New Fallout Game Officially Shut Down By Bethesda

Published Oct 2, 2026, 1:04 PM EDT

Jared is a writer, editor, and Communications Studies graduate who loves popular nerd culture (almost anything to do with Marvel, DC, Star Wars, or The Lord of the Rings) and the interactive storytelling medium. Jared's first console was the PS1, wherein he fell for Spider-Man, Spyro the Dragon, and Crash Bandicoot.

It may seem like Fallout is in a drought to anyone who’s craving a new mainline, single-player game, but its popularity arguably hasn’t waned at all. In fact, it may be as high as it’ll be until something new is shared from Bethesda’s post-apocalyptic franchise, with there being far more to enjoy right now as a Fallout fan—Fallout 76 and Prime Video’s Fallout TV show adaptation, for example—than there is if you’re an Elder Scrolls fan, anyway.

Fallout certainly hasn’t had its swan song, and we know that at least one new Fallout installment is on the way. Still, that hasn’t thwarted fans from seeking out the means of having a new, unofficial game at their fingertips, and one has paid the price for doing so.

X user chrisfirst shared that Fallout: New York, a Claude Opus 5.5-coded, “full Fallout game you play in your browser,” was effectively terminated when Bethesda’s ZeniMax Media caught wind of it. A New York-based Fallout game is something many fans have dreamed about, but it seems like it’ll continue to be a pipe dream, though there’s always a possibility that Fallout 5 or a Fallout spin-off could take place there in due time.

In response, chrisfirst wrote to Bethesda, “how about you make a Fallout game instead so I don’t have to?” Well, they should be pleased to learn that early development is currently underway on a new Fallout game from Obsidian and Bethesda, though it’s anyone’s guess when that’ll be released.

Whether or not Obsidian’s new game is tangentially related to Fallout: New Vegas, the Obsidian-developed Fallout game that some fans love more than any of Bethesda’s own, it’s thrilling to know that the developer is back working on another entry in the series. Either way, neither Bethesda nor Obsidian has left Fallout on ice or in the dark, but fans will need to continue to be patient for the foreseeable future, until new, official details arise. Plus, a new season of the Fallout TV show should help tide fans over.

As other users have pointed out, Fallout: New York may not have been pursued by Bethesda if not for it literally being named “Fallout.” Regardless, anything that Obsidian and Bethesda put their heads together to work on, no matter how long it takes, will surely be better than anything that can be churned out based on a prompt.

Even if Starfield and Avowed aren’t the most highly adored or successful games by their respective developers, Bethesda and Obsidian’s reputations precede them for good reason. The Elder Scrolls 6 is Bethesda’s next game, seemingly, and it’ll play a massive role in discerning what the future of the franchise might look like. Similarly, whatever comes next for Fallout could be the beginning of a whole new era.

Fallout is a post-apocalyptic RPG franchise set in an alternate future where a nuclear war devastates the world. Players explore vast, open worlds filled with mutants, raiders, and advanced technology. The series emphasizes player choice, allowing various approaches to combat, dialogue, and decision-making. Each game follows different protagonists navigating the wasteland to uncover secrets, form alliances, and rebuild civilization amidst the ruins of the old world. The franchise is known for its rich lore, dark humor, and retro-futuristic aesthetic, which has transferred over into its new series on Amazon Prime.