Bethesda lead Todd Howard suggests the rumored ‘Fallout’ and ‘Elder Scrolls’ remasters aren’t happening right now
Todd Howard debunks rumors of Bethesda remastering classic Fallout and Elder Scrolls.
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What you need to know
On June 16, 2024, Todd Howard, the director and executive producer of Bethesda Softworks, was interviewed by YouTube content creator MrMattyPlays. The interview covered many topics, from Bethesda’s plans forThe Elder ScrollsandFalloutseries tofuture DLC content updates for Starfield.
One particularly interesting topic that came up was when Matty asked Todd Howard if Bethesda would be interested in modernizing or porting older Fallout games like Fallout 1 and Fallout 2. Todd Howard responded by saying that they’re more prioritized in making sure these classic games are capable of being played and running well on current-gen PC hardware rather than updating or altering with modern gaming sensibility.
Todd Howard doesn’t want to risk tarnishing the charm of these older titles with modern quality-of-life features and graphics, and he wants people to experience them as they were when they were made.
With this statement, Todd Howard has poured some cold water on therumored Fallout 3 remaster that was reportedly happening via a leak last year. By extension, Todd Howard’s comments on not wanting to preserve older titles may also suggest that the rumored The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion remaster might not be happening either, owing to the focus on Starfield and The Elder Scrolls VI. Perhaps they could still be outsourced, though? Bethesda has touched up Fallout 4 recently, after all. But Fallout 3 or Oblivion would doubtless be a far bigger undertaking, and both games already benefit from FPS Boost and other enhancements on Xbox Series S and X anyway.
Right now, Bethesda Softworks is currently focused on preparing future content forStarfieldafter itsupcoming DLC expansion, Shattered Space, releases sometime in 2024, and developing the next big entry in the Elder Scrolls series, The Elder Scrolls VI.
Kudos to Todd Howard for wanting to preserve classic games as they are
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While I never grew up playing the classic Fallout games originally developed by Interplay Entertainment, I have to give Todd Howard and the rest of Bethesda respect for wanting to preserve these titles as they are and just make sure they run well for modern hardware.
Tweaking iconic games such as these with updated graphics and quality-of-life improvements can run the risk of removing the charm and challenging fun factor that made these games beloved in the first place. Not to mention, experiencing these earlier games' aged mechanics will give new players more appreciation for how far the Fallout series has come since then.
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TheFallout franchise is currently having a massive resurgencethanks to the popularity of the Fallout TV Show (check out ourreview of the show’s first seasonto see how it succeeded in doing so), with tens of thousands of people currently playing games such asFallout 4andFallout 76according toSteamDB.
If you’re a new Fallout fan and want to experience the roots of one of thebest PC gamefranchises, Fallout 1 and Fallout 2 are currently available for purchase separately or bundled together in the Fallout Classics Collection across various digital platforms.
Fallout Classic Collection
Relive the iconic RPGs that kickstarted the Fallout franchise with the Fallout Classic Collection. This bundle contains the original Fallout, Fallout 2, and Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel.
Buy at:GreenManGaming (Steam)
Alexander Cope is a gaming veteran of 30-plus years, primarily covering PC and Xbox games here on Windows Central. Gaming since the 8-bit era, Alexander’s expertise revolves around gaming guides and news, with a particular focus on Japanese titles from the likes of Elden Ring to Final Fantasy. Alexander is always on deck to help our readers conquer the industry’s most difficult games — when he can pry himself away from Monster Hunter that is!
