Reports indicate that Fallout 5 has officially received the green light for development, and work on the title is now underway, although the studio leading its creation remains undisclosed.
This information emerged from a recent episode of the Xbox Two Podcast, where Windows Central executive editor Jez Corden discussed Xbox`s future strategy for the Fallout franchise. He couldn`t confirm which studio would develop Fallout 5, speculating that Bethesda Game Studios` primary teams are currently occupied with Starfield DLC and The Elder Scrolls VI.
According to Corden, based on his sources, the decision to prioritize Fallout 5`s development and the broader Fallout franchise came at the expense of ZeniMax Online`s next MMO, codenamed Blackbird, which was reportedly canceled during Microsoft`s recent layoffs.
Corden elaborated that MMO development is costly, requiring competition with established titles like World of Warcraft and even ZeniMax`s own The Elder Scrolls Online. Consequently, Microsoft opted to cancel ZeniMax`s unannounced project and reallocate those funds to Fallout, a proven IP considered a more probable success.
Corden quoted a source, stating, “From what I heard, it was a question of whether we wanted to pour significant resources into getting Project Blackbird to a competitive level against market leaders, or if we should instead direct that investment towards developing Fallout 5.”
It`s important to note that Corden himself indicated a lack of sufficient information to provide a comprehensive report on Fallout 5 or its potential developer, suggesting that this information should be viewed with some skepticism.
Project Blackbird was reportedly in pre-production when it was canceled, with no official announcements regarding the Elder Scrolls Online developer`s next title. It had supposedly been in development since 2018, utilizing a new engine and aiming to be a new sci-fi IP. Reports suggested that development was progressing well and accelerating, with Xbox executives reportedly approving the game just months before its cancellation.
Irrespective of the chosen developer for Fallout 5, its recent greenlighting implies that its release is still many years away. Nevertheless, a Fallout 3 remaster is reportedly in development and might launch sooner. Interest in the Fallout franchise surged following the 2024 release of Amazon`s Fallout TV series, with actor Walton Goggins recently providing an update on Season 2.
Concurrently, the next Elder Scrolls title is also in development; Bethesda Game Studios head Todd Howard recently assured fans that the team is `obviously` focused on The Elder Scrolls 6, even amidst the recent launch of Oblivion Remastered.