Lead Fallout: New Vegas dev says Bethesda strayed away from the RPG’s origins — “They just don’t fully understand its roots”

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Bethesda’s Fallout games – including Fallout 3, 4, Shelter, and 76 – have all been successful, but also sparked debate among fans. A common criticism is that these games, and now the Amazon TV show (currently in its second season), shifted away from the darker, more serious tone of earlier Fallout titles, adopting a lighter, more comedic approach that some players dislike.

It’s always been unclear what the original creators of Fallout think about where the series is going. However, a designer who worked on both the classic Fallout 2 and the acclaimed Fallout: New Vegas has now shared his opinion on the direction Bethesda, the makers of The Elder Scrolls, has taken with the franchise.

Chris Avellone, a writer and designer who’s worked on popular role-playing games like Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 2, Divinity: Original Sin 2, and Wasteland 3, recently responded to a fan question. The fan asked his opinion on the idea that Bethesda doesn’t appreciate the original spirit of the Fallout series. Here’s what Avellone had to say:

The speaker believes Bethesda isn’t trying to ruin Fallout, but they’ve lost touch with what originally made the series great and don’t seem particularly interested in recapturing it. Because they own the franchise, they’re creating their own version of Fallout and pushing that as the new standard. This often results in a bright, superficial experience – like a theme park – though some expansions, such as Far Harbor, Point Lookout, and The Pitt, are exceptions. Ultimately, the speaker acknowledges that if people enjoy this approach, that’s perfectly acceptable.

I don’t dislike Bethesda; they excel at open-world exploration, but struggle with storytelling and the Speech skill. Every game developer has strengths and weaknesses, though.

Fallout 4 often feels like a bright, but not very deep, theme park experience, though some expansions – like Far Harbor, Point Lookout, and even The Pitt – are genuinely interesting. Ultimately, if people have fun with it, that’s perfectly okay. (January 9, 2026)

I’ve been following the discussion around the recent Fallout games and the new TV show, and I found a long-time developer’s thoughts particularly insightful. I actually agree with his take – to me, Fallout always shines when its funny moments highlight the serious, often dark, political ideas it explores. Lately, though, it feels like the humor has become the main focus, overshadowing those deeper themes.

As a long-time Fallout fan, I always felt Fallout 3 really captured the spirit of the classic, old-school games. But lately, the series has become a lot more colorful and funny – Fallout 4 definitely went that way, and it feels like Fallout 76 and even the new TV show are continuing that trend. Don’t get me wrong, I still have fun with it, but I really miss when the games felt a little more…serious.

Avellone was spot-on with his criticism of Bethesda’s storytelling. Their Fallout games often feel too restrictive, with straightforward plots and limited choices, which goes against what people expect from a role-playing game. It’s honestly the biggest issue I have with them.

As a long-time Fallout fan, I always felt New Vegas *got* what made the originals so special. It felt way more like the classic games than anything Bethesda’s done. You have so much freedom to do what you want, the story really lets you make choices, and it takes the world seriously – it’s not about jokes, it’s about a compelling, heartfelt story. It just felt right.

That’s why many fans see it as the strongest game in the Fallout series, and I’m hoping the next installment, Fallout 5, feels more like this one than Fallout 4. Even if it doesn’t, though, it’s good to know we’ll eventually get remastered versions of Fallout: New Vegas and Fallout 3.

As a huge Fallout fan, I’m so glad that all the games are available on Xbox Game Pass! It’s awesome being able to jump into any of them on either my Xbox or PC. Just a heads-up though – the classic, old-school RPGs are only playable on PC since they were never released for consoles.

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2026-01-13 00:40