A new Fallout 4 Steam update includes mention of a ‘New Vegas 2,’ but is then quickly changed and removed, as the Bethesda RPG game heads towards the launch of its upcoming next-gen version, and we ponder the possibility of a Fallout 5 release date. With Starfield also just around the corner, and developers at Obsidian giving their unofficial blessing to a Fallout New Vegas remake, we’re naturally left to wonder what on scorched, post-apocalyptic earth is going on.
On March 22, an update in the Fallout 4 Steam backend added a variety of file depots all with the same designation: ‘beta2.’ On April 4, several more depots were added, this name bearing the extremely tantalising name of ‘newvegas2.’
In the late hours of April 5, however, these files were swiftly removed – it’s as if Bethesda, or potentially some other interest with control over the Fallout 4 Steam archive, arrived, made a little nod and a wink, and then promptly vanished again. You can see the files for yourself, captured by SteamDB, in the image below:
Now, back in February, Tim Cain and Leonard Boyarsky, two developers from Obsidian, creator of Fallout New Vegas, said a remaster of the 2010 game would be “awesome.” Given that New Vegas holds a special place in Fallout fans’ hearts thanks to its extremely open-ended story and customisable play styles, anything even remotely connected to FNV seems like an obvious banker.
However, there are various other, more likely explanations for the appearance of ‘newvegas2’ on Steam. Firstly, it could just be a bit of a joke or a stunt by Bethesda to increase hype for the pending Fallout 4 next-gen update, which is expected to arrive later in 2023. Secondly – and somewhat more promisingly – it could point to the inclusion of some additional, Fallout New Vegas-themed DLC or extra stuff coming to Fallout 4 in the near future.
The third possibility is that Bethesda is launching a selection of Creation Club content, again with a New Vegas theme. And then there’s the fourth possibility: there really is a New Vegas sequel or remaster in the works, and this is Bethesda using the Fallout 4 Steam archive as some kind of test bed. Sounds wild, but sly Steam mentions of ‘CS2’ were the first signs of the now-confirmed Counter-Strike 2.
We’ll have to wait and see. In the meantime, the best Fallout 4 mods can help bring the 2015 sandbox game closer to a recreation of New Vegas. You might also want to try some of the other best games like Fallout, or keep an eye on the future with all the upcoming games set to arrive in 2023.