Bethesda has confirmed that Fallout 5 is in pre-production, that Obsidian Entertainment is developing a separate Fallout project, and that remasters of Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas are in the works. The announcements, part of a studio roadmap released on July 17, end years of fan speculation and signal that Microsoft is turning Fallout into a multi-studio franchise rather than a once-a-decade event.

The Details: Fallout 5, Obsidian's Game, and Remasters

Bethesda's statement clarified that Fallout 5 is being developed internally on Creation Engine 3, the same technology that powers Starfield and the upcoming The Elder Scrolls VI. However, the studio emphasized that the majority of its team remains focused on The Elder Scrolls VI, meaning Fallout 5 is a "long-range destination" and not an imminent release. Pre-production includes early design, prototyping, and technology work—not full-scale content creation.

Obsidian's project, meanwhile, is not Fallout 5. Bethesda described it as "a new Fallout project" in collaboration with the studio. No title, setting, or release window was given. According to Windows Central, the game had been in prototype for up to two years, and discussions included whether to use Unreal Engine or Creation Engine. Bethesda has not disclosed the engine, leaving PC modders uncertain about future mod support and whether the game will tie into Bethesda's Creations ecosystem.

The remasters of Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas were confirmed alongside a Fallout 76 expansion called Raven Rock (a prequel to Fallout 3) and continued Starfield updates. Bethesda called them "remasters," not remakes, though fans have been speculating about the extent of the upgrades after the recent Oblivion Remastered. No platforms, dates, mod support details, or feature changes were announced. For Windows users, the hope is that these remasters will natively support modern systems, but the impact on existing modding communities remains a major unknown.

What It Means for Your Gaming Library

If you're a Fallout fan on Windows, this roadmap is a mixed bag of good news and long waits. The most immediate impact will be the remasters: they should make Fallout 3 and New Vegas far easier to run on Windows 10 and 11 without relying on community patches and compatibility fixes. But without details on mod support, there's a real risk that a remaster could break the extensive modding ecosystems built around these games. If you rely on script extenders, large quest mods, or stability fixes, you'll want to wait and see how the remasters handle backwards compatibility before migrating.

For players hungry for a new single-player Fallout experience, Obsidian's game is the one to watch. Since Fallout 5 is years away—likely not until after The Elder Scrolls VI, which itself has no date—Obsidian's spin-off could arrive sooner. The studio's history with New Vegas suggests a faction-heavy, choice-driven RPG that could satisfy fans who prefer deeper role-playing over Bethesda's open-world sandbox. However, no release window means you shouldn't expect it before 2027 at the earliest.

If you're still enjoying Fallout 76, the Raven Rock expansion next year gives you a reason to stick around. And if you've been on the fence, the steady stream of updates and the promise of new story content might make it worth diving in, especially since it's included with Xbox Game Pass for PC.

Mod authors and tinkerers face a potential split. Bethesda's Creation Engine 3 and its Creations platform are central to their future, with 40% of Starfield players using mods and $10 million paid to creators. If Obsidian's game uses Unreal Engine, its modding scene could look very different—perhaps more akin to the modular PC mods seen in other Unreal games, but without the built-in Creations store. This uncertainty extends to the remasters: if they don't support existing mod frameworks, the community might have to rebuild from scratch.

How We Got Here: A Decade of Waiting

Fallout has been in a strange place since 2015. Fallout 4 was the last mainline single-player game from Bethesda. Fallout 76 launched in 2018 as an online multiplayer experiment that alienated many fans despite years of post-launch improvements. Obsidian's Fallout: New Vegas (2010) remained a high-water mark for the series' storytelling, leading to constant fan demand for the studio to return.

When Microsoft acquired ZeniMax in 2021, it brought Bethesda and Obsidian under the same corporate umbrella, alongside InXile—the studio founded by Fallout co-creator Brian Fargo. That instantly sparked speculation that Obsidian might get another crack at Fallout. For years, reports and rumors circulated, but nothing was official. Behind the scenes, according to Windows Central, Obsidian had been prototyping an apocalyptic-style game that was "Fallout-adjacent," but a formal collaboration required Todd Howard's involvement, which was impossible while he was tied up with Starfield, the Fallout TV series, and The Elder Scrolls VI.

Now, with Starfield shipped and the TV show boosting Fallout's popularity, the timing finally aligned. Todd Howard told Windows Central: "We're always wondering if we could find a way to work together in the right way... we're super excited about the opportunity." That public warmth contrasts with the old narrative of a supposed rivalry between the studios—a narrative often fueled by fans comparing New Vegas to Bethesda's entries. Howard acknowledged the "mythology" but said there's "a huge amount of mutual respect."

The roadmap also reflects Microsoft's broader push to accelerate Fallout development. With Xbox CEO Asha Sharma signaling a desire for more frequent Fallout releases, and the franchise's 30th anniversary approaching in 2027, Bethesda is shifting from a one-game-at-a-time approach to a portfolio strategy that includes live service, remasters, spin-offs, and the next mainline entry.

What to Do Now

No pre-orders are available, and no dates are set. Here's what you can do to prepare:

  • Keep an eye on official channels: Bethesda's blog and social media are the best sources for updates. Don't trust unverified leaks.
  • If you still play Fallout 3 or New Vegas: Document your mod load order and back up your game folders. When the remasters launch, you may need to choose between sticking with your stable, modded originals or moving to the remastered versions—which might lack mod support initially.
  • If you're a Fallout 76 player: The Raven Rock expansion is scheduled for next year. Consider catching up on seasonal content and building your character now.
  • For mod authors: Start considering the implications of an Unreal-based Fallout. If you've invested heavily in Creation Engine toolchains, be aware that Obsidian's game could require entirely new tools. Meanwhile, Bethesda's Creations ecosystem is likely to deepen, so your Creation Kit skills remain valuable for Starfield and future Bethesda titles.
  • Manage your expectations: Fallout 5 is not coming before The Elder Scrolls VI, which itself is still years away. Obsidian's game is a spin-off, not a numbered sequel, but it could arrive much sooner. The remasters might be the first to launch, possibly in 2027 to coincide with the franchise's 30th anniversary—but that's speculation.

The Outlook: An Expanded Wasteland

Bethesda's roadmap is ambitious. By 2027, Fallout's 30th anniversary, Microsoft aims to have a bustling pipeline: the Fallout 76 live service, two legacy remasters, an Obsidian spin-off, and the groundwork for Fallout 5. The planned Fallout Day live event in Washington, D.C., could be the stage for big reveals.

The biggest unknown is Obsidian's engine choice. If it's Unreal, expect a hard break from Bethesda's modding ecosystem. If it's Creation, we'll likely see Creations support and a shared toolset. That decision will ripple through the PC community for years.

For now, the message is clear: Fallout is no longer a once-a-decade event. It's becoming a persistent fixture of Xbox's lineup, with multiple teams working in parallel. That's good news for fans who've waited since 2015 for a new single-player adventure, but it also means navigating a more fragmented modding landscape and delayed gratification for the true next-gen Fallout experience.