Bethesda Game Studios director Todd Howard has been making the rounds in recent interviews, and the timing couldn’t be better. With the Fallout TV series driving massive renewed interest in the franchise, Howard has now fueled fresh excitement by hinting that a new mainline Fallout game is on the way—along with multiple Fallout-related projects currently in the works.
In a recent conversation, Howard made it clear that Fallout remains one of Bethesda’s biggest focuses right now. He explained that Fallout is the franchise where the studio is doing more work than anything else, a statement that arrives as the series enjoys a major popularity surge thanks to the TV show’s success.
That momentum is easy to see. Since the show premiered, player activity has spiked across several Fallout titles, including Fallout 3, Fallout 4, Fallout: New Vegas, and the always-evolving online entry Fallout 76. For longtime fans, it’s been a reminder of how powerful the Fallout name still is—and why so many people are eager to hear the words “Fallout 5” said out loud.
At the same time, there’s an unavoidable reality: it has been a long wait. Fallout 4 launched back in 2015, and since then Bethesda has been balancing major commitments across its biggest universes. Starfield continues to receive meaningful updates, while The Elder Scrolls VI is confirmed to be in active development. Howard acknowledged that most of Bethesda’s internal team is currently focused on The Elder Scrolls VI, while Fallout work continues in other areas that haven’t been announced yet.
Still, Bethesda wants fans to know the franchise hasn’t been sitting idle. Howard pointed to Fallout 76 as proof that the company has never stopped developing Fallout, noting that a full team has been on it for a long time. Although Fallout 76 had a rough start, it’s steadily transformed through ongoing support and regular content updates. More recently, it’s even been weaving in nods and connections to the TV series, including the addition of a Ghoul character inspired by Walton Goggins’ portrayal.
Bethesda also used Fallout Day in October 2025 to show that it’s continuing to invest in the series. The celebration included a Fallout 4 Anniversary Edition and native upgrades for Fallout 76 on Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X. During the event, the studio reassured fans that it hears the community loud and clear and that even more Fallout content is being worked on for the future—though details are still under wraps.
Adding even more anticipation, Bethesda design director Emil Paliarulo shared what he hopes the next mainline Fallout will deliver. His goal is a massive experience built for the kind of long-term play Bethesda games are known for—something players can sink 200, 300, or even 600 hours into.
Howard has also reinforced the idea that Fallout 5 is in early development, and that patience will be required. He acknowledged that people are naturally frustrated there isn’t a brand-new main Fallout game ready to capitalize immediately on the TV show’s hype. But from Bethesda’s perspective, the show has already been a huge win for the franchise, and they believe that when the next main Fallout finally arrives, it will have the momentum to succeed in an even bigger way.
For now, the clearest picture is this: The Elder Scrolls VI remains Bethesda’s main internal focus, Fallout 76 continues to evolve with strong support, and a new mainline Fallout entry is on the horizon—alongside other Fallout projects the studio isn’t ready to reveal yet. Fans may still be waiting, but the pipeline is real, and Bethesda is clearly positioning Fallout for a strong future.
