Another console generation means another release for one of the biggest RPGs in gaming, The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim. With Skyrim: Anniversary Edition releasing in November to celebrate the game's 10-year anniversary, many Bethesda fans are wondering whether or not the company will give similar treatment to some of its other classic titles. One in particular that fans hope to see, and that deserves such treatment, is Fallout: New Vegas. Despite Bethesda only publishing Fallout: New Vegas, it is one of the most popular entries in the series, and fans have called for a proper remaster for some time.
The possibility for a remaster of Fallout: New Vegas previously seemed unlikely, as Bethesda reportedly had a rocky end to their partnership with the game's developer Obsidian Entertainment. However, both companies have since been acquired by Xbox, making it seem possible for it to finally happen. This is very exciting, as Fallout: New Vegas is one of the most deserving Bethesda titles for a remaster, and the upcoming Skyrim: Anniversary Edition sets a great template for it to follow.
What Skyrim: Anniversary Edition All Includes
Skyrim: Anniversary Edition will bring the massively popular RPG to modern gaming hardware with a bevy of performance and visual improvements. There is a lot of potential for the next generation of consoles to help make Skyrim: Anniversary Edition look stunning, and it'll be great to see how great the game's massive map looks with the new bells and whistles. However, the re-release also brings a number of other features to the game, including a survival mode and a fishing mechanic to help players find food within the sparkling rivers of Skyrim.
Another interesting inclusion with Skyrim: Anniversary Edition is its inclusion of over 500 different mods that have been released as part of the game's Creation Club. A feature introduced as part of Skyrim's previous release, Skyrim: Special Edition, the Creation Club sells exclusive mods on PC and Console that are made either by Bethesda developers themselves or community members commissioned to include their mods on the platform. The mods offer a variety of different additions like new dungeons, new alchemy reagents, alternative armor sets, and player homes. While the storefront's inclusion at release was mixed, the mods released through the Creation Club have generally been of a high standard, and they all will be included with Skyrim: Anniversary Edition on all of its platforms.
Why Fallout: New Vegas Deserves Similar Treatment
Fallout: New Vegas holds a special place in the hearts of many fans of the series thanks to its emphasis on roleplaying, story, and player choice. There are many different builds that players can tackle New Vegas with, while the decisions that they make can also have a big impact on how the Mojave Wasteland looks in the end. These both help it to be extremely replayable, especially for an open-world RPG that takes dozens of hours for a single run. There is also a lot of Fallout: New Vegas that is extremely memorable, such as the glowing Vegas strip illuminating the desolate wasteland, the companions that can travel and fight with the player, and the philosophically opposed factions at war with one another.
A remaster of the game could also help unify the experience that players have across platforms. The game is a bit notorious for its number of bugs, and while PC players can avoid many of those thanks to community mods, there is no similar option for console players at this time. A remaster of the game could take the time to iron out many of those bugs to help playthroughs run much smoother. A new version could also bring mod functionality to consoles in a way that Skyrim: Special Edition did, which would be a fantastic addition for fans on those platforms. There are tons of great mods for Fallout: New Vegas, and bringing them to consoles would be an absolute treat for players on Xbox and PlayStation, especially alongside bug fixes and improved visuals.
What a Fallout: New Vegas Remaster Could Look Like
The most readily apparent change that would come with a remaster of Fallout: New Vegas would be an overhaul of its visual presentation. A greater draw distance, god rays, texture enhancements, better particle effects, and the inclusion of RTX lighting would be a massive leap forward for the game. Not only would it make Fallout: New Vegas' great moments play even better, but it would also benefit the game's atmosphere and tone. Creeping through the darkness of an abandoned building only illuminated by the plasma bolts or muzzle flashes of one's gun while fighting a massive mutant would impress players in ways the game's current visuals can't, and would undoubtedly add a lot to the experience.
Obviously, including mods would also bring a lot to the remaster as well. Bethesda games are notorious for how conducive to modding they are, and there is an incredible library of mods that is still being added to today. This library includes incredible community creations like new locations, quest lines, equipment, and characters that can really expand the game and allow players to tailor their experience to better match their preferences. Some of these mods even completely change the Fallout: New Vegas experience, and it would be very interesting to see a remaster include its own Creation Club that could see the developers bringing fresh ideas and changes to the table as well.
Of course, there is no way to know whether or not Fallout: New Vegas will see a remaster in the future now that Xbox has acquired both Bethesda and Obsidian, though it would be great to see it happen. A proper remaster similar to Skyrim: Anniversary Edition would not only be a treat for the many established fans of the game and franchise, but it would also open the doors for new players to experience the classic title for the very first time. It could also help bridge the gap between its release and the next mainline Fallout title, and it could do so in a way that Fallout 76 most likely can't thanks to its live service nature. Hopefully, fans will get some news on what the future holds for Fallout sometime soon.
Fallout: New Vegas is available on PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360.