Fallout Archives

AppWizard

June 30, 2026

New Vegas director Josh Sawyer says games can and should pull on artistic inspirations from ‘anywhere and everywhere’: ‘Greek plays, they knocked it out of the park thousands of years ago—why not look at them?’

Josh Sawyer, Obsidian's design director, discussed the impact of artistic inspiration on game design, emphasizing how video games evoke emotions and provoke thought through player experiences. In the game Pentiment, the design team aimed for players to confront difficult choices with significant consequences, fostering deep engagement with the narrative. Sawyer noted that while inventory systems in Pillars of Eternity may disrupt immersion, they shift cognitive focus, allowing players to evaluate items. He draws inspiration from various sources, including classical theater, musicals, visual art, and moral dilemmas in Greek plays, highlighting the importance of symbolism and emotional connections in game design.

AppWizard

June 29, 2026

A Disco Elysium writer once told Josh Sawyer that ‘we can do better than this now,’ and Sawyer agrees

Josh Sawyer, known for his work on Fallout: New Vegas, Pillars of Eternity, and Pentiment, discussed the collaborative nature of game development on the Human Can Opener Podcast. He expressed interest in critiques of his past work, particularly regarding narrative choice in RPGs. Sawyer shared that a writer from Disco Elysium reached out to propose a modern response to his earlier presentation, indicating progress in understanding narrative mechanics in the industry. He emphasized the importance of learning from each other and acknowledged the ongoing exchange of ideas among developers. Sawyer noted the traditional approach to branching dialogue in RPGs can feel constrained but believes there are always new methods to explore. He advocates for mutual respect and encouragement within the industry, emphasizing a shared goal of improvement and innovation.

AppWizard

June 29, 2026

Fallout: New Vegas director Josh Sawyer says Obsidian has ‘Karma Police’ who go through games making sure every skill gets enough cool stuff to do: ‘We’re not gonna leave you out to dry’

Josh Sawyer, Obsidian's design director, discussed the studio's focus on balance in Fallout: New Vegas, emphasizing the importance of allowing various character builds to thrive and engage meaningfully through skill checks in dialogue. He expressed a desire for players to enjoy their character choices without feeling they have built a "fundamentally bad character." Obsidian differentiates itself from other studios by enabling diverse skills in conversations, as seen in quests where players can use skills like Science, Barter, or Speech to influence outcomes. Sawyer explained the decision to eliminate the Big Guns skill to enhance gameplay fluidity and prevent underutilization of skills. He highlighted the importance of making each skill useful in unique ways to build player trust, referencing the design of Goodsprings and the variety of skills available in quests. Sawyer acknowledged the challenges of anticipating player needs in RPG design compared to tabletop games, aiming to provide players with rich experiences that celebrate their character choices. Obsidian employs measures like the "Karma Police" to ensure all skills receive attention in gameplay.

AppWizard

June 28, 2026

Skyrim’s lead designer reckons releasing Elder Scrolls and Fallout games faster risks ‘disappointing fans’

The Elder Scrolls and Fallout franchises from Bethesda have not released new titles for many years, with Fallout 4 reaching 11 years and Skyrim nearing 15 years since their last major releases. Microsoft is working to expedite the development of these games. Bruce Nesmith, lead designer of Skyrim, cautions that prioritizing speed over quality can lead to complications in game development, as large budgets and teams do not guarantee success. He emphasizes the importance of careful resource management and suggests that allowing franchises to rest can prevent fan fatigue. Nesmith estimates that creating a new game in these franchises would take at least five years from inception to completion.

AppWizard

June 18, 2026

India’s solution to entrance exam fraud: A temporary ban on Telegram

On June 13, 2026, the National Students Union of India (NSUI) held a protest in Hyderabad against alleged exam paper leaks related to the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET). The Indian government temporarily blocked access to the messaging platform Telegram to combat exam fraud, with the National Testing Agency (NTA) announcing the ban will last until June 22 and disabling the message editing feature until June 30. The NEET-UG exam was canceled on May 12, affecting approximately 2.2 million students, following allegations of a paper leak. Telegram channels were found soliciting payments for leaked exam papers, while the NTA denied any papers were available outside secured channels. Political ramifications included calls from opposition leader Rahul Gandhi for the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The Cockroach Janta Party organized protests nationwide demanding accountability for the examination discrepancies.

AppWizard

June 18, 2026

India Blocks Telegram Access Ahead of Medical School Retest Amid ‘Fake Leak’ Scandal

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology in India has imposed a week-long ban on the messaging app Telegram amid a scandal related to the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET). This decision, enacted under the Information Technology (IT) Act, aims to protect national integrity and sovereignty, following significant irregularities in the original exam held on May 3. The National Testing Agency (NTA) invalidated the initial exam after discovering question leaks, and the upcoming retest is scheduled for June 21. The ban also includes the disabling of Telegram's 'message editing' feature until June 30. Despite the NTA's assurances that no questions have leaked for the retest, concerns about organized cheating groups using Telegram to spread misinformation persist. Pavel Durov, Telegram's CEO, criticized the ban for impacting millions of users without addressing underlying issues. Protests demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan have occurred, and the case has been referred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which has arrested approximately 11 individuals based on preliminary findings of leaked questions in the exam.

Winsage

June 17, 2026

Windows update leaves third-party Office document launches in limbo

Microsoft's June Windows update has caused issues for users of third-party applications that use Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) automation to interact with Office applications, leading to failed document launches without error messages. Affected applications include CCH Engagement, Workpaper Manager, Dentrix, Softdent, and Zotero. Microsoft has suggested a workaround of opening documents directly, but has stated that the responsibility for these issues lies with third-party developers, asserting no warranty on their performance. Users unable to resolve issues by opening files directly must wait for a fix in a future update, and organizations can contact Microsoft support for assistance. This is the first issue Microsoft has publicly acknowledged in the recent patch, amid ongoing complaints about other functionalities like OneDrive and BitLocker.

BetaBeacon

June 17, 2026

XREAL’s Android XR glasses launch ‘this fall’ with Project Hail Mary & Fallout games, $99 reservations open

XREAL's Android XR glasses, Aura, will be launching this Fall with reservations open today. The glasses operate as a mixed form factor powered by Android XR and have optical passthrough to the outside world. The launch will include Best Buy Stores in the US, the UK, Canada, South Korea, and Japan, with European markets coming soon after. Customers can pre-order the glasses with a registration deposit and some of the confirmed apps and games include Project Hail Mary: Journey Among the Stars and Fallout: Factions.

BetaBeacon

June 17, 2026

Get it reserved: Xreal’s Aura smart glasses refresh the game with powerful Android XR and AI

Xreal announced the launch of its Aura smart glasses with Google's Android XR and Qualcomm's Snapdragon Reality Elite, featuring a 70-degree FOV, hand-tracking, and strong multimodal AI.

AppWizard

June 15, 2026

Your inbox might finally get quieter now that Google is taking down a major AI scam ring

Google has filed a lawsuit against the alleged China-based "Outsider Enterprise" network for using Gemini AI to conduct extensive phishing scams. The company is working with the FBI and major telecommunications carriers, including AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon, to intercept scam messages. Investigators have linked the operation to over 9,000 counterfeit websites and more than one million malicious URLs, primarily targeting Android users. The "Outsider" phishing platform offered over 290 website templates for mimicking banks and other entities, utilizing AI-generated code. Google is also supporting seven bipartisan bills aimed at combating AI-driven fraud and has implemented AI-driven defenses that block over 10 billion malicious messages each month.