Bethesda likely lacks source code and engineering capacity for a Fallout: New Vegas remaster
Summary
Chris Avellone says Bethesda cannot remaster New Vegas without source code Obsidian never delivered.
Obsidian CEO Feargus Urquhart declined a $10,000 milestone to hand over the full codebase and build pipeline.
Avellone suspects the refusal was deliberate leverage over perceived underpayment on the original project.
The only viable technical path mirrors Oblivion Remastered's UE5 wrapper approach.
"I don't think Bethesda has the engineering knowhow to make a remaster of New Vegas at all"
01
Obsidian withheld the source code Bethesda needed to rebuild New Vegas
Bethesda's final milestone offered Obsidian $10,000 for full source code and build capability.
Urquhart allegedly refused to cash the cheque or deliver the assets.
Avellone suspects Urquhart felt New Vegas "cheated him out of X amount of money."
"For reasons unknown to me, but I have suspicions, Feargus decided not to cash out that milestone, and did not deliver it"
Bethesda may hold code fragments, but no one Avellone spoke to could reassemble a working build.
02
Oblivion Remastered's UE5 wrapper is the only proven technical route
Virtuos built Oblivion Remastered by forking UE5 over the original Gamebryo engine.
Avellone calls this "one of the only ways they could do" a New Vegas remaster.
He recommends Bethesda test the process on Fallout 3 first to surface technical problems.
Leaked Microsoft court documents and recent reports suggest a Fallout 3 remaster remains in development.
03
Shared Microsoft ownership has not dissolved inter-studio rivalry
Avellone argues common ownership does not translate to collaboration willingness between studios.
He speculates Todd Howard negotiated creative autonomy over Bethesda IP as an acquisition condition.
"In my opinion, Bethesda did not have to sell to Microsoft at all"
That leverage likely means external studios cannot access Fallout IP without Howard's approval.
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SYNTHESIZED FROM:
- Fallout: New Vegas designer says don't hold your breath for an Oblivion-style remaster: "I don't think Bethesda has the engineering knowhow" | GamesRadar+
- Fallout: New Vegas dev says don't expect a remaster, argues Bethesda doesn't have the source code or 'the engineering knowhow' | PC Gamer
- Fallout Dev: Bethesda Doesn't Have "Engineering Know-How" for Remaster
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