Fallout 3 remaster is reportedly still happening as Bethesda aims for Oblivion Remastered-level polish, but personally I think it should aim a little higher

1. Games
2. RPGs
3. Fallout
4. Fallout 3

Fallout 3 remaster is reportedly still happening as Bethesda aims for Oblivion Remastered-level polish, but personally I think it should aim a little higher News By Dustin Bailey published 5 February 2026

It could run at least a little better, right?

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

(Image credit: Bethesda)

• Copy link
• Facebook
• X
• Whatsapp
• Pinterest
• Flipboard
• Email

Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter GamesRadar+ Get the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful

Want to add more newsletters?

Every Friday

GamesRadar+

Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.

Signup +

Every Thursday

GTA 6 O'clock

Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.

Signup +

Every Friday

Knowledge

From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.

Signup +

Every Thursday

The Setup

Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.

Signup +

Every Wednesday

Switch 2 Spotlight

Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.

Signup +

Every Saturday

The Watchlist

Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.

Signup +

Once a month

SFX

Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!

Signup + An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletter

Don't despair, Fallout fans, that countdown might've ended in disappointment, but a new report suggests that a real Fallout 3 remaster is still on the way. Bethesda is apparently working to ensure the upgrade matches the quality of Oblivion Remastered – which could be a good or bad thing, depending on your perspective.

The existence of a Fallout 3 remaster is now effectively an open secret. There have been multiple reliable reports of its development, and now you can add The Verge's Tom Warren (paid article link) to the list. "The game is still in active development," Warren reports, "and I understand Bethesda is keen to ensure it's as well polished as the surprise release of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered last year."

Being "as well polished" as Oblivion Remastered is arguably a pretty low bar to clear. Last year's upgraded release brought a gorgeous new visual treatment to the classic open-world RPG, but it very much preserved the underlying technical faults of a game that was already a bit of a mess back in 2006.

You may like

• Fallout 3 remaster reportedly in production as Bethesda boss Todd Howard confirms the developer is working on Elder Scrolls 6, Fallout 76, "and some other things"
• If a Fallout 3 remaster is happening, I'm hoping it fixes the RPG's biggest level design issue
• Bethesda boss Todd Howard sees your comments about Fallout 3 and New Vegas remasters, says the studio is "working on all sorts of stuff": "In general, I prefer to wait"

Frame rate hitches and crashes continue to plague the remaster even now, but obviously that hasn't had too much of a diminishing effect on the RPG's wild success. I'm sure a Fallout 3 remaster in the exact same mold would sell just as well, but it would be nice if, you know, it ran at least a little better.

Oblivion Remastered studio worked on Fallout season 2, so you might as well toss them Fallout 3 and New Vegas remasters too, Bethesda.

Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. TOPICS Bethesda Softworks Bethesda Game Studios Dustin BaileySocial Links NavigationStaff Writer

Dustin Bailey joined the GamesRadar team as a Staff Writer in May 2022, and is currently based in Missouri. He's been covering games (with occasional dalliances in the worlds of anime and pro wrestling) since 2015, first as a freelancer, then as a news writer at PCGamesN for nearly five years. His love for games was sparked somewhere between Metal Gear Solid 2 and Knights of the Old Republic, and these days you can usually find him splitting his entertainment time between retro gaming, the latest big action-adventure title, or a long haul in American Truck Simulator.

View More

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

Logout Read more Fallout 3 remaster reportedly in production as Bethesda boss Todd Howard confirms the developer is working on Elder Scrolls 6, Fallout 76, "and some other things"    If a Fallout 3 remaster is happening, I'm hoping it fixes the RPG's biggest level design issue    Bethesda boss Todd Howard sees your comments about Fallout 3 and New Vegas remasters, says the studio is "working on all sorts of stuff": "In general, I prefer to wait"    Excitement for Fallout 3 and New Vegas remasters raised and subsequently dashed by Steam glitch    Oblivion Remastered studio worked on Fallout season 2, so Bethesda might as well toss them a Fallout 3 remaster    Amazon's Fallout countdown leads not to the Fallout 3 and New Vegas remasters, but a 3D tour of Mr House's penthouse    Latest in Fallout Fallout 4 arrives this month on Switch 2, and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is coming in May    Amazon's Fallout countdown leads not to the Fallout 3 and New Vegas remasters, but a 3D tour of Mr House's penthouse    Oblivion Remastered studio worked on Fallout season 2, so Bethesda might as well toss them a Fallout 3 remaster    Fallout: New Vegas' example shows how Obsidian can make games faster without needing "to change everything every time"    All of the Fallout games are heavily discounted on Steam right now, giving you something to do until Fallout 5 comes out    Fallout 76 is going to get "thicker" this year, teases lead, who says Bethesda isn't just making the map bigger anymore    Latest in News Fallout 3 remaster is reportedly still happening as Bethesda aims for Oblivion Remastered-level polish    Once again, the secret best Nintendo Direct announcement was purely for retro sickos like me    Arc Raiders lowers Expedition requirement to 3 million coins, lets players "catch up" on missed skill points    Hideo Kojima is teasing something ahead of rumored State of Play, and almost everyone's thinking the same thing    Horizon lead says "we absolutely love making single-player games, and we’re going to keep making them"    Horizon Hunters Gathering playtests start in February, and you can already sign up for PS5 and PC access    GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS

1. 1Nioh 3 review: "Brutal samurai and ninja clashes across wide maps avoid retreading Elden Ring – this Soulslike is all demon killer, no filler"
2. 2This Lord of the Rings card game is a puzzle-solving masterclass
3. 3Highguard review: "A fresh but muddled FPS genre mashup that needs refinement if it's to have any staying power"
4. 4This hidden role board game makes me feel like a puppet master, so Traitors fans should listen up
5. 5Cairn review: "This climber has a grip on me – even when it loses its footing with awkward systems, the challenge remains surmountable"

1. 1Return to Silent Hill review: "Neither an impressive adaptation nor coherent enough to act as a standalone film"
2. 228 Years Later: The Bone Temple review: "The wildest and weirdest entry into the franchise yet"
3. 3Avatar: Fire and Ash review: "Still a technical marvel, with some of the year's best action filmmaking"
4. 4Five Nights at Freddy's 2 review: "We have waited two years for a Five Nights at Freddy's 1.5"
5. 5Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery review: "Brings Knives Out back to its roots for a sequel that's almost on a par with the original"

1. 1Wonder Man review: "A low-key gem that's up there with the MCU's best"
2. 2Starfleet Academy review: "It may feel a little different to what we're used to, but this is Star Trek through and through"
3. 3A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms review: "This Game of Thrones spin-off is a heartfelt and fun return to Westeros"
4. 4Stranger Things season 5 finale review: “Shows off both the best and the worst of Hawkins”
5. 5Stranger Things season 5, Volume 2 review: “All set up for a finale that has so much to deliver”