Sixteen years after the release of Fallout: New Vegas, Obsidian Entertainment is reportedly returning to the Fallout franchise. After recently experiencing substantial layoffs (a reported workforce loss of around 25%) due to their status as a subsidiary of Microsoft, reports suggest Microsoft’s recent restructuring has shifted resources toward some of its largest franchises, placing the post-apocalyptic, alternate history roleplaying game back in the hands of Obsidian. The reported shift comes as Fallout enjoys renewed popularity following Amazon’s television adaptation and the continued success of Fallout 76.

Not only will the new Fallout game be developed by Obsidian, but will reportedly be led by a an experienced game developer — Josh Sawyer, the former director of Fallout: New Vegas. This is especially exciting, since Sawyer was not only deeply involved with New Vegas‘s base game and DLCs, but also has experience with other great RPGs like Icewind Dale and Pillars of Eternity. This assignment is not the only sign that Obsidian is deeply investing into this new Fallout game, as reports reveal that multiple projects were cancelled to free developers for the project, including an Avowed sequel that was still early in development. More free developers under the leadership of an experienced RPG director has attracted considerable attention from fans, especially when considering Obsidian’s good track record with the Fallout franchise.

The announcements have confirmed a few details surrounding this project. For one, Obsidian is still working on other projects aside from the new Fallout game: DLC for The Outer Worlds 2 is still being worked on and support for Grounded 2 will continue. It should also be stressed that the project is an entirely original project as far as we can tell with currently available information. It does not seem to be a remake or remaster of New Vegas, nor does it seem to be a sequel game to the game’s narrative. Further information about its release window, available platforms, gameplay, or Bethesda’s direct involvement in the project is unavailable at this time. The reported project also appears to be separate from Bethesda’s previously announced plans for Fallout 5.