Fallout: New Vegas is one of the most beloved games of all time and a staple of the Fallout series. In a twist of events, Todd Howard recently revealed that it was almost a DLC for Fallout: 3.

During a video retrospective of Fallout, in honor of the franchise's 25th anniversary, Howard stated that Fallout 3's early success was a major factor in the decision, "Fallout 3 comes out, and it's a really big hit for the company, and they're like 'okay, so what's the follow-up?'" The board knew of the 'New Vegas' idea and wanted to wheel it out as soon as possible. As game director and executive producer for Fallout: 3, Howard had some decisions to make. Bethesda's board wanted to capitalize on the massive success of the third installation in the series, but Howard saw beyond their vision.



With Skyrim already in development, the executive director of Bethesda knew he had to outsource any expansions the studio wanted to make. Enter Obsidian Entertainment, a studio comprised of former members of Bethesda who worked extensively on the original Fallout and its sequel, Fallout: 2. In the retrospective, Howard recants how he personally pushed for Obsidian to develop the next title in the franchise, "It actually started as a big expansion pack for Fallout 3, I felt really strongly that it should be its own game... And we knew the folks at Obsidian, and we knew there's only really one group we want to do this"

Obsidian Entertainment's CEO Feargus Urquhart and game director Josh Sawyer also feature in the video, shedding more light on the situation. They discuss the inception of the plan, getting contacted by Howard, and deciding who would direct the game. Ultimately, Bethesda gave the assets and game engine of Fallout: 3 over to Obsidian, relinquishing creative control and believing in the studio made up of its former employees.

Their decision was a smart one, as Obsidian knew exactly what the fans were looking for. Game director Josh Sawyer was a perfect choice to lead the development as he had been an avid fan of the series since the original. During development, Sawyer paid a lot of attention to what players liked about Fallout 3 and decided to commit to those elements, giving fans of the third game a reason to return. While Sawyer wanted to put his own touch on the game, he didn't want to fix what wasn't broken, "Let's bring what feels unique from our perspective without trying to reinvent the wheel."

Fallout: New Vegas came out after only 18 months in development on October 19th, 2010 as a standalone title and players haven't stopped talking about it since. From the numerous companions, to the unique and evocative main quest line, New Vegas shines not only within the Fallout franchise, but in gaming as a whole.



Posted: Oct 30, 2022 11:58 pm
Related Forum: Gaming Discussion

Source: https://www.dualshockers.com/fallout-new-vegas-was-almost-fallout-3-dlc/