“War. War never changes.”
On Saturday 23rd October 2077, the bombs fell. In a matter of minutes, the world was reduced to ash and rubble. Skyscrapers crumbled, cities burned, and the sky turned a sickly green as the last remnants of civilization were swallowed by nuclear fire. Those who had prepared, locked away in underground Vaults, listened as the sirens blared above and the ground shook. For everyone else, survival was a fleeting thought—lost in the radioactive winds that swept across the globe. What remained was a wasteland, forever scarred by mankind’s final act.
The Fallout series of games are considered by many to be the pinnacle of modern game design. The series, which launched in 1997 with the titular Fallout, offered a unique blend of RPG mechanics, tactical combat, and a richly detailed world torn apart by nuclear devastation. The game introduced Vault Dwellers, Power Armor, and the retro-futuristic aesthetic that became synonymous with the series. Set in an alternate timeline where 1950s-style technology advanced alongside atomic energy, Fallout envisioned a world forever altered by nuclear warfare.
After the success of Fallout and the imaginatively named sequel Fallout 2 in 1998, the series took a new direction under Bethesda Softworks, starting with Fallout 3 in 2008. Bethesda’s switch to first-person and third-person perspectives transformed the series from a traditional RPG into a full-blown open-world experience, allowing players to freely roam the wasteland, uncovering its secrets and shaping its future.
Fallout: New Vegas (2010), developed by Obsidian Entertainment, remains a firm favourite, thanks to its tight writing, branching storylines, and hardcore RPG mechanics. Bethesda returned to the helm for Fallout 4 in 2015, which introduced settlements and crafting systems, expanding the franchise into the realm of building and base management.
One of Fallout’s strongest elements is its world-building. The series is known for its dark humour, a dystopian future vision where giant corporations, unchecked capitalism, and blind nationalism have led to societal collapse. In the wasteland, factions such as the Brotherhood of Steel, the Enclave, and the New California Republic vie for control, while mutated creatures roam the barren, irradiated, landscape.
Each entry in the series has its own distinct setting, often exploring specific parts of the former United States. Players have scavenged the ruins of Washington D.C. in Fallout 3, wandered the New California Republic in the original games, and traversed the Mojave Desert in New Vegas. With Fallout 4, the Commonwealth of Boston became the backdrop for another story of survival, conspiracy, and mystery.
As expected with such an iconic franchise with a significant fanbase, speculation as to where the next game in the series will be set has been rife. Rumours circulated in 2016 about a potential setting with Fallout: New Orleans allegedly being registered with the EUIPO. Depending upon who you ask, this allegation ranges from 100% fake to 100% this-is-really-going-to-happen. Although I suspect that in the latter group there is a degree of confirmation bias. Fallout fans want a new Fallout game and they’ll seize on any information, no matter the source, as proof that their dreams are being realised. Irrespective of setting, Todd Howard has said in multiple interviews that Fallout 5 is not a priority right now. With Starfield released and The Elder Scrolls 6 in early production, it will be a long wait before Fallout 5 is fully underway. At the moment, it’s nothing more than a concept on paper.
But Louisiana makes sense as a setting for a Fallout entry. The unique atmosphere of the American deep South, with swampy landscapes and decaying towns could bring a different kind of tension to the game. The Mississippi River and the coast of the Gulf of Mexico would make great settings for Fallout adventures. New Orleans offers a new type of wasteland that could break the mold of previous Fallout settings. Unlike the deserts of New Vegas or the war-torn D.C. ruins, New Orleans could combine swampy, humid environments with overgrown cityscapes.
No official announcements have been made about a return to the wasteland, but there is a distinct possibility that Fallout 5 is in development. Bethesda is a hugely successful publishing house with vast resources and is perfectly capable of working on multiple projects at the same time. We know Fallout 5 will happen, we just don’t know when.
Fallout has always been about more than just surviving in a harsh wasteland. It taps into fears of societal collapse, nuclear war, and humanity’s ability to adapt — or fail — in extreme circumstances. Over the years, the series has grown into a broader universe with spin-offs like Fallout Shelter and the controversial online-focused Fallout 76, which despite its rocky launch has seen steady improvements over time. The Fallout TV show on Amazon helped to bring the franchise to a wider audience too.
With October 23rd serving as a yearly reminder of the series’ lore, Fallout Day is a time to reflect on the impact this universe has had on gaming. The journey from isometric RPGs to massive open-world experiences has been long, but Fallout continues to capture the imaginations of players worldwide. If the series has passed you by, or you’re missing some of the titles from your collection, Fallout Day is a great opportunity to reconnect. Over on GOG.com you can pick up six great Fallout titles with a huge discount.
Will we be exploring New Orleans next? We can only hope that Bethesda has something equally exciting in store for the next chapter in this legendary series.