While all eyes are on Starfield, many are no doubt curious about Bethesda’s future and other projects. It’s no surprise then that comments were made about The Elder Scrolls 6, but many have been surprised when Todd Howard said the words “Fallout 5.”
Starfield is set to release in 2023, and it’s no secret that The Elder Scrolls 6 is coming after it. The latter was announced in 2018, with Bethesda confirming there would be no news on it before Starfield releases. It’s no shock then to hear that The Elder Scrolls 6 is still in pre-production, meaning it is still years out, but that’s not great news for Fallout 5. It could be decent news for Fallout: New Vegas, though.
Fallout 5 After The Elder Scrolls 6
Howard recently confirmed that Fallout 5 would be its next project after The Elder Scrolls 6, but this has long-reaching implications. The Elder Scrolls 6 is probably, at the very least, 4-5 years away, and following that down the rabbit hole means Fallout 5 is probably a decade away still. This would mean that 2018's Fallout 76 is the last entry in the franchise, and the wait for Fallout 5 could put at least a 12-year hole in the franchise.
Bethesda’s Starfield is a new venture, but its safest bets are Fallout and The Elder Scrolls. Each are beloved, seminal franchises. It makes sense for Bethesda to be the one to make Fallout 5, but such a gap would be harmful to the franchise. It would be exciting, no doubt, just as The Elder Scrolls 6 is after Skyrim, but many were not and still aren't happy with Fallout 76, unlike Skyrim. This means the last single-player entry in the franchise would have been Fallout 4, potentially widening the gap to at least 15 years before single-player entries.
What Comes Before Fallout 5
Something Fallout-related has to come out without those 15 years, something has to come before Fallout 5. This year, Fallout celebrates its 25th anniversary, which Bethesda is celebrating with The Pitt DLC in Fallout 76. Fans want something more, like HD remasters or remakes of past games, and there’s still time for them to get them. This could be improvements to the first three games, a bundle package of the classic games, or an anniversary edition-style re-release of Fallout 4.
There’s still time for this, but whether soon or within that 15-year gap, there’s one major release that has to happen. Fallout: New Vegas, although developed by Obsidian, is one of the most popular entries in the franchise. Fans have wanted a sequel, a spiritual successor like the Fallout: New Orleans idea that has floated around several times, or at the very least, a remake. Obsidian could make the Remake so there is something going on in the franchise, or another developer could handle it--as seen with other franchises. But it needs to happen, one way or another.
With Fallout 5 so far away and such a gaping hole in the franchise, revisiting older games is the perfect way to fill it. Celebrating the original games, Fallout 3, Fallout 4, and honoring them through Fallout 76 is great and all, but the best play here is a Fallout: New Vegas Remake. Any motion within the franchise will help fill the gap, but New Vegas is the best option it can run with.
Fallout 5 is not officially in development.