Bethesda unveils Fallout roadmap after Xbox studio reset
Bethesda Game Studios has outlined a new Fallout roadmap after Xbox’s restructuring, confirming Fallout 5 is in preproduction while The Elder Scrolls VI remains the studio’s primary development focus. Studio chief Todd Howard also confirmed remasters, an Obsidian Fallout project, and ongoing Starfield updates. The update lands amid Xbox’s wider “reset,” and it answers the biggest fan question first: the major RPGs are still moving forward. For more entertainment and studio headlines, see our Celebrity Breaking News coverage.
Key Takeaways
- Bethesda says Fallout 5 is in preproduction on Creation Engine 3, with The Elder Scrolls VI as its primary focus.
- Multiple Fallout projects are active, including Fallout 3 and New Vegas remasters and a new Obsidian collaboration.
- Fallout 76’s next major expansion, Raven Rock, is planned for 2027, alongside a Fallout 30th-anniversary event in Washington, D.C.
- Starfield will keep getting updates, with new Starborn content planned for next year.
- The studio note follows Xbox layoffs and restructuring under CEO Asha Sharma.
What did Bethesda announce about Fallout 5?
In a studio note published Friday and reported by Variety, Bethesda director Todd Howard confirmed that Fallout 5 is currently in preproduction.
Howard called Fallout 5 the studio’s “long-range destination,” while stressing that Fallout remains one of Bethesda’s biggest priorities today. Both Fallout 5 and The Elder Scrolls VI are being built on Creation Engine 3, a shared technology platform developed since Starfield’s launch.
Is The Elder Scrolls VI still the top priority?
Yes. Howard wrote that The Elder Scrolls VI is Bethesda’s “primary development focus today,” with the majority of the team working on the next chapter of the franchise.
“The next chapter is on the way. We’re where we planned to be, loving how it looks, and playing it every day,” the studio said, according to Game Informer and Variety. Bethesda also said ZeniMax Online Studios will partner more closely on the Elder Scrolls franchise while continuing Elder Scrolls Online updates.
What other Fallout projects are coming?
Bethesda confirmed remasters of Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas are in the works, though no release dates were announced. It also confirmed a new Fallout project with Obsidian Entertainment, with more details to come later.
Fallout 76 will receive a major 2027 expansion called Raven Rock, described as a prequel story to Fallout 3. There will be no traditional Fallout Day broadcast this year; instead, Bethesda is planning a live 30th-anniversary celebration in Washington, D.C., in 2027.
Starfield remains part of the plan too. Howard said Year 3 will bring new stories and gameplay improvements as the studio prepares Starborn content for next year. The roadmap arrives after Xbox’s restructuring, which Variety reported will cut up to 3,200 roles over the next year under Sharma’s “reset.”