New Fallout 3 Remaster Not Close To Being Released

Released in 2008, Fallout 3 signaled a shift for the franchise. It took the post-apocalyptic RPG series into 3D and introduced a new generation of fans to the Wasteland. With a complex story, memorable characters, and that retro-futurism je ne sais quoi, Fallout 3 immediately became a classic.

Flash forward to today, and the fans can’t wait to see it remade with modern graphics, better gameplay, and fewer bugs. With the success of remakes like Resident Evil 4 and the Mass Effect Legendary Edition, it’s a no-brainer to get to work on the Fallout 3 remaster.

But the reality? It’s complicated.

Development Focus is Elsewhere

One of the main reasons a Fallout 3 remaster isn’t about to come out is just because Bethesda is doing other things. Right now, all eyes are on The Elder Scrolls VI and ongoing support for Starfield, which is still receiving content patches and quality-of-life tweaks since its release in 2023, as well as The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remaster recently had official screenshot leaks.

Even though a Fallout 3 remaster is on the current docket, it’s likely way down the list. Bethesda Game Studios is a relatively small team for a company that’s working on multiple AAA franchises, and their production cycles are long.

Rumors were also circulating in the past about a Fallout 3 remaster being made by another studio in the Microsoft stable, but those rumors have been largely silenced.

Technical Challenges and Legacy Code

Yet another reason a remaster may be delayed? The technical constraints of the original Fallout 3 engine.

The game was built on a heavily hacked version of the Gamebryo engine, which is definitely an older engine, and it shows. Porting it over to modern consoles or rebuilding it in the Creation Engine (or Unreal, some rumors might say) would be a monumental task. Bethesda would either have to sweep away ancient code or rebuild much of the game from scratch, both of which are significant time and resource drains.

The Fallout Franchise Is Far from Dead

It’s worth noting that although the remaster for Fallout 3 is still a long way away, the Fallout franchise isn’t gathering dust. The surprise popularity of Amazon’s Fallout TV show has given the IP new life, with record player numbers back to Fallout 76 and Fallout 4. Bethesda even announced a next-gen update for Fallout 4, which will launch in 2025.

If there’s good news in all this, it’s that renewed interest in Fallout could possibly lead Bethesda and Microsoft to approve a remastering sooner, or at least treat it higher up on the to-do list.

What the Fans Can Do in the Mean Time

Despite a lack of any official release date or even report of current work in progress, fans do still have options:

• Play the vanilla with mods – The PC community has crafted incredible mods that update Fallout 3’s graphics, improve performance, and add quality-of-life features.
• Try Fallout: New Vegas – Arguably the best in the series, New Vegas is still playable today and fully deserving of a remaster.
• Watch the Fallout TV show – It’s an unexpectedly faithful adaptation and might very well satisfy that post-apocalyptic itch.

Patience is Key

While exciting as the remaster of Fallout 3 would be, the reality is that it’s still far from arrival. With Bethesda’s current project lineup, the technical demands of an actual remake, and the lack of an official announcement, fans shouldn’t hold out for wandering the Capital Wasteland in remastered form anytime soon.

All that aside, the Fallout universe thrives and survives in other ways. And if the momentum keeps going, then it may be only a matter of time before Bethesda finally wakes up and gives Fallout 3 the attention it deserves.