Fallout 4 was 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 next Fallout title is likely to be quite far away given fans received the less-than stellar launch of Fallout 76 in between. Players can look to how Bethesda has handled other similar IPs with huge gaps between releases to see what the immediate future of Fallout 4 might look like. Before the release of Fallout 5, Fallout 4 could receive the same level of attention that The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim has famously gotten through special editions and ports to a more comprehensive range of platforms.
Bethesda's Many Re-Releases of Skyrim
Skyrim originally released in 2011, and is regarded by many as one of the best installments in the popular The Elder Scrolls franchise to-date. The success of the title quickly led to discussion regarding what the next Elder Scrolls title may be, with The Elder Scrolls 6 officially 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 that Skyrim has received to tide them over.
Following release, Skyrim received a remastered version in 2016, as well as releases for the Nintendo Switch and VR platforms in 2017 and 2018, respectively. Even before this, the Legendary Edition of Skyrim released in 2013, containing its three major expansions, and Skyrim also received a next-gen version in 2021 to celebrate its 10-year anniversary. The amount of post-launch attention that Skyrim received 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
With Fallout 4 aging and fans increasingly looking forward to the eventual release of Fallout 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 and Skyrim, the same tactic could easily be employed for Fallout.
It was recently announced that Fallout 4 will be receiving a current-gen update at 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 4 has 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 how Skyrim's Legendary Edition included all the game's DLC.
The upcoming update for Fallout 4 may provide a perfect opportunity for Bethesda to go about this, as the concept of replaying the title in higher fidelity with all of Fallout 4's DLC included will be an attractive prospect for many. While ports to less powerful consoles may be a harder prospect for Fallout 4 when compared to Skyrim, 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 4 is available on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.