Bethesda will release the Enclave military base Raven Rock as an official Fallout 76 expansion next year. With this, the studio surprisingly bridges the gap to the cult hit Fallout 3.
The announcement hit X without warning. Bethesda is using the current wave to simultaneously put Fallout 5 into pre-production and Remasters of Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas to confirm. However, the real focus for the near future lies on the MMO spin-off.
Raven Rock is no stranger to the lore. In Fallout 3, the heavily fortified compound in the Capital Wasteland was the Enclave headquarters and home to President John Henry Eden. Since Fallout 76 takes place only a few decades after the nuclear apocalypse, we experience the base long before the events surrounding the Lone Wanderer.
The team has already proven with expansions like Steel Dawn that it can write strong, classic Fallout stories. Now they're digging deep into the nostalgia box.
A diversionary tactic from the executive suite?
Behind the scenes, however, things are in turmoil. The Bethesda employees' union is already warning against being blinded by the sudden flood of news. Xbox recently carried out massive layoffs that also hit Bethesda hard. So the hype leaves a bitter taste. Big announcements are, after all, a great way to absorb community discontent.
The story idea is strong. Raven Rock has the potential to fill the often-criticized lore of Fallout 76 with real substance. Nevertheless, a bitter aftertaste remains due to the harsh reality faced by developers behind the screens. We got food, but the price was high.
What do you think of the return to Raven Rock – will a Fallout 3 prequel save the MMO for you, or does the setting leave you cold?
