Fallout 3 was released in 2008, nearly 17 years ago. Since Fallout 3‘s release, the Fallout franchise has had something of a renaissance, with Fallout 4 and Amazon Prime’s Fallout series putting the series into the view of more people than ever before. Set in a dystopian post-nuclear wasteland, the Fallout franchise has a compelling setting that blends sci-fi with a retrofuturist aesthetic.
2025 is a great year to revisit both Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas. While both games are over a decade old, they haven’t aged out of being playable, and include features that are better implemented than some modern games. Its storytelling, lore, and combat remain a core part of the experience, alongside the experience of exploring a wasteland teeming with the unexpected around every corner. Fallout 3‘s DLCs, particularly Broken Steel, The Pitt, and Point Lookout, are optional but great additions to Fallout 3‘s base game and should be considered in any playthrough.
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Fallout 76’s Playable Ghoul Has an Obvious Opportunity for a Fallout 3 Tie-In
Now that the franchise’s first playable Ghoul character has arrived, Fallout 76 may have the perfect excuse to revisit Fallout 3’s iconic setting.
Because of the long gap between its release and 2025, it’s the perfect time to revisit Fallout 3. Players who haven’t had a chance to play Fallout 3 since Fallout 4‘s release may be surprised to find it’s aged well considering how old it is, with its mechanics, open-world features, and combat system not only functional, but enjoyable to use in 2025. Fallout 3 also has a wealth of mods available to players, allowing them to customize their experience almost any way they want.
Players who have never played Fallout 3 should take the chance to experience a new part of the Fallout setting, especially one with so much lore. Fans of the Fallout franchise, whether it’s the games or the Amazon series, who want to know more about Fallout‘s lore, will get the most out of playing Fallout 3 for the first time. One of the most important parts of Fallout‘s lore that Fallout 3 establishes concerns ghouls, which became particularly relevant in Fallout 76 and Amazon’s Fallout series.
Bethesda often only develops one game at a time, and has shifted focus from Fallout and Starfield to The Elder Scrolls 6. Because of this strategy, there likely won’t be another Fallout game in development at least until The Elder Scrolls 6 has been released. Without a release window for The Elder Scrolls 6, it’s difficult to predict when the next Fallout game will enter development. Revisiting past games in the series is a great way to remember some of the best moments of Fallout, and is especially worthwhile for new players.
Fallout 3’s Setting and Story
Fallout 3‘s Capital Wasteland is considered one of Fallout‘s best settings. As an open-world game, it excels in striking a balance between environmental storytelling and RPG mechanics that few other modern open-world games do. Every location incorporates environmental storytelling, incorporating things to discover and clues to put together that tell a story, giving the impression of stumbling across a world that is alive and moves beyond the player’s sphere of influence. Beyond its environmental storytelling, the Capital Wasteland has been noted for its accuracy in depicting Washington, DC, particularly DC’s metro system.
Returning to Bethesda at its Height
Fallout 3 uses this to create an immersive atmosphere for players, one that Bethesda has arguably struggled to capture in the years since Fallout 3‘s release. At its core, Fallout 3 is an immersive open-world game with deep RPG elements that didn’t translate to Fallout 4. While Fallout 4 is a good game in its own right, Fallout 3 offers something different and unique to players that isn’t often seen in 2025.
- Released
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October 28, 2008
- ESRB
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M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Drugs
- Developer(s)
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Bethesda Game Studios
- Publisher(s)
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Bethesda Softworks