The ongoing dialogue surrounding the second season of the Fallout series has unexpectedly reignited a long-standing debate regarding Bethesda’s true grasp of the franchise’s soul.
Chris Avellone, the veteran writer behind Fallout: New Vegas and Fallout 2, recently addressed these concerns on X (formerly Twitter). He was responding to a fan who remarked that the show—personally endorsed by Todd Howard—felt as though it “wasn’t crafted by individuals who genuinely cherish the Fallout universe.”
“I don’t believe Bethesda harbors any animosity toward Fallout. They simply don’t fully grasp its origins—or perhaps they find them irrelevant. As the rights holders, they want to establish their own vision of the franchise as the new standard.
This typically results in a vibrant but somewhat shallow ‘theme park’ atmosphere (with a few notable exceptions like Far Harbor, Point Lookout—and I personally enjoyed The Pitt). However, theme parks appeal to many people, and if it brings them joy, that’s perfectly fine.
I don’t harbor any ill will toward Bethesda myself. They have distinct strengths, particularly in open-world design and exploration. But they also have weaknesses: a struggle with linear storytelling in an open world and a fundamental misunderstanding of how the ‘Speech’ skill should function. Every developer has their own balance of pros and cons.”
Despite these industry critiques, general audiences seem to disagree. The second season of Fallout is performing exceptionally well, currently holding a 97% critical score and a 96% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes—surpassing the first season’s impressive 95%. With four out of eight episodes currently available, the season is scheduled to conclude on February 4.
Meanwhile, the debut of the second season, which shifts the narrative focus toward New Vegas, has sparked a massive resurgence of interest in the original game. Often hailed as the franchise’s high-water mark, Fallout: New Vegas—along with Fallout 3—is now at the center of growing speculation regarding potential remasters, echoing the rumors surrounding last year’s Oblivion updates.
Source: iXBT.games