Bethesda Game Studios confirmed Fallout 5 is officially in early pre-production and will launch sometime after Elder Scrolls 6, which is also currently in pre-production [1, 2, 3]. Todd Howard, Bethesda’s studio head, said Fallout 5 “remains our long-range destination” and called Fallout “one of our biggest priorities today” [2]. Howard added, "Yes, Elder Scrolls 6 is in pre-production and, you know, we’re going to be doing Fallout 5 after that, so our slate’s pretty full going forward for a while." [3]
Fallout 5 will use Bethesda’s Creation Engine 3, the same engine behind Starfield, released in 2023, and the upcoming Elder Scrolls 6 [1, 2]. Despite this confirmation, Bethesda has not announced a release date or details on Fallout 5’s storyline, setting, platforms, or pricing [2, 3]. Meanwhile, Bethesda is also working on remasters of both Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas [1, 2].
Separately, Bethesda is partnering with Obsidian Entertainment to develop another Fallout game unrelated to Fallout 5 [1, 2]. Additionally, a television series based on the Fallout Shelter mobile game is in development [1].
Xbox and its parent company Microsoft are undergoing a substantial restructuring. Mass layoffs are occurring across Microsoft studios, including Bethesda, id Software, and Obsidian. About 3,200 job cuts are planned across Xbox over the next year [2, 3]. Bethesda’s quality assurance department has been notably reduced, potentially delaying Elder Scrolls 6 production [1].
Bethesda’s timeline shows Starfield launching in 2023 with Creation Engine 3. Fallout 5 was first mentioned by Todd Howard in 2021 as a long-term goal, and its pre-production status was confirmed in August 2026 [1, 3]. The studio now focuses on Elder Scrolls 6 before proceeding to Fallout 5 [1, 2, 3].
