Todd Howard has officially confirmed that the next chapter in theFalloutfranchise is coming, but fans have a long time to wait. BeforeFallout5 comes out, Bethesda is hoping to releaseThe Elder Scrolls 6andStarfield.Starfieldis set to launch in 2023, butThe Elder Scrolls 6is still in pre-production and may be a ways off. This means thatFalloutfans are going to be left with almost nothing to turn to for years. The only option for newFalloutcontent may end up beingFallout 76; otherwise, they will have to replay one of the older titles.
The last single-playerFalloutgame came out in 2015, and the next Bethesda RPG will be launching in 2023. That is already an eight-year wait between major titles from Bethesda, and ifThe Elder Scrolls 6follows that pattern, then it could release anotherseven to eight years afterStarfield.Fallout 5will be even longer afterwards which means thatFalloutfans could be waiting for something new from their franchise for close to a decade. That is a very long wait and the studio needs to offer some type ofFalloutcontent outside ofFallout 76to help tide people over until then.
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This May be the Longest Wait Between Fallout Games
Players do not know just how longthe wait forFallout 5will be, but it looks like it’s going to be long. If there is noFalloutthemed title that comes out in that time, then it could be the longest wait betweenFalloutgames fans have ever had. The time between BethesdaFallouttitles has always been long, but this wait may take it to the next level, especially if no other studio makes a game in the universe in the meantime. The previous record for years betweenFalloutuniverse titles is five, and this will most likely beat that.
Not everyFallouttitle has been a large Bethesda RPG, as there have been many spin-off games. These spin-off titles have often released in-between Bethesda’s entries and have served as a way to keep the brand alive while the studio works on the next mainline title. These spin-off games have includedFallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel, Fallout: New Vegas, Fallout Shelter, andFallout 76. These spin-offs have all varied in size and genre, but they have all served the purpose of givingFalloutfans new content to check out.
The most recentFalloutspin-offs have beenFallout ShelterandFallout 76.Fallout Sheltercame out aroundFallout 4and provided a decent amount of fun, butFallout 76has now become the focus of the franchise. Bethesda maykeep pumpingFallout 76full of contentduring the wait, but the studio needs to do a lot more for fans.Fallout 76can be fun with friends, but it was not received well and has put a bit of a stain on the franchise.Falloutfans need some other type of game entertain themselves untilFallout 5, even if that simply comes in the form ofFalloutre-releases.
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrimlaunched in 2011, andThe Elder Scrolls 6seems to still be a ways off. The title is allegedly still in pre-production which means thatElder Scrollsfans also have a decently sized wait on their hands. However, they have had a steady stream of content during this time. Some content has been spin-off games, and some of it has simply been new versions ofSkyrim. Each release has served as a way to keep theElder Scrollsbrand alive and given fans a reason to keep coming back.
Since the release ofSkyrim, Bethesda has re-released the game several times. The majority of these re-releases serve as remasters for the title, and the most recent re-release also included a bunch of new content with built-in mods. Along with the remasters came a VR version of the game for those who want to experience Tamriel with their own eyes. Fans were also not short on new content to check out as Bethesda launchedThe Elder Scrolls Bladesand has been consistently expanding Tamriel throughThe Elder Scrolls Online.
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A Fallout Remaster or Remake Needs to Happen
The Elder ScrollsandFalloutseem to be in similar situations when it comes to the expected gap between entries, but Bethesda has been treatingThe Elder Scrollsdifferently. There is not even an indication thatFallout 4will be getting a special or anniversary edition, and that should be changed.TheSkyrimre-releaseshave become a bit of a meme over the years, but each re-release has also done very well and has kept people coming back. AFallout 4remaster could do the same thing, motivating players to return to The Commonwealth through new and improved features.
AFallout 4re-release during the break would go a long way to keeping the brand alive, but there are other games that could use a remaster or remake too. Remastering or remaking older games tends to be easier to do than crafting an entirely new game, and there are a couple of games in the series that fans would love to see revisited. ManyFalloutfansfell in love withFallout New VegasandFallout 3, and they could look great with a facelift.
Bethesda does not have to do this alone either, as Xbox Game Studios has a plethora of different studios that could lend support.One such studio is Obsidian Entertainment, which was responsible for makingFallout: New Vegas;it has not revisited the wasteland since. The studio could be given the chance to remaster the fan-favorite entry in the franchise, and the fans would surely be excited.
Fans of the franchise do not know what the future holds, and Bethesda may have some big plans tokeep players engaged withFalloutoutside ofFallout 76. However, it has not given much of an indication of that andFalloutfans have been left wondering when they get to explore the wasteland again. TheFalloutseries should not be put on hiatus untilFallout 5launches, and a remaster would be the best way to avoid that.
