Fallout 5 Confirmed, Castlevania Previews, Marathon Director Departs
Jul 17, 2026 · 4d ago
Bethesda has completely upended the gaming industry with a massive roadmap that outlines the future of its most beloved franchises. Highly anticipated revivals are proving their worth to critics, even as major live-service projects and first-party studios continue to weather executive departures and the fallout of industry-wide layoffs.
Bethesda Confirms Fallout 5 and Fallout Remasters Alongside Obsidian Collaboration
Bethesda Game Studios has officially unveiled its multi-year development roadmap, confirming that Fallout 5 is currently in pre-production and will be built on the newly developed Creation Engine 3 . In a massive surprise for fans of the post-apocalyptic franchise, the studio also announced that remasters of both Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas are actively in development for modern consoles . Bethesda has also officially partnered with sister studio Obsidian Entertainment for an entirely new, unannounced Fallout project, with executive producer Todd Howard dismissing long-standing rumors of a rivalry between the two developers .
While the Fallout franchise is receiving a massive influx of resources, Bethesda clarified that its primary focus remains on the development of The Elder Scrolls VI, which is currently in full production . Howard reassured fans that the team is playing the highly anticipated fantasy RPG every day and is incredibly pleased with its current state . The developer also committed to the long-term future of its sci-fi RPG Starfield, which has officially surpassed 17 million players, by teasing a major Starborn DLC expansion planned for release in 2027 .
Castlevania Belmonts Curse Previews Promise a Triumphant Return to 2D Action
The first hands-on previews for Castlevania: Belmont's Curse have arrived, and critics are calling the upcoming 2D action-platformer a potential masterpiece . Developed by Dead Cells creator Evil Empire and publisher Konami, the game is scheduled to launch on October 15, 2026, for PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch . Early impressions praise the game's lightning-fast combat and fluid whip mechanics, describing the gameplay as a modernized, high-speed take on the classic franchise formula . While the game is not directly connected to the popular Netflix animated series, the developers noted that the show's cinematic style heavily inspired the game's visual presentation .
Marathon Game Director Joseph Ziegler Suddenly Departs Bungie
In a sudden blow to Sony's live-service ambitions, Marathon game director Joseph Ziegler has announced his departure from Bungie . Ziegler, who previously worked on Valorant before joining Bungie, left his position just four months after the multiplayer shooter's initial launch . The departure was not previously communicated and comes at a turbulent time for the developer, which has faced ongoing organizational struggles . Ziegler shared on social media that he is moving on to a new opportunity elsewhere, leaving the future direction of Bungie's high-profile sci-fi shooter uncertain .
id Software Creative Director Hugo Martin Rejects Xbox Layoff Rumors
Following Microsoft's recent wave of 1,600 layoffs across its gaming division, id Software creative director Hugo Martin has publicly pushed back against reports that the Doom developer was "gutted" or "nerfed into the ground" . During a recent livestream for Doom: The Dark Ages, Martin insisted that the studio still retains the necessary talent to build its signature games and technology, noting that the team is currently around the same size as it was during the development of 2016's Doom . The layoffs have still drawn significant backlash, with the Communications Workers of America filing unfair labor practice complaints against Microsoft, accusing the tech giant of unlawfully firing workers during the restructuring .
