It hasn’t been a great time for the Xbox and its fans in recent years. Despite leaving its run-ins with the FTC over the acquisition of Activision Blizzard in the past, news about layoffs and the cancellation of several projects like the Perfect Dark reboot and Everwild have raised eyebrows about the future of one of modern gaming’s most significant presences.
The situation is further exacerbated by a new multi-platform approach to Xbox titles, with the ROG Xbox Ally’s announcement fuelling speculation that the legendary console as we know it might fade away into the sunset in the coming years. Despite Microsoft joining hands with AMD, and the confirmation of at least one more generation of Xbox as a result, things may not be as great as Microsoft would hope as far as its Xbox gaming division is concerned.
It’s a bleak future that could disappoint fans of the console’s many first party titles, which include legends like Halo, Gears of War, The Elder Scrolls, and Fallout. However, Fallout fans might not be feeling the pinch as much as others in this situation, if recent reports about new additions to the franchise are any indication.
The Xbox’s New Road
With an emphasis on the ‘Xbox Anywhere’ tagline, Microsoft’s approach to its gaming division’s approach to exclusive first-party titles seems to be evolving in line with its CEO Phil Spencer’s assertion that the company remains open to its first-party titles being at the frontline of its multi-platform approach back in 2024.
That ties in well with the launch of the ROG XBox Ally, as it is an AMD-powered system that runs Windows with an Xbox UI overlay, and can, in theory, download games from other storefronts like Steam and Epic Games. News of its multi-year collaboration with AMD to create chips for its gaming devices suggests that while the Xbox will continue to be present in modern gaming, it may not rely on console-exclusive titles to retain its position.
Coupled with Microsoft’s insistence on the viability of Game Pass, and the manner in which the subscription service continues to be a safe haven for new developers, the company’s multi-platform approach to gaming might be a new standard for Xbox as the years go on. It could spell the evolution of what used to be a console that was the only option to play a few excellent titles to a platform that gives its players a lot of choices as to how they play their games, and with whom they play them.
And yet, despite all of this uncertainty about what the future holds for the Xbox, it seems that Bethesda Game Studios is going full steam ahead with upcoming additions to the Fallout franchise in what is sure to be great news for its fans.
A Gift That Keeps on Giving
Appearing on the Friends per Second podcast, VGC staff writer Jordan Middler teased multiple Fallout related projects in development over at Bethesda, including one that he believed would have many long-term fans of the franchise very delighted indeed.
The timing of these projects is quite opportune, considering how the franchise received a lot of positive attention from Amazon Prime’s excellent live-action adaptation, bringing it to the screens of audiences who may not have played the games as a showcase of its quirky yet insightful examinations of complex themes like corporate greed and human empathy in a world in which survival comes at a heavy price.
There is speculation, and perhaps hope among the franchise’s players, that one of these projects is a remaster of Fallout 3, a game that made its debut back in 2008 on the Xbox 360, PS3, and Windows. Its popularity is now the stuff of legends, and a remaster of the game has long been the focus of rumors and leaks, Middler’s latest statement notwithstanding.
For Bethesda, such a remaster would make sense, allowing a new generation of players to enjoy one of its most popular titles in the same way that The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered brought another one of its classics back into the fold on current-gen systems.
The studio could even consider a complete package that brings Fallout 3 and New Vegas together into a single title with updated visuals and quality of life changes that make the most of the raw power that current-gen systems are capable of, making it an experience that brings nostalgia and improvements in equal measures.
Although all of this is speculation at this point in time, Fallout players would eagerly lap up any new additions to the franchise considering that it’s been nearly a decade since Fallout 4 hit the shelves. However, reports suggesting that there could be good news on that front could very well have fans of the franchise leaping for joy.
When One Door Closes, Another Opens
Microsoft’s decision to shut down Zenimax Online’s MMO codenamed Blackbird might have been bad news for players looking forward to the next IP from the makers of Elder Scrolls Online. It’s always saddening to see ambitious projects vanish into the ether and the consequent news of layoffs that follow such cancellations, after all.
However, all of the resources that were being directed towards Blackbird may now be diverted to development of Fallout 5, with Windows Central executive editor Jez Corden’s appearance on the Xbox Two Podcast more or less confirming that the project has been greenlit over at Xbox. However, Bethesda’s current projects that include The Elder Scrolls VI and more DLC for Starfield may not allow the studio to return to the helm of this sequel.
While that may be off-putting to more than a few fans of the franchise, it could also mean that other talented studios get a shot at recreating the magic that Fallout games are known for, perhaps even adding touches of their own that could elevate the franchise to new heights. It could also be a project that allows Microsoft to avoid more layoffs and closures if it chooses another studio to take on a project that carries a lot of potential.
Another factor that could spell good news is the announcement of a third season of Prime’s TV show, ahead of the December 2025 premiere of Fallout’s second season which is all set to continue the exciting story it established in the first season, bringing faces old and new to a season that is primed to be as exciting as the first one.
Depending on the success of the show’s next couple of outings, a new Fallout game could benefit greatly from establishing continuity between the show and the game, making for an experience that bridges the gap between the show’s interpretation of past titles with a game that draws from it directly. Of course, the studio helming the new game could choose to go in a different direction if the story they wish to tell does not coincide with the show’s narrative.
While all of this is just speculation based on reports with no official confirmation at the time of writing this article, Fallout’s fans might be wary of getting their hopes up for either a remaster of Fallout 3 or a new addition to the franchise. However, it does make sense for Xbox to take either one or both of these projects forward, making Fallout a solid pillar to support a new strategy for its games.
It’s an opportunity that Microsoft would be remiss to pass up considering how the gaming world has sorely missed one of its most stellar takes on a post-apocalyptic world. Whatever the future holds for Xbox, betting on one of its best performers is sure to be a decision that could galvanize its plans for the future in both the short and long term.
For now, as fans of Fallout ourselves, it’s time to wait patiently with our fingers crossed and hope all of the rumors are true.
Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.
