Bethesda Eyes Fallout TV Show for Game Inspiration
Todd Howard hints at Fallout season 3’s influence on future games, as Bethesda explores new ways to blend the TV series with the iconic post-apocalyptic franchise.
With the second season of Fallout’s TV adaptation just hitting screens, Bethesda’s Todd Howard is already looking ahead. The studio’s head honcho has revealed that work on the third season’s script is underway, and there’s plenty of chatter about how the show’s fresh ideas might make their way into the games that started it all.
Howard recently shared,
“For us on the game and TV show side, we're writing season 3 now,”
giving fans a peek behind the curtain. What’s got punters talking, though, is the ongoing back-and-forth between the show’s writers and Bethesda about weaving elements from the telly into the digital wasteland.
Crossing Worlds: TV to Game
According to Howard, the team is deep in discussion about what could work for both the show and the games.
“We're having those conversations now of, what are we doing in season 3 for the TV show, and what elements can we bring into our games at that time when it comes out that don't feel forced or fake.”
The aim is to make any crossover feel natural, not just a quick cash-in or a tacked-on promo.
Howard reckons the most likely place for this cross-media action is Fallout 76. The online game’s recent Burning Springs update already brought in Walton Goggins’ The Ghoul, straight from the streaming series, so it’s not a stretch to imagine more TV-inspired content popping up there.
Remasters and the Road Ahead
There’s been talk of a Fallout 3 remaster, but Howard isn’t convinced the studio would bolt on a new storyline to a game that’s nearly two decades old. He points to their approach with The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered as a sign that they’re not keen on retrofitting old titles with fresh plots.
As for the next big entry in the series, Howard has previously said it takes about five years to put together a new Fallout game. With the team currently flat out on The Elder Scrolls 6, it’s clear that fans will be waiting a fair while before Fallout 5 is even on the horizon.
What’s Next for the Wasteland?
For now, the focus is on making sure any crossover between the TV show and the games feels right. The studio is keen to avoid anything that comes off as forced, instead looking for ways to blend the two worlds that make sense for both long-time fans and newcomers. With the third season of the show in the works and the games’ future wide open, there’s plenty for locals to keep an eye on as the wasteland continues to evolve.