Tim Cain Reveals Fallout Was Considered a “B-Tier Side Project” Compared to Interplay’s D&D Teams

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Reflecting on the origins of Fallout, co-creator Tim Cain shares that it was once viewed as a modest project rather than the massive franchise it has become, thanks to Bethesda’s influence.

In a conversation about Fallout’s history, Cain reminisces about the early days at Interplay, the franchise’s first home before its acquisition by Bethesda in 2004. He recalls feeling like “we were a B-tier side project at Interplay.”

“They secured the D&D license shortly after we started, and it was clear that was the priority,” Cain explains. “We were tucked away in a corner.”

Designer Leonard Boyarsky echoes this sentiment, noting that their team felt isolated but ultimately grateful for the experience.

“I realized this was a unique situation in a positive way,” he reflects. “It felt like we were making an indie game with the security of a steady job and paycheck, without the pressure of finding a publisher. Once they recognized our work, they let us be, focusing on their more lucrative Dungeons and Dragons titles while we did our thing.”

And indeed, they did something great.

Todd Howard acknowledges the “anxiety” surrounding Fallout 5, admits “we do like to wait,” but reassures fans that “we never stopped developing Fallout.”