The Fallout TV show has reignited the conversation regarding the next installment in the game series. The fourth game was released in 2015, followed by 76 in 2018, marking the last major story update to the franchise nearly 10 years ago.
Nolan’s series, while a great addition to the timeline, now has fans questioning the developers about a fifth game. The studio has been working on other projects in the meantime, and the Microsoft acquisition also needs to be taken into account. But we finally have a reason as to why we haven’t heard of a fifth title yet.
Other Projects Are a Higher Priority Than Fallout 5
Fallout is one of the studio’s iconic franchises, but it isn’t its only IP. While the last major story addition came in 2015, Elder Scrolls fans have been waiting since 2011 for a proper update. Elder Scrolls Online exists, but that’s more of a stop-gap. Not to mention the latest game from the studio that has been in the news for a while: Starfield.
At the end of the day, though, it always comes down to that most important resource of all – people. As with any dev team, we have talented folks who need time to make great stuff. So we can't do everything at once. Institute scientists are hard at work on cloning initiatives! 😉
— Emil Pagliarulo (@Dezinuh) April 15, 2024
Emil Pagliarulo, Studio Design Director, has stated that working on the new game is why we have yet to hear any announcement about a fifth installment. The reply was made to a person asking which game takes up the majority of the studio’s time and if fans are really in for an eight-year wait.
Emil states the team spent a lot of time updating and developing tech for Starfield. While the game was not the breakthrough the developers were hoping for, you can check out our review to understand why it took a significant amount of time and effort to create. Emil says the people at the studio need time to create great things.
Bethesda studio design director Emil Pagliarulo on why Fallout 5 taking so long to be announced or revealed by the studio
Basically sound like they have to finish up Starfield with Shattered Space expansion first, then the team needs to work on Elder Scrolls 6. pic.twitter.com/ccftRkMxCG
— HazzadorGamin, Dragon of Dojima (@HazzadorGamin) April 18, 2024
HazzadorGamin shared their opinion on the topic, claiming the studio must be aiming to first finish the Shattered Space expansion and then possibly move on to Elder Scrolls 6.
So nothing new. See ya in 10 years
— Nameless (@MrArtezi) April 18, 2024
This has led fans to resign themselves to a very, very long wait time.
A New Game in the Franchise Might Not Be an Xbox Exclusive
After the studio was acquired by Microsoft, one expected all the games to only appear on Xbox. This caused major disappointment among fans of its franchises. Even Starfield was made an exclusive post-announcement. Well, with exclusivity now being reconsidered and Starfield potentially coming to the PlayStation, future games in both series could get a multiplatform release.
Phil Spencer believes multiplatform releases can help leverage the community of other consoles to grow Xbox-first games. PlayStation CEO Hiroki Totoki thinks in much the same way, as talks of bringing Helldivers 2 to Xbox are now circulating the rumor mill. With a PlayStation 5 Pro also on the horizon, the studio could create something truly massive.
At the end of the day, the TV show and Fallout 76 are there for players who want to explore the wasteland. As for a fifth game in the series, it’s best to get comfortable with a long wait, as Elder Scrolls 6 will be a very resource-intensive project.
When do you think we’ll get a fifth game in the franchise? Let us know in the comments below!
