Bethesda Game Studios' Todd Howard has said thatFallout 5is expected to begin production following the completion ofThe Elder Scrolls 6, which leaves a lot of time for the franchise to consider which changes it should bring forward in future installments.Falloutis an IP that many role-playing fans have become attached to, as its retro-futuristic wasteland leaves many possibilities up to those players that engage in its morbid storytelling and slapstick edge.
Through the franchise’s evolution, theFalloutgames have explored both pseudo-isometric and first-person perspectives that offer unparalleled player freedom and customization. However, another key appeal is the fact that its fiction relies on an alternate history where the United States never left the Atomic Age.Interplay’s originalFallouttitleswere set on the West Coast, and the main series eventually moved to the East Coast after Bethesda fully acquired the IP in 2007; deserts, mountains, and urban jungles constituted many of these memorable landscapes over time. In its future adventures, Bethesda should examine the possibilities of other regions outside what has been established - Hawai’i being a strong candidate.
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Where the Hawaiian Islands Fit into Fallout
Americana, along with pulp sci-fi technology, is one of the most recognizable aspects of theFalloutfranchise. Mascots, nostalgia, and historical iconography are the prevailing features of a destroyed civilization, twisting the games' grim nature to a point of levity. The stylistic exaggeration of American culture may have some truth to it, which makesFalloutrelatable, but it also makes the universe fun despite its hopelessness. Hawai’i and its island chain would bring a unique flourish to the setting’s themes of Americana, and its geography would affectthe vaults inFallout 5having greater practicality as a shelter that also protects against volcanism.
In service of exposing greater worldbuilding,Fallout 5might be a project where Bethesda attempts to recreate a region to scale. One problem with games set in the continental United States is the fact that there are often arbitrary borders that limit exploration - the Hawaiian Islands are surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, which could function as a more logical barrier. Additionally, the islands' cultures might play a valuable role in highlighting the human element amidst a history of imperialism. The intersection of serious topics and the tropical atmosphere would be tonally-consistent development, and the team may even importcut content from past games inFallout 5to make that emotional narrative more robust.
Biome Diversity in Fallout 5’s Map
To outsiders, Hawai’i has been considered a vacation destination that is far removed from the U.S. mainland. Viewing it from the post-nuclear world, however, it would undoubtedly be more isolated and unusual in comparison with other regions that players have visited inFallout. In some regard, the islands would be a clean slate that excites virtual tourists, and it has the potential to shape regionally-appropriate factions that are inspired and mysterious. Some fans believe thatFallout 5should be likeFallout: New Vegasand its reactive world, and the combination of coastlines, lava flows, and rocky terrain might be a good foundation forFallout’s brand of immersion.
Players that are eager to return to the post-apocalyptic universe should be aware that Bethesda still has many projects in the production pipeline, but that anticipation might go toward a sequel that makes a bigger leap than any other title in the series. There has been expressed interest inObsidian developingFalloutgames, so it is possible that a spin-off could be in the works at some point beforeFallout 5. The IP holds great importance in the industry, especially in the RPG genre, so fans can count onFalloutbeing a continual source of creativity and artful storytelling.
