Bethesda Aims to Make Fallout 5 an Epic Experience with Hundreds of Hours of Gameplay

While the second season of the series **»Fallout»** is drawing new audiences to the franchise, representatives from **Bethesda** discussed their vision for the future of the series in an interview with [Game Informer](https://gameinformer.com/exclusive-interview/2025/12/23/bethesda-talks-fallouts-future-and-lessons-learned). Although the studio has not provided specific details about **Fallout 5**, design director **Emil Pagliarulo** shared his thoughts on what he envisions for the next major installment of **Fallout**.

According to **Pagliarulo**, the new game must retain the elements that fans cherish: an engaging storyline, familiar systems, and a sense of freedom. However, he anticipates a much more ambitious scale. He envisions **Fallout 5** as a title that could offer 200, 300, or even 600 hours of gameplay, contrasting with shorter experiences of 20 or even 100 hours — a hallmark of projects crafted by **Bethesda**.

The extended gameplay duration has long been a signature of the studio’s titles. Games like **Fallout 3**, **Fallout 4**, **The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim**, and **Starfield** allow players to explore the worlds and complete side quests for countless hours, often without engaging with the main narrative. For many gamers, this sense of limitless adventure has become a key attraction of **Bethesda’s** games.

At the same time, the team does not intend to simply replicate past formulas. **Pagliarulo** aspires for the new **Fallout** to be a modern gaming experience.

**Emil Pagliarulo**

Studio director **Angela Browder** added that each **Bethesda** game serves as a lesson. Through their experience with **Fallout 76**, the studio learned important lessons about multiplayer design and the challenges of a lukewarm reception at launch. This experience has taught the team to listen to gamers, strengthen their core competencies, and tackle difficulties.

**Starfield** marked another significant milestone — it represents the studio’s most ambitious project, where developers truly «created space.» While outer space won’t be part of the next installment of **The Elder Scrolls**, all insights and developments from **Starfield** will be integrated into the next chapter of the «Elder Scrolls» series.

**Browder** emphasized that **Bethesda** has a seasoned team with a long history, and the knowledge gained from each project is invaluable. The studio closely monitors player feedback and incorporates it during the early stages of development. Sometimes, ideas from comments or discussions resurface years later, as gamers might not always see the long chain of influence.

She also disagreed with the notion that **Bethesda** ignores feedback: the developers actively read all input, although managing this feedback can be challenging due to the scale of **Fallout** and the franchise’s widespread popularity beyond gaming.