Summary
Since its inception in 1997,Fallout’s vision of a post-nuclear society and landscape has become one of the most widely known depictions in all of gaming and even beyond. With its retro-future Americana-centric culture and mix of morbidity and comedy,Fallouthas become synonymous with the post-apocalyptic genre. Across its entries, players have emerged from various Vaults on both coasts of the country to explore and attempt to survive in the ravaged wasteland. Although developer Bethesda is currently focusing mostly on supporting its newest IP,Starfield,as well as continuing work on the highly awaitedThe Elder Scrolls 6,Fallout 5is expected to eventually follow.
InFallout 4, fans are thrust into the ruins of Boston, MA., and its surrounding areas over 200 years after the bombs dropped during The Great War.FO4’s first major post-launch story DLC then sent players to a nearby location that had been firmly established in lore, but never before realized in-universe. Set in the Nuka-World amusement park, the titular DLC gave fans an adventure through its wonders and dangers. GivenNuka-World’s historyin addition to its connections to other core parts of the franchise, it seems almost necessary then thatFallout 5should see gamers revisit it in some form.
Fallout 4’s Nuka-World Is Itching For Another Trek to It in Fallout 5
Nuka-World Is Primed for a Reprise in Fallout 5
By the timeFallout 4’s Sole Survivordiscovers it, Nuka-World is lorded over by a group of raiders who had wrestled control of it and enslaved a conclave of traders that had previously settled there. Attempting to use it as a base for wider operations, they had begun to turn Nuka-World into a veritable fortress, as the park’s defenses were formidable. However, the endeavor began to break down, with the various subsections of gangs becoming increasingly unsatisfied with the leadership of Overboss Colter.
Colter had his minions set up a signal broadcasting out into the wastes in hopes of attracting victims to Nuka-World to force them to participate in his death sports. While this initially quelled dissent, in predictable fashion, tensions soon began to boil over again, and players find themselves embroiled in a situation fraught with tensions. The Survivor is given the choice toremove Colter and take over as leaderthemselves, or turn against the entire collection to free Nuka-World from their grasp. Nuka-World is thus set up for players to possibly see these repercussions, or even a completely different side of it, inFallout 5.
Fallout 76also contains a version of Nuka-World, in the form of Nuka-World on Tour, akin to a traveling carnival.
How Fallout 5 Could See a Return of Nuka-World
Though the source of much speculation,Fallout 5’s settingremains unknown, although some rumors and clues point towards it returning to the West Coast, specifically San Francisco. As Nuka-World is clearly inspired by real-life parks like Disneyland, it’s possible that a second location could be shown in the fifth installment, although there has not been mention of one located there previously. Even if it isn’t part of the base game, though, there are various other waysFallout 5could still reprise Nuka-World.
Fallout 4’s second DLC, Far Harbor, sent players to Maine, well away from Massachusetts.Fallout 5could do something similar by having an expansion devoted to Nuka-World separate from its central location. Depending on its timeline,Fallout 5might depict Nuka-World prior to the events ofFO4, showing it as a burgeoning trading hub before being overrun. Conversely, if it occurs in the aftermath, some of the decisions fans could make regarding Nuka-World might be considered canon, and this would naturally inform what Nuka-World might look like in the fifth title. In any case, as Nuka-World and its products are such an iconic part ofFallout’s world, and having already given fans a compelling vision of it, the next game should look to including it again in an interesting or surprising way.
