{{Short description|2010 video game}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2020}} {{Use American English|date=January 2025}} {{good article}} {{Infobox video game | title = Fallout: New Vegas | image = Free depiction of the Fallout New Vegas Xbox 360 box art (cropped).png | alt = The cover art for Fallout: New Vegas. It features a masked figure holding a pistol in their right hand. In the background, a city skyline is visible. | developer = Obsidian Entertainment | publisher = Bethesda Softworks | director = Josh Sawyer | producer = {{Unbulleted list|Mikey Dowling|Jason Fader|Matt Singh|Tess Treadwell}} | designer = Josh Sawyer | programmer = Frank Kowalkowski | artist = Joe Sanabria | writer = John Gonzalez | composer = Inon Zur | series = ''Fallout'' | engine = Gamebryo | platforms = {{Unbulleted list|Windows|PlayStation 3|Xbox 360}} | released = {{Video game release|NA|October 19, 2010|AU|October 21, 2010|EU|October 22, 2010}} | genre = Action role-playing | modes = Single-player }}
'''''Fallout: New Vegas''''' is a 2010 action role-playing game developed by Obsidian Entertainment and published by Bethesda Softworks. The game, which was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360, is set in the Mojave Desert 204 years after a devastating nuclear war. The player controls a courier who survives an assassination attempt, and becomes embroiled in a conflict between different governing factions that are vying for control of the region. ''Fallout: New Vegas'' features a freely explorable open world, and the player can engage in combat with a variety of weapons. The player can also initiate conversations with non-player characters in the form of dialogue trees, and their responses determine their reputation among the many different factions.
After the release of ''Fallout 3'' in 2008, Bethesda contracted Obsidian to develop a spin-off game in the ''Fallout'' series. The developers chose Las Vegas, Nevada, and the surrounding Mojave Desert as the setting because they evoked the 1950s imagery the series was known for, as well as the post-apocalyptic setting of ''Mad Max''. Project director Josh Sawyer wanted the story to focus on greed and excess, and used the history of Las Vegas as an inspiration. To design the game's map, Obsidian used data collected by the United States Geological Survey and reference photographs taken by Sawyer. Bethesda gave Obsidian 18 months to develop ''New Vegas'', which several journalists have noted is a very short time in which to develop a AAA game.
''Fallout: New Vegas'' was a commercial success and is estimated to have sold 11.6 million copies worldwide. Critics praised the writing and quests, but questioned the lack of significant gameplay changes when compared to ''Fallout 3'', and criticized the numerous glitches present at launch. Six pieces of downloadable content for the game, including four story-based add-ons that added new areas for the player to explore, were released. Since its release, fans and journalists have re-evaluated ''New Vegas'' and it is now regarded as one of the best games in the ''Fallout'' series{{efn-ua|Attributed to multiple references:<ref>{{cite web |last=Wald |first=Heather |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/best-fallout-games/ |title=The best Fallout games, ranked from worst to best |website=GamesRadar+ |date=July 22, 2021 |access-date=August 8, 2021 |archive-date=August 8, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210808141615/https://www.gamesradar.com/best-fallout-games/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Watts |first=Steve |url=https://www.gamespot.com/gallery/best-fallout-games/2900-5249/ |title=Best Fallout Games, Ranked |website=GameSpot |date=April 10, 2024 |access-date=May 4, 2024 |archive-date=May 5, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240505060540/https://www.gamespot.com/gallery/best-fallout-games/2900-5249/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Kelly |first=Paul |url=https://www.pcgamesn.com/fallout/games-best |title=The best Fallout games ranked |website=PCGamesN |date=April 24, 2024 |access-date=May 4, 2024 |archive-date=May 7, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240507030623/https://www.pcgamesn.com/fallout/games-best |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Wright |first=Jonathan |url=https://www.destructoid.com/every-fallout-game-ranked-best-to-worst/ |title=Every Fallout game, ranked best to worst |website=Destructoid |date=April 30, 2024 |accessdate=December 24, 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240304185112/https://www.destructoid.com/every-fallout-game-ranked-best-to-worst/ |archivedate=March 4, 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Stone |first=Sam |url=https://www.escapistmagazine.com/all-fallout-games-ranked-from-worst-to-best/ |title=All Fallout Games, Ranked From Worst to Best |website=The Escapist |date=May 15, 2024 |accessdate=December 24, 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240204132454/https://www.escapistmagazine.com/all-fallout-games-ranked-from-worst-to-best/ |archivedate=February 4, 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref>}} and as one of the greatest video games ever made.{{efn-ua|Attributed to multiple references:<ref>{{cite web |author=Anon. |title=The 500 Best Video Games of All Time |url=https://www.polygon.com/features/2017/11/27/16158276/polygon-500-best-games-of-all-time-500-401 |website=Polygon |access-date=December 1, 2017 |date=November 27, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180303210843/https://www.polygon.com/features/2017/11/27/16158276/polygon-500-best-games-of-all-time-500-401 |archive-date=March 3, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |author=Anon. |magazine=Game Informer |title=The Top 300 Games of All Time |date=April 2018 |issue=300 |issn=1067-6392}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Anon. |title=The Top 100 Video Games of All Time |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/the-best-100-video-games-of-all-time |website=IGN |access-date=December 31, 2021 |date=December 31, 2021 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20211231162533/https://www.ign.com/articles/the-best-100-video-games-of-all-time |archivedate=December 31, 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Leedham |first1=Robert |last2=White |first2=Sam |url=https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/best-video-games-all-time |title=The 100 greatest video games of all time, ranked by experts |website=GQ |date=May 10, 2023 |access-date=May 11, 2023 |archive-date=May 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230510142624/https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/best-video-games-all-time |url-status=live}}</ref>}}
==Gameplay== [[File:Fallout NV gameplay.jpg|thumb|''Fallout: New Vegas'' features a wide variety of weapons that players can use in combat. Here, the player fights an enemy known as a Deathclaw with a varmint rifle.|alt=A large creature is running on two legs. An unseen person is pointing a gun at the creature.]]
