Fallout 3 remaster reportedly still in “active development” despite missed shadow drop

The long-rumored remaster of Fallout 3 is reportedly still in the works, with Bethesda setting last year’s Oblivion Remastered as the bar for polish.

Thanks to the success of the Amazon Prime show, the Fallout series has arguably never been bigger. However, with Bethesda focusing its efforts on the long-awaited The Elder Scrolls 6, it’s unlikely that we’ll see Fallout 5 any time soon.

To fill that gap, fans have been hoping that the publisher will release remastered versions of classic games from the franchise, including Fallout 3, which was first leaked in FTC documents three years ago.

In fact, a mysterious countdown on the TV show’s website had many convinced that a shadow drop was on the cards, but this amounted to nothing more than an interactive behind-the-scenes exhibit.

But don’t worry, according to a new report, the remaster of the critically-acclaimed RPG is still very much in the works.

Fallout 3 remaster is aiming for Oblivion levels of polish

“The game is still in active development,” wrote The Verge’s Tom Warren in an article detailing Microsoft’s plans for 2026. However, this doesn’t necessarily confirm that it will release this year, just that it’s still part of Bethesda’s plans.

The same report also mentions that 2025’s Oblivion Remastered is being used as the benchmark in terms of quality.

“I understand Bethesda is keen to ensure it’s as well polished as the surprise release of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered last year,” Warren adds.

The article doesn’t give any update on when the Fallout 3 remaster will finally arrive, or on the New Vegas remaster, which was also reported back in January.

But when these titles do surface, fans can expect a launch strategy similar to that of Oblivion Remastered. Although it leaked ahead of time, the game was shadow-dropped with virtually no prior announcement, something Todd Howard called a “test run” that “worked out well” in a GQ interview.