What Does Microsoft's Purchase Mean For The Future Of Fallout?

The Fallout series has had a few rough years. Fallout 76 launched to a host of issues, and is generally considered to have bombed. Although Bethesda hoped the Wastelanders expansion would bring the game closer to what fans expect from the IP, it reportedly failed to make much of an impact. However, there may be hope for the series yet. Microsoft recently agreed to purchase ZeniMax Media, Bethesda Softworks' parent company, which in turn publishes the Fallout games. 

With the deal between Microsoft and ZeniMax still in its early days, it's hard to know for sure what the two have in store. However, it doesn't seem likely that Microsoft would go through the trouble of purchasing Bethesda if there weren't plans to continue developing fan-favorite franchises. Speculation has already circulated regarding Microsoft's intentions for the Wolfenstein series and the future of Doom, both of which are also owned by Bethesda. 

Big changes may be coming for the Fallout series, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Maybe the time has finally come for Fallout to reclaim its former glory.

One of the most exciting possibilities concerning Fallout centers on a company Microsoft acquired back in 2018: Obsidian Entertainment. As part of Xbox Games Studios, Obsidian has been hard at work on Avowed, a title that takes place in the same world as the developer's Pillars of Eternity series. Now that Microsoft owns Bethesda and the Fallout series, maybe Obsidian can finally make a sequel to its beloved Fallout: New Vegas.

Not only are the fans clamoring for Obsidian to take another crack at the Fallout series, but the feeling is apparently mutual. There is still quite a lot of love for Fallout among the Obsidian staff that remains. In 2017, New Vegas creative director Josh Sawyer told IGN, "I would certainly love to work on a Fallout game again. I know there are tons of people at Obsidian who would love to work on a Fallout game again."

Now that the Bethesda acquisition is public news, it seems Obsidian could be on the same page as fans. Microsoft's latest purchase may lead to exactly what Fallout devotees have wanted all along.