''Fallout: New Vegas'' is an action role-playing game that can be played from either a first-person or a third-person perspective.<ref name="IGN Review" /><ref name="ESRB">{{cite web |url=https://www.esrb.org/ratings/29721/fallout-new-vegas/ |title=Fallout: New Vegas |website=Entertainment Software Rating Board |accessdate=May 3, 2024 |archive-date=May 4, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240504230602/https://www.esrb.org/ratings/29721/fallout-new-vegas/ |url-status=live}}</ref> It is set in the Mojave Desert, 204 years after a nuclear war that decimated much of the United States.<ref name="IGN Review"/> The player controls a courier who survived an attempted killing by an unknown assailant.<ref name="Game Informer Review"/> The initial goal in the game is to complete a series of quests to find the assailant; the game eventually culminates in a war between governing factions that are vying for control of the Mojave Desert.<ref name="Game Guide">{{cite book |last=Hodgson |first=David S.J. |title=Fallout New Vegas: Prima Official Game Guide |publisher=Prima Games |year=2010 |isbn=978-0-307-46996-0}}</ref>{{rp |p=67}} In addition to the main quests, the player can participate in optional, unrelated side quests.<ref name="Game Guide"/>{{rp |p=136}} Kristinie Stiemer of ''IGN'' estimates completing every quest in the game takes around 100 hours.<ref name="IGN Review"/>
''New Vegas'' features a freely explorable open world map.<ref name="IGN Review"/> The player can explore locations ranging from small settlements and abandoned buildings to large locations like the Hoover Dam and the city of New Vegas, which was built from the remnants of Las Vegas.<ref name="ESRB"/><ref name="IGN Preview">{{cite web |last=Brudvig |first=Erik |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/04/30/fallout-new-vegas-first-look |title=Fallout: New Vegas First Look |website=IGN |date=April 30, 2010 |accessdate=April 29, 2024 |archive-date=December 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231208050558/https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/04/30/fallout-new-vegas-first-look |url-status=live}}</ref> The player is equipped with the Pip-Boy 3000, a wearable computer that serves as a menu and allows them to access items they have acquired, view detailed character statistics and active quests, and look at the map.<ref name="Manual">{{cite book|title=Fallout: New Vegas Game Manual|publisher=Obsidian Entertainment|year=2010}}</ref>{{rp |pp=6–10}} They can also use the Pip-Boy to fast travel to previously discovered locations, and listen to makeshift radio broadcasts.<ref name="Game Guide"/>{{rp |p=27}}
The player can engage in combat with non-player characters (NPCs).<ref name="IGN Preview"/> The weapons in the game include standard guns, energy-based guns, melee weapons, and explosives.<ref name="Game Guide"/>{{rp |p=30}} Guns can be equipped with additional modifications such as a scope.<ref name="IGN Preview"/> While in combat, the player can use a gameplay mechanic known as the Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System (VATS), which pauses the game and allows the player to target specific body parts of an enemy.<ref name="IGN Review"/> VATS is dictated by a statistic known as Action Points.<ref name="IGN Review"/> Attacks made using VATS cost Action Points; when the player runs out, they must wait a short period before they can use VATS again.<ref name="IGN Review"/> Some NPCs can be recruited as companions, and will accompany the player and assist them in combat.<ref name="IGN Preview"/>
===Role-playing mechanics=== At the start of the game, the player can customize the courier's appearance by choosing their gender, age, and race.<ref>{{cite web |last=Snider |first=Mike |url=https://www.usatoday.com/printedition/life/20100216/fallout16_st.art.htm |title=What happens in 'Fallout: New Vegas' |website=USA Today |date=n.d. |accessdate=April 29, 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110628210505/https://www.usatoday.com/printedition/life/20100216/fallout16_st.art.htm |archivedate=June 28, 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> They can then allocate points into seven primary attributes: strength, perception, endurance, charisma, intelligence, agility, and luck.<ref name="Game Guide"/>{{rp |p=4}} These attributes are known as SPECIAL stats.<ref name="Game Guide"/>{{rp |p=4}} There are 13 secondary attributes whose point totals are affected by SPECIAL stats: barter, energy weapons, explosives, guns, lockpick, medicine, melee weapons, repair, science, sneak, speech, survival, and unarmed.<ref name="Game Guide"/>{{rp |p=9}} If the player has a high intelligence stat, for example, they will be more proficient in the medicine, repair, and science skills at the beginning of the game.<ref name="Game Guide"/>{{rp |p=9}} The player can add more points into skill stats whenever they earn enough experience points to level up.<ref name="Game Guide"/>{{rp |p=9}} Experience points can be earned through several methods, such as killing an enemy or completing a quest.<ref name="Game Guide"/>{{rp |p=26}} When the player reaches an even-numbered level, they can select a permanent, beneficial upgrade known as a perk.<ref name="Game Guide"/>{{rp |p=12}} For example, the Rapid Reload perk increases the reload speed for guns by 25 percent.<ref name="Game Guide"/>{{rp |p=13}}
