Recently, a mod for Fallout was announced that changed the main location of the game. Rather than having the game set in America, this mod moves the title to London. A mod is a good start, but this could be the perfect time to start looking overseas for the next Fallout adventure, and the United Kingdom is perfect as a setting.
Fallout, as a series, has focused on the American setting for a number of reasons. The main lore of the game states that the conflict that destroyed the world was between America and China. While other countries are mentioned occasionally, they are rarely the focal point. This makes sense in-universe as there is no way for the characters to know the state of the other countries, or even if they ever existed.
One thing Fallout has always done when creating its worlds is to look at both culture and the mythology of the country. These different factors are used to help create enemies and design quest lines. For instance, Fallout 76‘s Mothman was a parallel of old American myths like Bigfoot. The British Isles have been around for a long time, and their mythology has been slowly influenced by numerous cultures and traditions. This offers Bethesda a wealth of new sources to create new and interesting enemies and quests, from something as simple as the classic knight’s quest made famous by the tales of King Arthur to the river spirit Jenny Greenteeth who drags people to a watery grave. Britain’s reputation as a land of magic could also help add a more spiritual edge to the Fallout wasteland.
This long history has also influenced the different subcultures that have appeared within the UK. Fallout has often used historical groups as inspiration for its factions. Most notable would be the Minutemen, who are based on the soldiers of the revolutionary war. Bethesda could draw upon a wealth of different subcultures in a UK-based Fallout game. Players could walk across the land and see Knights battling against punks to control a small town. They could explore a new town to find it locked in a power struggle between Redcoats and Scottish highlanders. This vast history would allow for each group to feel different yet also familiar. This familiarity would also be felt by American audiences as well and help to keep them interested. For the most part, America and Britain are very similar; they both speak the same language and hold very similar values. However, this would further accentuate the cultural differences Bethesda could work in.
Fallout’s lore is one of the best aspects of the series, but it has lead to a problem with its games. The series has begun to hit the same notes regarding its factions and the people in the world. There is usually always some form of the Brotherhood of Steel, and usually, they are engaged with the Super Mutants in one way or another. This has started to make a lot of the conflicts come across as stale. Moving the game to another country gives it a chance for a fresh start and allows the story to explore new parts of the game’s lore without relating it to known cannon.
While Fallout has managed to keep a solid line of games over the years, it is time for it to start looking for a new avenue. The Fallout games will always remain a staple for many gamers, but the risk of stagnation is always present. Bethesda needs to start looking for new stories to tell and new ideas to explore, and the UK would be a great place to start.
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