Former Fallout developer at Black Isle Studios and Obsidian Entertainment, Chris Avellone doesn’t mince his words when it comes to talking about Bethesda’s work.
We can say it, Fallout has definitely been talked about a lot in recent weeks. Indeed, beyond the few rumors reporting the possible arrival of new remastersit is above all Bethesda which did not fail to put the franchise back in the spotlight with the launch of the second season from the series Prime Video. But between two speeches from the studio, one of the developers who worked on Fallout 2 and Fallout New Vegas did not fail to express himself on the work of Bethesda, and we must admit that it is a little salty.
Former Fallout Developer Speaks Out About Bethesda’s Work
Some may not know it yet, but before ending up in the hands of Bethesda with Fallout 3 in 2008, the franchise actually belonged to another publisher: Interplay Productions. This explains why the first two opuses were designed by another studio, Black Isle Studios, to which Chris Avellone notably belonged. Because yes, before founding Obsidian Entertainment to bring to life a new generation of RPGs, including Fallout New Vegas, the creator had the opportunity to serve as a designer on Fallout 2.
Suffice to say, therefore, that the franchise is far from being unknown to him, which undoubtedly explains why he indulged in some rather spicy declarations concerning Bethesda’s vision on it. “I don’t think Bethesda hates Fallout”he began by responding to the remark of an Internet user affirming that“we cannot say [que la série Prime Video] was made by people who love Fallout ». However, he adds: “They just don’t fully understand its origins, and probably don’t care.”.
“They own the franchise and just want to implement their vision of Fallout, make it the standard. This usually results in a colorful and superficial theme park” he then says bluntly, even if he still notes “a few exceptions like Far Harbor, Point Lookout – and I was one of those who liked The Pitt”. However, “theme parks appeal to some” underlines Avellone. “So if people are having fun, that’s fine with me.”. Even if, from a completely personal point of view, he himself is not always in agreement with the studio’s vision.
“I don’t hate Bethesda”
“For my part, I don’t hate Bethesda” he specifies in fact. “There are things they do well (open-world exploration), and other things they do poorly (telling linear stories in open-world games, but also their inability to understand how to use the Speech skill). But each developer has its advantages and disadvantages » concludes the former developer of Fallout 2 and New Vegas. Responses which, inevitably, did not fail to cause a lot of ink to flow among the community.
Source : Chris Avellone
