Summary
Bethesda’s many re-releases ofSkyrim, instead of remastering otherThe Elder ScrollsorFalloutgames, has become a meme. Still, the latest release ofSkyrim,Skyrim’s Anniversary Edition, is a bit more than a simple remaster since it brings together all the best features of the game’s many releases, including the remaster upgrades, every DLC, and 74 different community mods as base game features.
This massive modlist adds a wide variety of content to the game, notably including new quests, locations, enemies, weapons, armor, and gameplay features. Aside from adding in any further community mods fromSkyrim’s Creation Club, the Anniversary edition is the best way for players to experience the game, and if aFallout 3remaster ever happens, it should arguably get this same treatment.

Fallout 3 Deserves a Remaster
BetweenThe Elder ScrollsandFalloutfranchises, Bethesda ultimately has many games that deserve a remaster at this point, thoughFallout 3is a special case. This was the firstFalloutgame developed by Bethesda after the studio obtained the rights to theFalloutfranchise from Interplay Entertainment, and althoughFallout 3hasn’t outdoneSkyrim’s popularity, it’s still a beloved Bethesda RPG nonetheless.
Official Plans for a Fallout 3 Remaster were once Leaked
Back when Microsoft was still under investigation by the FTC concerning the Activision Blizzard acquisition,leaked internal documents revealed aFallout 3remasterwas once planned for a potential release in 2024. Since then, the timeline of these documents has proven to be inaccurate, though this doesn’t entirely rule out the possibility of aFallout 3remaster coming soon.
Recently, theFalloutfranchise has been met with a massive surge of new and returning players due to the popularity of Amazon Prime Video’sFalloutshow. For the most part, fans have been gravitating toward the most recentFalloutfranchise games, even setting newall-time player records forFallout 76. Given the franchise’s current popularity, Bethesda could strike while the iron’s still hot by releasing a newFalloutgame.
While a newFalloutgame would presumably be well-received by an impressively large fanbase, unfortunately,Fallout 5’s anticipated release date is a long ways away, likely several years still. Hence why, in the meantime,aFalloutremaster could fill this gap in the franchise, andFallout 3would be the perfect candidate.
Fallout 5currently has no release date, as Bethesda is said to be preoccupied with developingThe Elder Scrolls 6first.
A Fallout 3 Remaster Deserves the ‘Skyrim Treatment’
Introducing a graphics update and offering all the DLCs in one package forFallout 3is sure to be a treat for new and returning fans of the franchise, but following inSkyrim’s footsteps and offering a preinstalled modlist would sweeten the deal. From feature overhauls to quality-of-life improvements that iron out some of the game’s sharp edges, the modding community has a seemingly endless amount ofgame-changing mods forFallout 3that are worthy of being included in a remastered release of the game.
Also, while theSkyrimAnniversary edition’s 74 featured mods might seem like a generous amount, this only scratches the surface of the different kinds of content and features that are available with mods. Consequently, a remaster forFallout 3would be the perfect time to bringBethesda’s Creation ClubtoFallout 3to make downloading mods for the game more accessible across all platforms.
So, even thoughFallout 3’s 10th anniversary has already passed, it’s not too late for the game to get the same treatment asSkyrim’s Anniversary edition. With theFalloutfranchise’s surge of popularity after the positive reception from theFalloutshow, it’s high timeFallout 3gets the long-awaited remaster that it deserves.