Bethesda head Todd Howard has confirmed that Fallout 5 will not ignore the plot developments from Amazon's live-action Fallout series. The new game takes place in a world where the series' stories and events have already happened or are currently unfolding, and Bethesda will factor this into its planning for the next mainline entry.
This means Fallout 5 shares the same continuity as the live-action series. The show isn't simply a retelling of existing game plots; its new characters and events are part of the overall Fallout lore.
However, Bethesda has not yet announced the specific setting for Fallout 5. It is only confirmed that the timeline falls during or after the events of the series, and whether series characters like Lucy MacLean or the Ghoul will appear in the game remains unconfirmed.
Fallout 5 is still in pre-production and won't be released for quite some time. Bethesda is currently prioritizing The Elder Scrolls VI, with both titles set to use Creation Engine 3.
Following Microsoft's latest Xbox restructuring, Obsidian Entertainment was placed under Bethesda's leadership but retains its own management and creative identity. Obsidian has confirmed it will collaborate with Bethesda on another Fallout game, a project separate from Fallout 5.
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Fallout 5 remains one of the most anticipated RPGs currently in development. Bethesda has clearly stated that developing this mainline sequel requires taking into account several major recent changes to the franchise.
Players will have to wait a long time for the next single-player Fallout. This is hard to ignore, especially given the franchise's clear resurgence in popularity following the launch of Amazon's live-action series. While Bethesda continues to update Fallout 76 and works on other projects, Fallout 5 is still years away from release.
Now, a key question worth watching is how Bethesda plans to handle the increasingly tight connection between the games and the TV series. Unlike many game adaptations, Amazon's Fallout doesn't just retell an existing story; it adds new characters and events within the established worldview. These additions will become part of the Fallout series' history.
Season two will take the story to the New Vegas region, and season three is already in production. As the series progresses, its narrative impact on the future of the entire Fallout franchise grows ever larger.
Bethesda's Todd Howard has confirmed that Fallout 5 will acknowledge the events that took place in Amazon's Fallout series. This also indicates that the game and the series share the same continuous timeline.
Howard explained in a statement to the BBC that developments in the series will influence the next mainline game. He stated directly:"In short, yes. In the world of Fallout 5, the stories and events from the series have already happened, or are happening."
Howard also stated that Bethesda is considering these changes brought by the series while planning Fallout 5.
However, this doesn't mean series characters like Lucy MacLean or the Ghoul will definitely appear in the game. There's also no confirmation yet on where exactly Fallout 5 will be set. Howard only confirmed the timeline: the game's story will take place during or after the events of the series.
His statement clarifies at least one important point: when Fallout 5 finally launches, the events of the series won't be treated as if they never happened. The TV show and the games exist in the same universe, and Bethesda will approach their relationship with this premise in mind.
Meanwhile, Bethesda's recent restructuring has brought several important developments to the Fallout franchise. In Microsoft's latest Xbox reorganization, Obsidian Entertainment was placed under Bethesda's leadership. However, Obsidian will retain its creative identity and existing management structure.
It has been confirmed that Obsidian is collaborating with Bethesda on another Fallout game. This is a significant development for Obsidian, the studio behind Fallout: New Vegas.This game is not Fallout 5; the two projects are separate. Bethesda has confirmed that Fallout 5 is still in pre-production.
Of course, it will be a long time before players can actually get their hands on Fallout 5. Bethesda's current top priority remains The Elder Scrolls VI. Both this game and the next Fallout title are being developed using Creation Engine 3.
In the meantime, there are plenty of other Fallout projects underway. Fallout 76 will continue to receive updates, remasters of Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas are coming, and the next season of Amazon's Fallout series is also in production.