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Fallout: New Vegas is frequently hailed as the gold standard for player agency and narrative depth in the modern era of the franchise. However, when it debuted in 2010, the reception was far more turbulent. Critics and players alike maligned it as a technical catastrophe, often claiming it made Bethesda’s typically buggy releases look stable by comparison. Josh Sawyer, the lead designer at Obsidian, recently took to social media to push back against revisionist history regarding the game’s difficult launch.
Responding to a claim that it took nearly half a decade for the fanbase to truly embrace the Mojave-set RPG, Sawyer clarified the reality of that era on Bluesky. “Do people really believe they remember the launch reviews of F:NV better than I do?” he posted on Thursday.
He expanded on this by noting that while the game received some praise, the initial wave of reviews was punctuated by harsh critiques—and rightfully so. As many who played it at launch can attest, the experience was profoundly unstable. “There was another game that sold exceptionally well at launch but faced lukewarm reviews… you might know it as Cyberpunk 2077,” Sawyer added. “I hope fans now appreciate what a fantastic game it has become, but its reputation upon release was undeniably poor.”
Sawyer had little patience for those insisting their memories of the 2010 launch were rosier than documented. In a follow-up post, he addressed the skeptics: “Some people are stubbornly clinging to their beliefs, saying, ‘That’s not how I recall it.’ That’s fine, but there is a simple explanation: you are mistaken. I hope this helps you on your journey.”
Beyond the glitches, Obsidian’s more complex approach to world-building was a slow burn for some. On Metacritic, New Vegas actually ranks lower than all four mainline Fallout titles, including the 1997 original and Fallout 4—the latter of which was ironically criticized for its simplified role-playing mechanics and lack of consequence.
Perhaps time—and countless patches—served as the secret ingredient. Longevity has allowed New Vegas devotees to champion its strengths while detractors moved on. More importantly, the sheer depth of the game’s sandbox keeps it feeling relevant; narrative branches can fundamentally alter the world in ways more recent entries, like Fallout 76 or the re-released Fallout 4, rarely attempt. There is a lingering magic in the grit, story, and complex mechanics of the Mojave that refuses to fade.
Source: gamesradar.com
