"We don’t want to wait that long either," Fallout, Elder Scrolls lead Todd Howard confirms plans to deliver Bethesda games at a faster pace

Fallout 4
(Image credit: Bethesda Game Studios)

What you need to know

  • Todd Howard is the man.
  • Todd Howard is the Game Director behind games such as Fallout 4, Starfield, and Skyrim.
  • He states that they're working on finding ways to increase their output.
  • Todd also mentioned two projects that Bethesda is working on, which are possibly related to Fallout.

Fallout is all the craze thanks to its splash new TV series. Our own Samuel Tolbert said it "represents the best of what the games offer," it's now been renewed for season 2. As a result, fans are playing all the currently-available Fallout games, which include Fallout 76, Fallout 4, and its roll-backable next-gen update, and it's even led to some friendly trolling on Fallout: New Vegas. Even the classic games like Fallout 1, 2, and Tactics have seen a resurgence, and Fallout Shelter on mobile has found a glut of new players grace its dingy vaults. 

What's better than an interview with the legendary Todd Howard, the man behind the Fallout franchise? He recently sat down with the Kinda Funny Games Podcast, where he shared insights on a wide range of topics, from retirement plans to the highly anticipated Fallout 5. And the best part? He assured fans that he has no plans of stepping away from the industry anytime soon.

When he was asked about his thoughts on retirement, Todd Howard offered some insights on future plans. Specifically speaking about the length of time games like Starfield, Fallout, and The Elder Scrolls take to make, and how that could affect his retirement, he mentioned, "You know, they do take a long time. And so I think one of the things that we're focused on here is obviously making sure they're of the highest quality, but also, you know, finding ways to increase our output because we don't want to wait that long either, right?"

When asked about his thoughts on co-development or external development after, he intriguingly said, "I would say we've always had those conversations. We look at what we're doing with the franchise, and then we say, 'Do we still feel good about it?' I can't reveal it now, but here's our runway for Fallout as a franchise." Letting some unannounced projects not necessarily slip, but that they're being worked on.

Fallout 76 is already quickly becoming my personal Fallout 5. (Image credit: Bethesda Game Studios)

"That's fun. Season two is happening. What are we doing on mobile? What are we doing in 76? What are we doing with this thing? What are we doing with this other thing? And when are these landing?"

People have been expecting Fallout 5 to skip perhaps even this entire decade, given the firm's ongoing work on Starfield, as well as the upcoming successor to Skyrim. 

If you consider all the hints and envision the most optimal outcome, it's possible that Microsoft and Bethesda may already be collaborating with external studios, like Obsidian, for further development. Additionally, both companies are attuned to the fans' longing for more Fallout content and are likely to take this into account. On the XB2 Podcast, with our own Jez Corden just last Friday, he said that the company is well aware of the demand for more Fallout. Echoing Todd's sentiments, Jez said that Microsoft and Bethesda are actively in talks on how to expedite the delivery of its games, and what the future of Fallout looks like. 

What's your take? Are you excited about the possibility of more Fallout? I know I am! I haven't been able to drop Fallout 76 since watching the TV show. After over 30 hours in less than a week, I'm hooked. Let us know what thrills you most in the comments or on social media!

Michael Hoglund
Contributor

Michael has been gaming since he was five when his mother first bought a Super Nintendo from Blockbuster. Having written for a now-defunct website in the past, he's joined Windows Central as a contributor to spreading his 30+ years of love for gaming with everyone he can. His favorites include Red Dead Redemption, all the way to the controversial Dark Souls 2.