Todd Howard All but Confirms Fallout 5 — Fans Demand Answers

Fallout is having a moment again thanks to the show, and Todd Howard just gave fans the closest thing to a green light on the next game. Not a release date, not a logo, but a real acknowledgment that the 'next main Fallout game' is a thing — and Bethesda thinks it will crush when it gets here.

What Howard actually said

In a new chat with The Game Business, Howard responded to the predictable question: why not drop a new game while the show is hot? His answer was basically: the show is doing its job, and the next big Fallout will be fine when it arrives.

"Everybody will say to us, 'it's really disappointing you don't have a new game to take advantage of this.' And it's like, 'well, the show is great. It is what it is. It's doing great for us. We're taking advantage of it. And when the next main Fallout game comes along, I think it'll do great as well.'"

Translation: they are absolutely thinking about the next mainline Fallout, but the TV series is the current pressure valve and they are happy to let it cook.

So... is that Fallout 5?

Howard did not say the words 'Fallout 5' or tick off a development milestone. What he did do is call it 'the next main Fallout game' — which is as close as you get to a confirmation without a trailer. He also told IGN that Fallout is the franchise they are doing the most in right now, which strongly suggests multiple Fallout projects are moving in parallel, not just one mystery sequel.

Where could it be set?

This is where it gets fun (and speculative). With season 2 of the show heading into New Vegas and the Mojave Wasteland, you can see why people are whispering 'New Vegas 2.' It could happen. It could also be something broader — there is a world where Bethesda stitches together multiple regions the way The Elder Scrolls 6 has been rumored to. The options are wide open.

Temper your expectations on timing

Reality check: Bethesda Game Studios is heads-down on The Elder Scrolls 6, and that is the priority. If TES6 lands around 2027 (the current expectation, not a hard date), a new main Fallout probably does not show up until around 2030. That lines up with how long these massive RPGs take. And if the studio is also poking at remakes or remasters — which has been rumored — that could slow the march to a fresh mainline entry. Silver lining: revisiting older Fallout in a new light would not be the worst way to pass the time.

The quick version

• Howard says the show is doing great and confirms a 'next main Fallout game' is on the way.
• He also told IGN Fallout is the franchise they are doing the most in right now, hinting at multiple projects.
• New Vegas is back in the TV spotlight, so a Mojave-linked game is possible — but not guaranteed.
• Do not expect a new mainline Fallout anytime soon; with TES6 expected around 2027, 2030 is a reasonable guess.

Bottom line: if you were waiting for Howard to at least acknowledge the next main Fallout exists, there you go. Now comes the hard part: waiting.