Bethesda veteran Todd Howard has spoken about how the Fallout game series has been impacted by the success of the Amazon Prime Video series.
Fallout's TV series adaptation absolutely blew up when it was released in 2024, and Bethesda Game Studios has capitalized on that popularity by –checks notes – doing pretty much nothing with it since. Admittedly, there has been the Fallout 4 Anniversary Edition – which isn't doing so hot – and some updates to Fallout 76, which a large section of the fanbase doesn't like no matter how good it has gotten over the years (or so I'm told). But Fallout 5 is likely not coming until at least 2070 if it isn't going into production until after The Elder Scrolls 6 releases, and there have been no remasters or side games either.
Speaking to GamesRadar+, Howard is asked if the renewed interest in Fallout thanks to the show has led to a difference in how the team at Bethesda will approach Fallout going forward. Howard explains, "We sort of expected the franchise was going to get popular with the TV show."
He adds: "We've had a timeline of all the Fallout work that we've been doing and we're going to be doing. I will say, the popularity of the show is way more than we expected. So it really was making sure the games are ready for all the players who are coming into them."
And while Fallout 4 has gotten updates and the classic games remain as popular as ever, Howard explains, "Particularly, Fallout 76 has had this resurgence of popularity." He explains that one of the things that the popularity of the show has influenced is "bringing in a character like The Ghoul. It's interesting to think that in every Fallout game you've played, he was alive somewhere in the wasteland."
