The Fallout games have explored different areas of a post-nuclear America, but each entry has at least revolved around a wasteland one way or another. With each new Fallout game, getting to see what wasteland awaits is a big part of the fun. However, the franchise may be running out of options to continue this franchise trend.
The most recent game in the series, Fallout 76, focuses on the Appalachian region of the country, which is one of the most unique settings yet. From the New California Republic to the Commonwealth, each setting in Fallout has helped build upon the lore even further. There's no telling when Fallout 5 will come out at this point, but Bethesda will have to present a fresh wasteland that stands out from the others, which is easier said than done. Thankfully, Starfield' s procedural generation could not only help this problem, but it could expand the map beyond what has been attempted before.
The Future of Fallout Embracing a Procedurally Generated Wasteland
Expanding the Scope of Fallout's Reach
Starfield's procedural generation may not be a perfect way to bring over 1,000 planets to life, but it has a lot of potential if its parameters are made more specific. Although each wasteland in Fallout has had its own unique qualities, there are only so many versions of a wasteland Bethesda can explore before having to recycle them. The franchise has covered nearly every type of landscape found in America. Returning to a similar region is possible, but going even bigger and featuring a procedurally generated version of America that is completely open to explore could be exciting.
Instead of focusing on one central location, the next Fallout could make exploration and aimless wandering a key component in its next game. The only issue is that Bethesda will need to learn from its mistakes with Starfield. At launch, one of the main criticisms of Starfield was that the game's planets felt lifeless and lacked content. Although these planets are likely more lifelike representations of what uninhabited planets could be, getting to travel to earth and see old landmarks would have been thrilling. If Bethesda wants to make the procedural generation truly work, retrying with Fallout and making a point to focus on landmarks and more unique terrain and visuals would be needed.
Despite excitement being reignited by Amazon Prime's Fallout series, Fallout 5 is still years away.
The vastness of Starfield is compelling, and taking this approach with the wastelands of Fallout could be an intriguing step in a new direction. Of course, there would need to be more hand-crafted colonies sprinkled throughout America, but getting to travel between each one could bring the franchise to the next level. The next Fallout is a mystery, but it would be surprising if Bethesda didn't use some of the same tricks as Starfield for its development.
Fallout Showcasing More of the Wasteland
The wastelands of Fallout are just as much of a main character as the Vault Dwellers or the Courier. However, one expansive map that allowed for ultimate exploration could bring an even more epic story to the forefront. If the next Fallout wants to stand out, then there will need to be some big moves made. Fallout 76 did this well with its region and dive into multiplayer, so it will be intriguing to see if Bethesda tries to pivot in a drastic new direction once again.
Fallout 5 may not use procedural generation, but it could need to be at least considered down the road. As of now, Fallout could still explore a wasteland version of the Everglades or deep in the Midwest. There are still options available, but Bethesda may need to go bigger in order to impress audiences.
- Video Game(s)
- Fallout, Fallout 2, Fallout 3, Fallout 4, Fallout 76, Fallout Shelter, Fallout: New Vegas, Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel, Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel
- Creation Year
- 1997
- Developer(s)
- Interplay, Black Isle Studios, Bethesda, Obsidian Entertainment, Micro Forté
- Publisher(s)
- Interplay, Bethesda Softworks