The Fallout series has went on a different direction after Bethesda Studios acquired the beloved RPG franchise from Interplay. What followed was Fallout 3, a huge commercial and critical success that took the niche series to newfound heights.
When Bethesda decided to outsource the next game in the series to Obsidian Entertainment, no one would have thought that the result, Fallout: New Vegas would be hailed as one of the best RPGs of the 21st century. It’s no surprise that after the disappointment that was Fallout 4, fans wants Bethesda to outsource the IP once again, particularly to Obsidian Entertainment. Even Obsidian has expressed interest in making another Fallout, but ultimately, the decision is up to Bethesda.
Speaking to The Guardian, Bethesda’s Todd Howard said that as of now they’re not ready to say for sure that a Fallout game from a third party won’t happen again, but fans should keep their expectations low. “I wouldn’t say never,” Howard said. “[But] now that our company is so big, it’s always better to keep stuff internal … it becomes less likely, but I could never say never. I thought the Obsidian guys did a fabulous job.”
The prior experience of Obsidian employees in the development of Fallout 1 and 2 resulted in the New Vegas having more focus on the narrative, choice driven gameplay and the signature black humor the series is very well known for. Fallout: New Vegas was made in a surprisingly short time and Bethesda denying Obsidian Entertainment a ‘bonus’ because the game fell two points below the expected Metacritic score was a cause of outrage.
