Summary
- Legal, technical, and subjective challenges outlined for potential Fallout remaster, highlighting hurdles such as source code issues.
- Isometric gameplay of original Fallout games may feel restrictive compared to newer titles like Fallout 4, posing a challenge for remaster demand.
Fallout creator Tim Cain has explained all the challenges that would be faced if a remaster of the original game were created. Released back in 1997, the original Fallout was met with acclaim, although its aged gameplay has made it a popular fan choice for a potential remaster.
Both the original Fallout and its 1998 sequel are played from an isometric perspective. This means that players familiar with Bethesda-era Fallout games may feel restricted when playing these past titles, which is understandable almost three decades after their initial releases. It's a shame, though, as it means that some fans will miss out on the great story, and are left unable to catch up on the lore by playing the game. This is part of the reason why demand for a Fallout remaster is so high.
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As reported by TheGamer, Fallout creator Tim Cain spoke on his YouTube channel about all the challenges a remaster would face. He split it into three categories - "legal issues, technical issues, and subjective issues." Legally, the source code for the game could result in several hurdles. While it was recently revealed that the Fallout source code still exists, the age of the compiler on which it was written could cause some problems. Music licensing would have to be renewed, too, with Cain specifically mentioning "Maybe" by The Ink Spots.
Fallout Remaster Would Face Various 'Challenges' According to Tim Cain
On the technical side, Cain raised the issue of a remaster deciding which bugs to fix. Sometimes, janky elements are part of the charm, and fans do often love that. This was shown recently with Oblivion Remastered keeping mistakes from the original, and it worked out for the better, but it would definitely be something to consider. Subjective issues raised even bigger questions, with Cain pondering over what would happen if, for example, the Fallout Overseer needed new voice lines. With original voice actor Kenneth Mars passing away in 2011, Cain posed the question of whether a remaster would simply recast the character or use generative AI to fill in the gaps, pointing out that "I bet you a ton of you hate this idea, I'm throwing this out there because these are the kinds of things that anyone remastering Fallout would have to think about."
Cain refrained from saying whether he thinks a remaster of the original Fallout would ever be released, instead focusing on the route the game would need to take if it were to ever get there. Meanwhile, rumors of a Fallout 3 remaster continue to heat up. While nothing is confirmed at this point in time, and so it should be taken with a pinch of salt, the noise around a potential Fallout 3 remaster definitely feels a little more concrete than the original game at this point.
- Video Game(s)
- Fallout, Fallout 2, Fallout 3, Fallout 4, Fallout 76, Fallout Shelter, Fallout: New Vegas, Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel, Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel
- Creation Year
- 1997
- Developer(s)
- Interplay, Black Isle Studios, Bethesda, Obsidian Entertainment, Micro Forté
- Publisher(s)
- Interplay, Bethesda Softworks