Fallout 5 Official Release Date Update Comes At A Terrible Cost

With the news that Bethesda is set to put more of a focus on its big-hitter franchises such as The Elder Scrolls and Fallout, at first glance, it seemed like good news for fans who have been waiting well over a decade for the launch of both The Elder Scrolls VI and Fallout 5. However, with mass layoffs recently taking place at Microsoft courtesy of newly-installed CEO Asha Sharma, finally getting our hands on these highly anticipated titles comes at a big cost.

The layoffs in question took place earlier this month when it was revealed that 1,600 staff lost their jobs as the result of brutal downsizing. According to Sharma, these layoffs come as part of a “significant” restructure for Xbox, going on to explain that Microsoft’s gaming division “is not healthy.” As a result, Xbox has now lost one-fifth of its staff following the mass layoffs.

Not only that, but with Xbox’s plans to focus on its biggest brands — Fallout, The Elder Scrolls, Forza and Halo — a further 1,600 staff are set to lose their jobs throughout the year in an attempt to streamline the development experience and, of course, cut costs.

What this will mean for the likes of Fallout 5 is currently unknown as it is just too early to tell. However, there is no denying that the launch of the next mainline Fallout game will be bittersweet. Yes, we will finally get our hands on the highly-anticipated title, but with thousands of people losing their jobs during the process, will it really be worth it?

It has been 11 years since the launch of Fallout 4, but with Bethesda focusing on the launch of The Elder Scrolls VI before Fallout 5, it seems we have a long wait, especially as TES VI has become something of a mythical being over the past few years, receiving no official updates, trailers, or, most importantly, a release window.

As such, it is expected to be years until the launch of Fallout 5. However, despite the heartbreaking layoff news, fans over on r/Fallout are excited to learn that franchises such as Fallout are set to become a priority for Xbox, with one user posting, “Xbox CEO wants Fallout and Elder Scrolls to be a priority. Haven’t seen this anywhere else yet and I thought it was great news. New Fallout game coming soon?”

With almost 800 comments, it is safe to say that fellow fans were eager to share their thoughts. “I mean, it’s been ten years since we had a Fallout game,” one comment read. “S*it, they could’ve remastered and fixed all of the god damn bugs in Fallout 4 since then, so yeah, come on guys.” Another said, “Foolish that they haven’t done anything to maximize on the show’s success. Remaking New Vegas during this past season of the show would’ve done numbers.”

At the time of writing, we have little to no idea when Fallout 5 will be released, but with The Elder Scrolls VI taking first priority, it seems as though we are in for the longhaul.

Systems

Released

November 10, 2015

ESRB

M FOR MATURE: BLOOD AND GORE, INTENSE VIOLENCE, STRONG LANGUAGE, USE OF DRUGS

Engine

Creation

Cross-Platform Play

no

Cross Save

no

Steam Deck Compatibility

yes