Everything We Know About Fallout 5: Confirmed Details and Speculations on Bethesda’s Next RPG

Bethesda has officially confirmed that Fallout 5 is in the works, although it’s still a few years away from hitting the shelves. Just like we learned about the timeline for the next Elder Scrolls game in relation to Starfield, Fallout 5 will arrive after TES6. This time, however, we don’t even have a teaser logo to speculate over.

• Fallout 5 is currently in pre-production, as Bethesda announced alongside remasters of Fallout 3 and New Vegas.
• Additionally, Obsidian is reportedly working on a Fallout project, possibly linked to Fallout co-creator Tim Cain’s return to the franchise.

It’s hard to ignore that Bethesda dropped a flood of announcements about its current projects, likely as a way to distract from the significant impact of recent layoffs at Microsoft on its development teams. While Fallout 5 is indeed in development, the details of its direction and scope may have shifted due to these layoffs.

What we do know is that Fallout 5 will launch after The Elder Scrolls 6, which still lacks a confirmed release date. Hopefully, the wait won’t be as lengthy as the gap between Starfield and TES6.

In a July 2026 update, Bethesda revealed that both TES6 and Fallout 5 are being developed using Creation Engine 3, a shared tech platform that has been in the works since Starfield’s release. This should streamline development and avoid the need to start from scratch for each title.

As a casual Fallout fan who enjoys the series but isn’t a lore expert, I have my reservations about whether the team behind Starfield (or what remains of it post-layoffs) can deliver a Fallout experience that resonates with me. I have a soft spot for the franchise, especially its quirkiest moments, but I worry that Fallout 5 might rely too heavily on stereotypes, like snarky robots and authoritarian figures in power armor, without the depth that fans crave.

Currently, any details about the setting of Fallout 5 are purely speculative. Todd Howard has mentioned that the “Fallout vibe” is closely tied to “Americana naivete,” which likely rules out any official Fallout London setting. However, there’s potential for a storyline that ventures into Canada, which in Fallout lore was annexed as the 51st state before the war.

So, where in the post-apocalyptic U.S. could Fallout 5 take place? Personally, I hope it steers clear of Florida, especially with GTA 6 set to explore that area (and there’s already a Fallout 4 mod in development set in Miami). Fallout 76 has successfully captured the essence of the Appalachian region, so I’d wager Fallout 5 will aim for a similarly compelling location that showcases its unique charm.

Having already explored iconic locations on both coasts, it would be exciting to see Fallout 5 venture into the Midwest. A setting like Detroit could offer rich storytelling opportunities centered around corporate shenanigans, while a northern locale like Montana could provide stunning visuals akin to those in Fallout 76.

Though Fallout 5 is still in the early stages of development, Bethesda’s comments suggest they’re eager to shorten the time between major RPG releases.

Back in 2021, Todd Howard mentioned that Bethesda had a “one-pager” outlining their vision for Fallout 5, which has likely been a collection of ideas sketched out over the past five years.

As of July 2026, Bethesda confirmed that “Fallout 5 is currently in preproduction,” indicating it’s more than just a concept but still quite a ways from being playable.

“Our teams are now developing The Elder Scrolls 6 and Fallout 5 on Creation Engine 3, a shared technology platform we’ve been building since Starfield’s launch,” Bethesda stated in July.