We have rounded up all currently known information about Fallout 5, including its release window and gameplay direction.
Fallout 5 has been officially confirmed, but the next major single-player role-playing game from Bethesda Game Studios is still a long way off. We have gathered all available details so far and provide an overview of the current development status, planned platforms, and what is already known about the story and gameplay.
Fallout 5 Release: When Will the Game Launch?
There is currently no confirmed release date for Fallout 5. What is certain is that the game will release after The Elder Scrolls 6. Since that title is not expected before 2028 or 2029 at the earliest, Fallout 5 is unlikely to launch before 2030.
According to Game Director Todd Howard, the project is still in a very early stage. Reports from 2025 suggest that Fallout 5 has received internal approval and entered pre-production. Early concepts and planning are underway, but the game is still far from completion.
Which Platforms Are Planned?
There are no official statements regarding platforms at this point. Since Bethesda is now part of Microsoft, Fallout 5 is expected to release on Xbox consoles and PC.
Whether the game will also come to future PlayStation systems remains unclear. While Microsoft has adopted a more flexible multiplatform strategy in recent years, Fallout 5 is still considered a potential Xbox exclusive. A release on Nintendo Switch, on the other hand, is highly unlikely.
Fallout 5: Single Player or Multiplayer?
Fallout 5 is expected to return to a classic single-player RPG experience. Todd Howard confirmed this back in 2018 and has reiterated the stance multiple times since. Following the mixed reception of Fallout 76, Bethesda aims to return to the traditional Fallout formula with the next main entry. A purely online-focused game is therefore off the table.
Whether optional co-op or multiplayer elements could be included remains unknown. Todd Howard has not shared concrete details, but lessons learned from Fallout 76 could potentially be used to integrate smaller online features into the single-player experience for those who choose to engage with them.
What Story Will Fallout 5 Tell?
Fallout 5 will once again be set in the same postapocalyptic universe as its predecessors. In April 2024, Todd Howard hinted that the game will be set in the United States once more. While a foreign setting is theoretically possible, he considers it unlikely, noting that the distinctly American sense of naive optimism is a core part of the franchise.
Another interesting aspect is the influence of the successful Fallout series on Amazon Prime. According to Howard, Fallout 5 will take the events of the show into account. This means the game will exist in a world where the storylines of the TV adaptation have already happened or are currently unfolding. How exactly the two will overlap remains unclear, but fans may encounter familiar characters or locations.
Who Is Developing Fallout 5?
Traditionally, mainline Fallout titles are developed by Bethesda Game Studios. However, it has not yet been officially confirmed which team will handle Fallout 5. Bethesda is currently focused on Starfield expansions and the completion of The Elder Scrolls 6. If the studio takes on Fallout 5 as well, full production is unlikely to begin before the end of the decade. Alternatively, Microsoft could assign another internal studio to the project, but there are no concrete indications so far.
Reports suggest that the decision to prioritize Fallout 5 was also influenced by the success of the Fallout series on Amazon. Microsoft now views the franchise as strategically important. To make room for Fallout 5, another project, the online multiplayer title Blackbird, was reportedly canceled.
What Is Known About Gameplay and Features?
So far, no official details about new gameplay mechanics or features have been revealed. The community continues to speculate about potential locations, factions, and systems, but none of this has been confirmed. What is certain is that Fallout 5 is planned as an open-world RPG in the classic Bethesda style, with a strong focus on exploration, storytelling, and character progression.
