The Fallout TV Show has had a significant impact on the popularity and player engagement of the Fallout game series. Since the show's release on Amazon Prime, there has been a surge in interest in the video game series, with a large number of players returning to the games or trying them out for the first time.
According to Bethesda, almost five million people played Fallout games in a single day following the show's release, with Fallout 76 attracting a million of those players2. Steam Charts show that Fallout 4 peaked at around 83,000 concurrent players over the weekend, while previous monthly peaks were only around 25,000 players3. Fallout 76 reached its all-time peak of 73,368 concurrent players on the same day.
Other games in the series, such as Fallout 3 - Game of the Year Edition and Fallout: New Vegas, have also seen a significant increase in player numbers. This surge in interest has led to a rediscovery of the games, with fans of the show being persuaded to give the games a try for the first time or returning to their favorite installment.
The success of the Fallout TV show not only highlights the quality of the television adaptation but also serves as a testament to the excellence of the source material – the Fallout games themselves. The seamless transition from game to screen has captivated audiences and reignited interest in the game series, solidifying the success of the TV show and paving the way for a second season.
Bethesda is ensuring that classic games like Fallout 1 and Fallout 2 are playable on modern hardware by focusing on making sure these games can run well on current-gen PC hardware6. Todd Howard, the director and executive producer of Bethesda Softworks, mentioned in an interview that they want to preserve the charm of these older titles and allow people to experience them as they were when they were made, rather than updating them with modern quality-of-life features and graphics. This approach includes addressing any technical issues that may arise when running these games on modern systems, but not altering the core gameplay or visuals.
Bethesda's current priorities in terms of game development and content release are primarily focused on two key projects: Starfield and The Elder Scrolls VI. According to Todd Howard, the director and executive producer of Bethesda Softworks, the studio is currently working on developing DLC content for Starfield, their upcoming space-themed RPG, and preparing for the release of The Elder Scrolls VI, the next installment in the popular fantasy RPG series5.
Additionally, Bethesda is also committed to ensuring that their classic games, such as Fallout and The Elder Scrolls, remain playable and run well on current-generation PC hardware. However, the studio is not prioritizing the remastering or modernization of these older titles, as they want to preserve the original experience and charm of these games.