The Wasteland Awaits: Every Major Fallout Release Date Confirmed (TV Show, Next-Gen, & Fallout 5)

The question "When is Fallout coming out?" has never had a more complex—or exciting—answer, as the franchise is currently firing on all cylinders with a hit TV show, a major game update, and the long-awaited sequel officially greenlit. As of December 12, 2025, the most anticipated release is the return of the Amazon Prime Video series, but the future of the video game world is also clearer than ever, with a free next-gen upgrade for *Fallout 4* having already arrived and a definitive timeline for *Fallout 5* finally emerging from the nuclear dust.

This comprehensive guide cuts through the speculation to give you the confirmed dates and the most realistic release windows for every major *Fallout* project currently in development. Whether you are a fan of the post-apocalyptic open-world RPGs, a new viewer of the critically acclaimed TV adaptation, or a long-time Vault Dweller, here is the definitive schedule for when you can next explore the irradiated Wasteland.

The Definitive Fallout Release Schedule: TV Show, Game Updates, and Fallout 5

The *Fallout* universe, created by Black Isle Studios and now shepherded by Bethesda Game Studios, has seen a massive resurgence in popularity thanks to the success of the television series. This has put pressure on developers to deliver new content, resulting in a three-pronged schedule for fans to track.

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The key takeaway is that while the next major game, *Fallout 5*, is a long way off, the TV series provides an immediate and highly anticipated return to the lore of Vault-Tec and the Brotherhood of Steel. Meanwhile, the current-gen game experience has been significantly enhanced.

When is Fallout Season 2 Coming Out?

The biggest and most immediate release for the *Fallout* franchise is the second season of the hit television show. The first season, which debuted in April 2024, was a critical and commercial smash, bringing the world of Vault Dwellers, Power Armor, and Ghouls to a massive new audience.

The official premiere date for *Fallout* Season 2 is December 17, 2025. The new season will be available exclusively on Amazon Prime Video. Unlike the first season, which dropped all episodes at once, Season 2 is scheduled to release weekly on Wednesdays, starting on December 17, 2025, and concluding with the season finale on February 4, 2026.

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The second season will continue the story threads left open by the finale, which saw Lucy MacLean (Ella Purnell) venturing into the irradiated landscape with The Ghoul (Walton Goggins). Fans are eager to see the show's interpretation of the iconic New Vegas setting, which was teased in the final moments of Season 1.

• Release Date: December 17, 2025
• Platform: Amazon Prime Video
• Format: Weekly episodes (8 total)
• Key Entities: Lucy MacLean, The Ghoul, Maximus, Brotherhood of Steel, New Vegas

Fallout 4 Next-Gen Update: What You Need to Know Now

While many players are focused on the future, Bethesda provided a significant, free upgrade to one of its most beloved titles, *Fallout 4*. The long-awaited next-gen update was designed to bring the 2015 RPG up to modern console standards, capitalizing on the renewed interest in the series.

The *Fallout 4* next-gen update was released on April 25, 2024. This free upgrade was available for owners of the game on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, as well as PC players. The main attraction of the update was the introduction of native applications for the current-gen consoles, which allowed for two key performance modes:

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• Performance Mode: Targets 60 frames per second (FPS) with a dynamic resolution.
• Quality Mode: Targets 30 FPS with an increased resolution.

The update also included various stability improvements, bug fixes, and new Creation Club content, such as the Enclave Remnants questline and various weapon skins. A subsequent patch, often referred to as "Update 2," was also released on May 13, 2024, to address various issues that arose from the initial next-gen launch. If you own *Fallout 4*, this upgrade is essential for the best modern Wasteland experience.

Fallout 5 Release Date: The Long Wait After The Elder Scrolls VI

For many core fans, the ultimate question is the release date of the next mainline installment, *Fallout 5*. The short answer is that the wait will be significant, but the development path is now officially confirmed by Bethesda Game Studios and its director, Todd Howard.

*Fallout 5* is officially "fully greenlit" but will not begin full production until after Bethesda Game Studios completes *The Elder Scrolls VI*. This places *Fallout 5* firmly at the back of Bethesda's current development pipeline, which is famously sequential. The studio's focus is currently split between supporting their 2023 title *Starfield* and the development of *The Elder Scrolls VI*, which is expected to be their next major single-player release.

Given the massive development cycles of modern AAA open-world RPGs—*Starfield* took many years—the estimated release window for *The Elder Scrolls VI* is likely no earlier than 2028. Following that release, the full development team would then transition to *Fallout 5*. This leads to the current, widely accepted estimates for the *Fallout 5* release date:

• Earliest Realistic Estimate: 2029–2031
• Conservative Estimate: 2032–2035

While these dates may seem far off, the confirmation that the game is next in line after *The Elder Scrolls VI* provides a clear roadmap. The success of the TV show has also reportedly led to increased interest in potential spin-off games, possibly developed by other studios like Obsidian Entertainment, who created *Fallout: New Vegas*. However, no official announcements for a non-Bethesda mainline *Fallout* title have been made.

The Fallout Franchise: Topical Authority and Key Entities

Understanding the future of *Fallout* requires a look at the key players and concepts that define its topical authority. The franchise is a cornerstone of the post-apocalyptic genre, blending dark humor with serious moral choices in a retro-futuristic setting.

The core of the series revolves around the aftermath of the Great War of 2077, where survivors emerge from underground shelters called Vaults to explore the irradiated Wasteland. The lore is rich with political factions, advanced technology, and iconic creatures.

Key People and Studios:

• Todd Howard: The Executive Producer and Director at Bethesda Game Studios who has overseen the modern *Fallout* titles (*Fallout 3*, *Fallout 4*, *Fallout 76*).
• Bethesda Game Studios (BGS): The primary developer of the mainline *Fallout* series and the studio currently developing *Fallout 5*.
• Amazon Prime Video / Kilter Films: The production company and streaming service responsible for the highly successful *Fallout* TV show.
• Obsidian Entertainment: The studio responsible for the fan-favorite spin-off, *Fallout: New Vegas*, which is often rumored to be a candidate for a future *Fallout* project.

Core Entities and LSI Keywords:

• Vault-Tec: The mysterious corporation responsible for the Vaults and their often-sinister social experiments.
• Power Armor: The iconic, heavy-duty combat armor worn by the Brotherhood of Steel and other factions.
• Brotherhood of Steel (BOS): A quasi-religious technological organization dedicated to hoarding and preserving pre-war technology.
• Ghouls: Mutated humans with severe radiation damage, often immortal, as popularized by the TV show's character, The Ghoul.
• Wasteland: The common term for the post-nuclear environment, whether it be the Capital Wasteland, the Commonwealth, or the Mojave Desert.
• S.P.E.C.I.A.L.: The acronym for the core statistics system (Strength, Perception, Endurance, Charisma, Intelligence, Agility, and Luck) used in the RPG games.

In summary, the immediate future of *Fallout* is dominated by the TV show, with Season 2 premiering in December 2025. The next-gen update for *Fallout 4* has already provided a modern gaming experience. The wait for *Fallout 5* will be long, but the knowledge that it is the confirmed project after *The Elder Scrolls VI* gives fans a clear, though distant, target to look forward to.