One theory claims that the nextFalloutgame will give its post-apocalyptic golden era treatment to the Bay Area, and that presents a wealth of opportunity for Bethesda. Culturally, historically, geographically, and architecturally, San Francisco is a strong candidate forFallout 5’s setting, and a true-to-life, era-appropriate military experiment undergone in that area seems like just the sort of corporate contracted shenanigans that Vault-Tec would be involved with.
In 2022, Todd Howard reaffirmed the existence ofFallout 5. Set as Bethesda’s next major title afterElder Scrolls 6, its projected release window is still a ways off. There is hope, however, that the timeline may now be abridged, with Microsoft’s shifting priorities following the acquisition of Bethesda. Given the runaway success of Amazon Prime’sFalloutseries along with therenewed relevence ofFallout 4after its next-gen update, the incentive for Microsoft to dump resources into spurring work onFallout 5grows by the day.
Fallout 5 May Take Players Back to the West Coast
Based on some dialog from Conrad Kellogg inFallout 4,bolstered by the IP’s vast reservoir of lore about the New California Republic, and given momentum by various internet rumblings, the current leadingcandidate forFallout 5’s settingis San Francisco. From the Golden Gate Bridge and Coit Tower, to its expansive Fisherman’s Wharf and the infamous Alcatraz Island, there are countless landmarks just begging to get theFalloutmakeover in San Francisco, but its mostFallout-esquefeature is not a physical fixture of the city, but a sordid chapter of its past.
San Francisco’s Operation Sea-Spray Explained
In September 1950, the U.S. Navy conducted what would go on to be known as Operation Sea-Spray, a covert experiment on biological warfare, where various bacteria were sprayed over an unsuspecting Bay Area. The plan was to create a simulated bio-terror attack with harmless agents, so that the breadth of any potential catastrophe could be studied, giving crucial data to mitigate or repel an actual attack. As it turned out, however, the bacteria were not quite as harmless as advertised; the bacteria were sprayed at volume enough to give all the city’s 800,000 inhabitants a potent dose, and several residents were stricken with an exceedingly rare form of urinary tract infection as a result.
Macabre experiments on an unassuming populace is a hallmark of Vault-Tec Industries, and medical experiment-spurred mutations areright on brand forFalloutenemy design. This makes Operation Sea-Spray almost too perfect a fit for utilizing and satirizing inFallout 5.
Operation Sea-Spray Could Fit Right Into Fallout’s Historical Fiction Traditions
It would not be the first timeFallouthad incorporated real events and prognostications in the games. Its nuclear-powered cars are based on the Ford Nucleon concept art, and its various robots like Mr. Handy and Liberty Prime are heavily inspired from 1950’s sci-fi books and movies. EveryFalloutsetting has wasteland versions of real locations, as well as a respect for its regional histories, especially between the years of 1940-1960. All of which furthers the case that Operation Sea-Spray would make a fantastic bit of Americanhistory to lambast inFallout 5.
Fallout 5 Remains Far on the Horizon
Even with the means andmotivation to prioritizeFallout 5, it is still slated behind a game that will not release until 2026 at the absolute earliest. With no official press announcements, teaser trailer, or even so much as a title banner, fans can only imagine howFallout 5will look and play. The tepid response toStarfieldhighlighted a trademark design beginning to show its age, and Bethesda will undoubtedly be adapting feedback and innovating on its approaches to storytelling and world-building. By the timeFallout 5releases, it could be a massive departure from the Bethesda RPG style, but only time will tell.
