Fallout 5is a ways away, but there’s a possibility that it could break the franchise trend and be a direct sequel toFallout 4. TheFalloutfranchise has been on a roller coaster since the release ofFallout 4. The eastern Massachusetts-based game was good overall, but it featured a few changes from the rest of the franchise that made it feel very different.Fallout 76was a major flop at first, and though it has rebounded, it is still an underperforming product. However, the franchise has had the saving grace of the massively successful live-action show.
So far, little is known aboutFallout 5, andTheElder Scrolls 6is the primary focus of currentFalloutdeveloper Bethesda Game Studiosfor the time being. The most significant bit of information about the RPG is that some ideas for it were purposelykept out of the live-action show. Perhaps this hints that the game may take place in the same general area, or have similar story beats. However, given how far away the title is, everything about it is subject to change.
Pros Of Fallout 5 Being A Direct Sequel
Following The Canon Route
The major benefit ofFallout 5being a direct sequel toFallout 4is that it can continue everything the game set up.Fallout 4furthered tons of storylines,from the synths to the Brotherhood,along with introducing some new concepts of its own. There are a variety of ways that a direct sequel could go, and it wouldn’t even necessarily need to stay in the same area, just keep the same factions and build on specific narrative elements fromFallout 4.
Fallout 4’s Most Evil Ending Doesn’t Come From Siding With The Institute
Fallout 4 gives players a lot of freedom and multiple endings to reflect this, but there is one outcome that will leave the Commonwealth in chaos.
Based on evidence from theFalloutshow, ofall ofFallout 4’s endings,the Brotherhood option seems to be what Bethesda has decided the canon ending is. However, this doesn’t close the door onFallout 4’s story. This could continue with following the Brotherhood as the faction seems to be at its strongest. In past games, the Brotherhood has always seemed to be more of a side faction despite its mascot status, clearly powerful but never an overwhelming force. With its victory in the East and their numbers rising, the faction could become a real overarching power in this post-apocalyptic world.
The synths are another interesting angle thatFallout 5could take.Though the Institute is destroyed, plenty of Synths did escape. There is always the chance some did not want to live peacefully, which could lead to a new Synth faction that learns fromthe history of the Institute. If the story takes place further West, it would also show how the wasteland adapts to these spreading influences.
The final reason, albeit the least likely, is continuing the story of the Sole Survivor. TheFalloutfranchise has never had a returning main character, and though that trend is unlikely to break, doing so with the SS, who had the most designed non-player personality of any, would fit. This would also blend in perfectly with continuing the story, though it would likely mean thatthe SS did join the Brotherhood. At the very least, this would be an interesting angle for the franchise to take by looking at the game from a faction view from the beginning.
Cons Of Fallout 5 Being A Direct Sequel
A New Brand Of Fallout
Just as there are pros to a direct sequel, there are cons.The largest is that it may take away from the freedom thatFalloutgames are known for.SinceFallout 4seems to have a canon ending, it hamstrings what the sequel could focus on for a story. This may detract from the amount of significant choicesFallout 5has. Though the story may be a work of art regardless, it would be a different type of RPG than what fans have come to expect.
Fallout 4’s Companions Have An Important Lesson To Teach Elder Scrolls 6
Elder Scrolls followers are lacking when compared to the more complex character companions in Fallout 4, but Elder Scrolls 6 can change this.
The second downside ofFallout 5being a direct sequel is the inflexibility it would impose on the franchise.WithFalloutbranching into the multimedia realm, if too many things are connected, then the franchise loses some of its creative freedom. Everything being its own separate storyline made it easy to brainstorm, paying mind to what had been established without worrying about retconning things.
Why Fallout 5 Shouldn’t Follow Fallout 4
Standing On Its Own
Falloutis at its strongest when it can tell an isolated story that may have significance outside itself but doesn’t need to be continued. Thus,it would be best ifFallout 5was not a direct sequel toFallout 4. This gives the game all the space it needs to be its own creation without changing any of the core parts of the franchise. It would be interesting to get a standalone game that is a sequel toFallout 4, but that isn’t whatFallout 5should be.
However, one interesting aspect ofFallout 5is whether it could be a sequel to the show. Since it is likely the show will finish before the game comes out, or perhaps even starts production, it could be planned to continue the show’s story in some capacity. This could be directly or indirectly but could be a massive way to capitalize off the show’s popularity. However, this is more of a longshot option that would be another large deviation from how the franchise usually proceeds.
TheFalloutshow arguably contradicts the canon of older games in the series in some regards, but it overarchingly sticks to the world established by the games.
Overall, it will likely be a while until the details ofFallout 5are known to anyone outside Bethesda. Given howFallout 76went and the lukewarm reaction toFallout 4, it would be the safest bet for the studio to go back to what made the franchise succeed. Isolated stories that the player can shape are a large part of what makesFalloutso amazing, and taking that away could hurt the beloved RPG world. With this in mind,Fallout 5should be its own game and not a direct sequel toFallout 4.
