Bethesda confirms Obsidian Fallout game, remasters, and Fallout 5 in pre-production
Bethesda has confirmed a raft of Fallout announcements in a single open letter to its community: Obsidian Entertainment is making a new, unannounced Fallout game; remasters of Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas are in development; and Fallout 5 is in pre-production. For anyone who has been waiting on word about what comes after Starfield, there is now a full roadmap to parse.
The Obsidian deal
Obsidian — the studio behind the beloved Fallout: New Vegas — is officially back in the Wasteland. The new project is led by Josh Sawyer, the director of New Vegas, and Bloomberg (Schreier) first reported the partnership last week before Bethesda confirmed it. Details on scope, setting, and release window have not been shared yet. The collaboration follows Obsidian's cancellation of Avowed 2, a pivot that signals Xbox's tightening focus on its biggest franchises under new CEO Asha Sharma.
The remasters and everything else
Game Informer reports that Bethesda's official roadmap puts The Elder Scrolls VI as the studio's primary focus, with the majority of its team working on it now. Fallout 5 sits in pre-production behind it, also on the new Creation Engine 3 — Bethesda's proprietary in-house tech, which the studio is doubling down on rather than switching to Unreal Engine 5.
The Fallout 3 and New Vegas remasters have no confirmed release dates. Schreier has suggested 2027 is a possibility, consistent with the timing of Fallout 76's new Raven Rock expansion — a story-driven DLC set as a direct prequel to Fallout 3, also due next year. Both remasters are expected to follow the same approach as the well-received Oblivion Remastered.
Elsewhere in the letter: Fallout 4 has now sold 35 million copies; Fallout Shelter has passed 250 million players and is getting new seasons plus an Amazon reality show tie-in; and Season 3 of the Fallout TV series is already in production.
Starfield and the modding economy
Starfield has reached 17 million players, who have collectively logged close to a billion hours. Bethesda says more than 40% of players use mods, and creator payouts across Skyrim, Fallout 4, and Starfield have exceeded $10 million. The studio is entering a third year of Starfield support, with Starborn-related content planned for next year.
On the studio side, ZeniMax Online Studios — the team behind The Elder Scrolls Online — will now work more directly alongside Bethesda Game Studios on the Elder Scrolls franchise as a whole. Bethesda is skipping Fallout Day this year in favour of a live 30th anniversary celebration in Washington, D.C. in 2027.