Fallout: New Vegas dev says it could’ve been set in New Orleans because ‘the vibe was so cool, the flavor was cool, [it would’ve been] so sweet’

In a recent conversation with Fallout content creator TKs-Mantis, Chris Avellone, the esteemed writer behind Fallout: New Vegas and former creative officer at Obsidian, shared intriguing insights about the beloved franchise. Among the most striking revelations was Avellone’s claim that Bethesda does not possess the source code for New Vegas, a statement that raises questions about the game’s future accessibility and potential remastering.

Exploring Uncharted Territories

During the interview, Avellone reflected on the early stages of Fallout: New Vegas, revealing a tantalizing concept that never came to fruition: a setting in New Orleans. “Holy shit,” he exclaimed, recalling how one of the designers on a different project had proposed the idea. Avellone’s enthusiasm was palpable as he described a plot involving a private investigator unraveling the mystery of a chef’s murder amidst the chaos of four Grendels, each embodying their own twisted visions of hell.

• One Grendel, convinced he is a knight serving Charlemagne, engages in battles with vampires.
• Another seeks to manipulate the PI.
• A third, an English curator, is on a quest for enigmatic treasure.
• The last is a suave gambler, adding a touch of sophistication to the mix.

Avellone mused, “I can kinda see where some of that might map onto Fallout’s own brand of post-apocalypse.” He expressed a strong desire to explore a Fallout New Orleans, captivated by the unique vibe and flavor that such a setting could offer while still retaining the essence of the series.

Future Possibilities

As the conversation progressed, Avellone also touched upon the Fallout TV series, discussing its successes and shortcomings. He noted that the show seems to be laying the groundwork for what could be Fallout 5, hinting at a potential direction for the franchise. When asked about Bethesda’s reported reluctance to explore San Francisco in earlier pitches, Avellone confirmed this with a simple “yeah,” suggesting that the door may still be open for this iconic location in future installments.

Avellone’s departure from Obsidian in 2015 was marked by creative and business disputes, but he has since made significant contributions to the RPG landscape, working on titles like Divinity: Original Sin 2 and Pathfinder: Kingmaker. Currently, he is collaborating with Red Info, a studio founded by Disco Elysium’s lead writer, Robert Kurvitz, on an upcoming project. Meanwhile, the community continues to buzz with speculation about a potential remaster of New Vegas, with recent rumors reigniting interest in the classic title.