Obsidian Knows Fans Want Fallout: New Vegas 2 — But It’s All-In on Its Own IP, With Xbox Backing

If you have spent any time in a comments section, you already know: people want a new Fallout: New Vegas. Obsidian hears it. Constantly. But the studio sounds pretty happy doing its own thing under Microsoft, even with the TV show nudging the franchise back into the Mojave.

The New Vegas shadow hangs over everything Fallout

New Vegas is the yardstick. It is the one fans hold up as the best of the bunch, the benchmark every follow-up gets compared to. When Microsoft bought Bethesda, putting Fallout and New Vegas developer Obsidian under the same roof, the collective reaction was basically: cool, so when do we get New Vegas 2? The hype only ramped up after Amazon's Fallout series took off and confirmed season 2 is heading to New Vegas.

What Obsidian is actually saying right now

In a chat with The Game Business, Obsidian VP of operations Marcus Morgan and VP of development Justin Britch said they get the obsession, but their priorities are clear. Britch says Xbox has backed the projects Obsidian wants to make. Morgan points out that this year, every game they have shipping is based on their own worlds, not someone else’s.

'Everyone on the internet, on every game we announce, asks: When's the next Fallout: New Vegas?'

Morgan spelled it out: before Microsoft, Obsidian’s resume leaned heavily on building games inside other companies’ franchises. Now, one of the perks of being in the Xbox family is the freedom to double down on original IP. They have been at it long enough that each of those series has sequels in the pipeline. Translation: they are busy, and it is their stuff.

So... is New Vegas 2 happening?

No one said never. But the tone here is: not their focus. You would think Microsoft would love to get a new Fallout out fast to surf the TV momentum, but Obsidian is making it clear Xbox has not forced their hand. If a New Vegas follow-up ever happens, it will be because the timing and team line up, not because a meme demanded it.

Meanwhile, on the Bethesda side

Fans hoping for a big reveal at the recent Fallout Day stream did not get a Fallout 5 announcement. Todd Howard did throw a bone, saying Bethesda is 'working on even more.' No specifics, just a reminder that the machine is moving.

• Obsidian knows fans want a New Vegas sequel, and they hear it every time they announce anything.
• Under Microsoft, Obsidian says all three games they have this year are their own IP, and those originals now have sequels coming.
• Xbox, per Obsidian, is supportive of what they want to build, not pushing them into Fallout.
• The Fallout TV series is heading to New Vegas for season 2, but Fallout 5 did not show up on Fallout Day; Todd Howard says the studio is 'working on even more.'