Fallout 5 isn’t happening anytime soon. That’s a fact that we’ve all come to terms with.

As much as Bethesda is attempting to ramp up efforts on what’s next for the Fallout franchise given the immensely positive reception to Prime Video’s TV adaptation, that doesn’t exactly mean we’re going to get a mainline game out of nowhere.

Why? Well, Bethesda is hard at work at The Elder Scrolls VI – a game that’s already long overdue.

It’s going to be all hands on deck on that project.

Resources certainly won’t be diverted away to Fallout 5, especially as Starfield is still receiving post-launch support.

I’d also like to stress that there are very high expectations for The Elder Scrolls VI and so following Starfield’s divisive launch, devs are going to want to take the time to get things right.

All of this is to say that it could be the next decade before Fallout 5 is a tangible thing so naturally, fans have taken to theorising about what’s next to kill time.

The most prevalent theory suggests that the next instalment could be taking us to California.

This theory was outlined by Reddit user QuicklyCat who explained that setting the game within the New California Republic might not make for thrilling prospects due to its relative stability.

That might explain why in Prime Video’s Fallout TV show, the plot centres around the decline of the New California Republic and the nuking of its capital.

In making the NCR more disparate, it makes it far more likely of a region we might explore in-game – and we know that the show is canon.

I have to say, it is somewhat of a convincing theory. I’m just wondering if that would have Fallout’s follow-up seasons and Fallout 5 treading on each other’s toes too much.

“Ya know, I actually think this is possible. Knowing Bethesda, it’ll probably be a bit shallow, but if they do a good story of a reeling weak state trying to recover after such a loss, it could be cool,” commented RaccoonMusketeer.

Verdun3ishop suggested setting the game within the fall itself as it would “open up lots of choices for the player. Do they try to resolve the issues and help the NCR? Do they work to reform their issues or do that side with factions against them? That’s a better ground than what’s been set up with the show.”

I feel it’s far more likely we’ll be transported to a completely new setting but the truth is that we don’t know.