Fallouthas evolved in a variety of ways. From the franchise’s first games featuring a trimetric perspective to switching to third-person inFallout 3, the evolution ofFallouthas continued to shape the series into fascinating new forms. WithFallout 4, Bethesda introduced settlement building, and while this addition can be fun for a lot of players, its follow-up may want to scrap the mechanic entirely.
Fallout 4isn’t the only Bethesda game to implement settlement building.Fallout 76has a take on the feature with its camp system, andStarfield’s improvement on the conceptcan bring some impressive builds to life. However, whenever the nextFalloutarrives, a return to basics may be the best route forward for the franchise.
Minimizing the Scope of Fallout 5 Could Actually Deliver a Stronger Game
Bigger Doesn’t Always Mean Better, Even for Bethesda Games
Accommodating a feature as large as settlement building can eat away at a lot of development energy that may be better used elsewhere. As Bethesda’s most recent release,Starfieldhas failed to meet the expectations of some gamers. From critiques thatBethesda’s use of the Creation Engine 2makes the game feel outdated to claims of the game’s world feeling empty,Starfieldhas proven to be divisive. There’s no way to know for sure, butStarfieldmay have had the chance to feel more alive and immersive if the settlement system was set aside in favor of developing world-building features instead.
Fallout 4mostly avoided the criticisms thatStarfieldhas faced, but the attention settlement building requires is undeniable.Fallout 5is likely a long way away at this point, but reeling in some of Bethesda’s more cumbersome concepts could help ensure that the characters and lore encountered in the next chapter are more compelling thanStarfield.
Starfieldreleased its first DLC,Shattered Space, back in October 2024.
Staying Focused on Fallout’s Adventurous Side
EveryFalloutstory is different in its own unique way, but the one connecting factor is the journey of the Lone Survivor. Whether it be a Vault Dweller orNew Vegas' Courier, each mainline entry is centered on a single character tasked with exploring the harsh wastelands that lie outside the Vaults. Instead of focusing onFallout 5’s settlement mechanics, pivoting this energy and attention to adventure-based elements may be what’s necessary to make the next mainline game as successful as possible.
Starfieldmay have had the chance to feel more alive and immersive if the settlement system was set aside in favor of developing world-building features instead.
After Starfield, Bethesda Has Two Massive Projects Waiting in the Wings
Starfieldstill has more DLC on the horizon, but following the developer’s space adventure, Bethesda hasThe Elder Scrolls 6andFallout 5on the docket. Expectations surrounding these two games are high, and these heights may be difficult to reach. It’s even possible thatThe Elder Scrolls 6may feature its own settlement system. Settlement building has become a loved feature by manyFalloutandStarfieldfans. However, the unfortunate reality is that keeping the feature may also continue the issues seen in the latter. Of course,if Bethesda changes its strategy and embraces Unreal Engine 5, this may fix such an issue, but it feels unlikely that the developer will abandon Creation Engine 2.
The Elder Scrolls 6was officially announced in 2018.Fallout 5has yet to receive an official announcement, but Todd Howard has confirmed that it’s expected afterTES6.
Only time will tellhow Bethesda chooses to evolveFalloutfurther. There are bound to be new features included in the next mainline chapter, but also, sometimes taking a step back can be more useful than growing larger. As the wait forFallout 5continues, more questions and speculations are inevitable, but it will be exciting when the game’s first reveal finally sees the light of day.
