Bethesda Unveils Roadmap: Fallout 5, The Elder Scrolls VI, Remasters, and a New Project with Obsidian
Bethesda Game Studios has published an update on its future, outlining the strategy that will guide the development of its major intellectual properties in the coming years.
The studio, which is celebrating 40 years of activity and claims to have reached nearly half a billion players overall, aims to consolidate its game ecosystem through increased support for existing titles, investments in community-focused tools, and internal reorganization to accelerate the development of future projects. As is well-known, Bethesda and other studios within the Xbox galaxy have been at the center of significant layoffs.
One of the central points of the announcement concerns Starfield, which Bethesda still considers a cornerstone of its offering. The game has surpassed 17 million players, who together have accumulated almost a billion hours of gameplay. As it enters its third year, the title will continue to receive new missions, targeted gameplay improvements, and updates.
Meanwhile, the team is preparing to debut new content dedicated to the Starborn, scheduled for next year. Bethesda also highlights the growing role of the community: over 40% of players are already using Creations, the user-generated content system, which the studio will continue to invest in.
The component related to community-created content is indeed becoming increasingly important in the company’s strategy. After the expansion of the Creations program to Fallout 4, as well as Skyrim and Starfield, Bethesda revealed that content creators have already received over $10 million in royalties overall.
Regarding the Fallout series, the studio confirms that it represents one of its top priorities. While Fallout 5 remains a long-term project, Bethesda stated that it currently has several related projects in development simultaneously. Among these, support for Fallout 76 continues, which has received nearly 70 free updates so far and will keep expanding. Next year, Raven Rock, a major expansion serving as a prequel to the events of Fallout 3, will be released.
Fallout 4 continues to achieve significant results. Ten years after its launch, the title has sold over 35 million copies, continuing to attract new players. Bethesda also addressed one of the most requested topics by the community: the return of classic chapters. Although no release windows were provided, the studio confirmed that it is working on the remasters of Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas, turning longstanding rumors into an official announcement.
There’s also room for Fallout Shelter, which remains the most popular mobile title in the series with over 250 million players. Bethesda has hinted at the arrival of new Seasons and also announced an unscripted television project dedicated to the game, developed in collaboration with Amazon Studios and Kilter Films.
On the television front, Bethesda also recalled the 10 Emmy nominations received by the second season of the Fallout series, confirming that production on the third season has already begun. For the franchise’s 30th anniversary, scheduled for 2027, the studio will also organize a live event in Washington D.C., replacing the traditional Fallout Day.
Among the most noteworthy news is also a new collaboration with Obsidian Entertainment. Bethesda confirmed that the studio is working together with the internal team on a new project set in the Fallout universe, without providing further details on the nature of the title.
At the same time, the internal divisions are also undergoing reorganization. ZeniMax Online Studios will work more closely with Bethesda Game Studios on the The Elder Scrolls franchise, while continuing the development of The Elder Scrolls Online, which recently launched Season One: Return of the Thieves Guild.
On the technological front, Bethesda announced the transition to Creation Engine 3, a new version of its proprietary engine developed after the launch of Starfield. The platform introduces new development tools, updated rendering systems, and a shared infrastructure that should allow the various teams to work simultaneously on multiple projects.
It is on Creation Engine 3 that The Elder Scrolls VI and Fallout 5 will be born. Bethesda clarifies that the latter is still in the pre-production phase, while The Elder Scrolls VI is currently the studio's main priority, with most of the staff dedicated to the new chapter in the series.
After selling over 65 million copies of Skyrim in fifteen years, Bethesda acknowledges the long wait for players, stating that the project is progressing according to plans and that the team is satisfied with the current state of development.