According to Chris Avellone, a former lead at Obsidian Entertainment, Bethesda may struggle to remaster Fallout: New Vegas. He claims that the company lacks the engineering expertise needed to recreate the game without its original source code.
Challenges Facing Bethesda in Remastering Fallout: New Vegas
Avellone, who played a significant role in developing Fallout: New Vegas, noted that he does not believe Bethesda can successfully undertake a remaster from scratch. He stated, “I don’t think Bethesda has the engineering know-how to make a remaster of New Vegas at all.”
He referenced the remastering of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, co-developed by Bethesda and Virtuos. While some players enjoyed the visuals, the overall reception was reportedly negative. Oblivion’s remaster utilized the Gamebryo engine and incorporated Unreal Engine 5 for enhancements.
Future Prospects for the Fallout Series
In light of current discussions, rumors suggest that a remaster of Fallout 3 could follow a similar approach as Oblivion. Avellone indicated that testing this remastering process with Fallout 3 first may be more practical. He emphasized that it would help identify any potential problems before tackling New Vegas.
- Avellone expressed skepticism about Bethesda’s capabilities.
- The source code for New Vegas remains a critical issue.
- Feargus Urquhart, Obsidian’s studio head, chose not to give Bethesda this code after the game’s completion.
Issues with Source Code Delivery
Avellone explained that Urquhart declined to deliver the source code that could have allowed Bethesda to recreate Fallout: New Vegas at any time. He suggested that this decision might have stemmed from unresolved financial concerns regarding the original game’s revenue.
When asked whether Bethesda still has the source code, Avellone confirmed that while they may possess some elements, none understood how to reassemble it effectively. “They may have aspects of the code, but everyone that I talked to after that period of time said they had no idea how to reassemble it,” he noted.
Community Speculation
Despite ongoing speculation about a Fallout 3 remaster, no official announcements have been made. The potential resurgence of Bethesda’s Fallout series depends heavily on navigating these development challenges.
