculate that it was announced to help deflect criticism from Bethesda’s announcement ofFallout 76at the same time, a game which even Todd Howard recently claimed “let a lot of people down.”
There have beenleakedStarfieldimageswhich supposedly show the upcoming game in a conceptual state. If the leaks are to be believed this suggests thatStarfieldcould very well see release in the next couple of years. It’s most likely that, afterStarfield’s release, more of theStarfield’s resources will be moved over to work onThe Elder Scrolls 6in earnest, which would likely place the release of the nextElder Scrollsgame around 2025. At the very least, that is a timeline many seem to agree on, disbarring any major changes.
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Fallout’s Future
This timeline makes it very unlikely thatFallout 5is currently in development at the company, though it is possible Bethesda is already throwing around potential settings and early ideas, but it’s not impossible that there’s an inkling of some kind ofFalloutout there. It’s also possible that Obsidian Entertainment could return to develop anotherFalloutgame likeFallout: New Vegas. ThoughObsidian and Bethesdadidn’t leave on the best of terms afterNew Vegas’ 84 rating on Metacritic denied Obsidian a significant bonus by a single percentage point, Microsoft has both companies under its roof and could encourage future cooperation.
It could be a decade, however, before players see another Bethesda-madeFalloutgame. Despite the franchise’s strengths,Fallout 76has left the brand vulnerable, and it appears that Bethesda is interested in branching out into new IPs for the first time in years. Where exactly that will leave theFalloutfranchise remains to be seen.
There isn’t room in Bethesda’s current schedule for a newFalloutgame in the next five years at least, but after that the fate of the franchise will likely be highly dependent on the receptions ofStarfieldandThe Elder Scrolls 6. If both do very well, it could makeFalloutthe studio’s third priority, though this could also make another third-partyFalloutmore likely as well to keep interest in the series alive while Bethesda focuses on other IPs.
With Obsidian developingAvowed, a first-person fantasy RPG which could be in direct competition withThe Elder Scrolls, the opportunity to cooperation may also have past. Though many fans will be looking forward to a newFalloutgame soon, it’s likely that they will have a long wait ahead of them.
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