It's been a long time coming. For years, we've dealt with false promotions and lies about its existence, to the point that last week, when more concrete rumours started to surface, we were all but ready to write it off as another red herring. But it's true. Posted just last week on Twitter, Bethesda have confirmed that Fallout 4, the fourth and long awaited instalment of the Fallout series, will be coming - and soon.
For those of you unfamiliar, Fallout is a series of role playing games games set in a desolate, post apocalyptic world. In a parallel universe that diverged from our own timeline at some point during World War II, something evidently went horribly wrong, as a nuclear war broke out in America in the 50s and 60s, leaving most the US a barren, radiation infected wasteland burned to a crisp by the proceeding nuclear winter. Anticipating the danger, many people fled into underground safety bunkers, or "Vaults" that were able to withstand the nuclear explosions going on above their heads. There they've remained, in relative safety, ever since. And that's where you come in. You are a Vault Boy. You've never seen the outside world, but it's about time you did - and it's not pretty.
Each game is set in various locations of the wasteland and at different points in the timeline. 3 sees you explore the ruins of Washington D.C, while New Vegas sets you into, you guessed it, a dark, crippled version of Las Vegas. And, if rumours from last year are to be believed, 4 will set our character into the region of Boston, so that we might see even more of this dystopian world.
The announcement began with a teasing website, on which a grey, flickering screen saying "Please Stand By" held a mysterious countdown. To what, exactly? Well, we all waited, and at last came a trailer, a short teaser trailer for a game begged for almost as much as Half-Life 3. Fallout is back, and it looks better than ever.
We're certain to hear a lot more at E3 later this week, and I'm certain the Bethesda Conference is going to be packed full to the fire safety hazard. But until then, please stand by.
