Bethesda: Fallout 5 in pre-production on Creation Engine 3

Bethesda confirmed Fallout 5 is in pre-production and that the game is being built on an enhanced Creation Engine 3. The studio also confirmed The Elder Scrolls VI uses the same engine and remains the primary focus for its development teams.

Pre-production is the early phase when a project’s scope, systems and tools are planned and prototypes are created. At this stage Fallout 5’s design is being defined, which typically precedes full production and release by several years.

Bethesda said Creation Engine 3 has been developed since the launch of Starfield in 2023. The studio described the engine as a shared platform that provides updated rendering, systems and tools to allow multiple teams to work on different projects concurrently.

The studio noted most staff are currently assigned to The Elder Scrolls VI, with Fallout 5 following behind. Bethesda added it expects to share more public details on Fallout 5 after The Elder Scrolls VI ships in the coming years. No release windows or gameplay footage were provided.

On The Elder Scrolls VI, Bethesda wrote the team is “where we planned to be”, that they “love how it looks” and that they are “playing it daily.” The company did not provide a date for that title.

Bethesda confirmed additional Fallout work alongside Fallout 5: remasters of Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas are planned, and a new Fallout game developed by Obsidian Entertainment has been announced. Existing franchise content such as Fallout 76 and an upcoming television adaptation remain available while the new games progress.

Skyrim has sold more than 65 million copies since its 2011 release, and Starfield was released in 2023 as the first major title to use the updated engine architecture. Bethesda’s update confirms Fallout 5 is in pre-production; details on gameplay and timing remain limited.