As far as well-loved video game franchises go, it's hard to look past the Fallout series. The post-apocalyptic RPG franchise has been a staple of the video game world since the 1990s, where Fallout 1 and 2 provided PC gamers with a pair of hard-as-nails nuclear adventures to survive. After a break following the release of Fallout Tactics, the series then made a triumphant return through Bethesda with Fallout 3, which is seen by many as one of the best titles of the last gaming generation.

Unfortunately, since the release of the Obsidian Entertainment-developed Fallout: New Vegas in 2010, news surrounding the series has dried up. That's not to say that fans have stopped speculating on the prospect of Fallout 4, however, and the title has been host to a number of rumors and hoaxes over the past two years. A leaked script suggested that Fallout 4 would be set in Boston, whilst the filing of three Nuka Cola trademarks suggested Bethesda was working on something behind the scenes.

The wait for information has been agonizing for fans of the post-apocalpytic RPG franchise, but thankfully it looks as though more official news on Fallout 4 will be revealed sooner rather than later. Today, Bethesda posted a cryptic image to its official Twitter account, urging followers to "stand by" for news. The text on the image, as well as the design in general, is unmistakably that of the Fallout series, giving gamers hope that an official unveiling will be on the cards soon.

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However, it's not just the ever-so-tempting, black-and-white image that has Fallout fans on the edge of their seats. Bethesda's Twitter post also linked to a countdown timer over at the official Fallout website, counting down to a reveal tomorrow at 10 a.m. EST. Gamers are predicting that this countdown will lead to an official announcement of Fallout 4.

What's more, a message can be found in the source code of the website, reading "PA system failure has occured. Shutdown of the Masterbrain has been authorized and all sensitive materials have been removed for security purposes. Please attempt re-access. Have a pleasant day." This gives a nod to the Masterbrain from Fallout 3, a robobrain that controlled all the other security robots in the ruined Vault-Tec DC Headquarters.

It's interesting to see that Bethesda is set to reveal Fallout 4 in advance of its E3 press briefing, which is set to take place on Sunday 14 June. Nonetheless, many will simply be happy to see that development on the title is going ahead. After all, some had lost hope after Fallout 4 was not listed on Bethesda's E3 invites. Perhaps soon fans of the series will be able to see if Guillermo del Toro's studio really was working on a Fallout 4 cinematic.

Source: Bethesda Twitter, Fallout Website