The player can initiate conversations with NPCs in the form of dialogue trees.<ref name="Manual"/>{{rp |p=19}} For example, early in the game a doctor tells the player that they nursed them back to health and looked through their belongings for identification.<ref name="Manual"/>{{rp |p=19}} The player can then choose to respond with one of the following dialogue options: "Thanks for patching me up, Doc.", "You shouldn't have gone through my stuff.", and "What do I do now?"<ref name="Manual"/>{{rp |p=19}} Some response options are only available if the player has enough points in a certain stat, such as 50 points in the Barter stat to ask a shopkeeper for a discount, or an Intelligence of 7 to impress someone.<ref name="Manual"/>{{rp |p=19}} The responses the player chooses during conversations with NPCs as well as any previous actions determine their reputation among the in-game factions.<ref name="IGN Preview"/><ref name="Manual"/>{{rp |p=19}} For example, if the player decides to help a faction, they may be given new armor or access to a secret base.<ref name="IGN Preview"/> If the player's actions are perceived as detrimental, a faction might send assassins to try and kill the player.<ref name="IGN Preview"/> Some factions dislike one another; if the player is helpful to one, they may be unable to complete quests for another.<ref name="Game Informer Review"/> Reputation extends to companions; some companions will leave the player if a specific faction dislikes the player.<ref name="PC Gamer 2017">{{cite web |last=Kelly |first=Andy |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/fallout-new-vegas-revisited-the-most-authentic-3d-fallout-game/ |title=Fallout: New Vegas revisited: the most authentic 3D Fallout game |website=PC Gamer |date=November 3, 2017 |accessdate=April 29, 2024 |archive-date=April 30, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240430022630/https://www.pcgamer.com/fallout-new-vegas-revisited-the-most-authentic-3d-fallout-game/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
An optional difficulty level in ''Fallout: New Vegas'' is Hardcore Mode, which adds survival mechanics the player must keep track of.<ref name="Eurogamer Review"/> For example, the player must routinely eat, drink, and sleep to avoid dying from starvation, dehydration, or sleep deprivation.<ref name="Eurogamer Review"/> Healing items gradually heal wounds but crippled limbs can only be healed by doctors, a player-owned bed, or special medication.<ref name="PC Gamer Hardcore">{{cite web |last=Stapleton |first=Dan |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/fallout-new-vegas-hardcore-mode-survival-guide/ |title=Fallout: New Vegas Hardcore mode survival guide |website=PC Gamer |date=October 19, 2010 |accessdate=April 25, 2024 |archive-date=March 11, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240311050058/https://www.pcgamer.com/fallout-new-vegas-hardcore-mode-survival-guide/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Ammunition has weight, which necessitates careful inventory management, and companions can permanently die.<ref name="PC Gamer Hardcore"/> Hardcore Mode can be enabled or disabled at any point,<ref name="PS Blog">{{cite web |last=Bergman |first=Jason |url=https://blog.playstation.com/2010/10/14/your-fallout-new-vegas-ps3-questions-answered-hardcore-mode-morality-combat-and-more/comment-page-2/ |title=Your Fallout: New Vegas PS3 Questions Answered: Hardcore Mode, Morality, Combat and More |website=PlayStation Blog |date=October 14, 2010 |accessdate=April 25, 2024 |archive-date=April 25, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240425115315/https://blog.playstation.com/2010/10/14/your-fallout-new-vegas-ps3-questions-answered-hardcore-mode-morality-combat-and-more/comment-page-2/ |url-status=live}}</ref> but if the player completes the entire game with it enabled, they unlock an achievement.<ref name="PS Blog"/>
==Plot== {{hatnote|"Mr. House" redirects here. It is not to be confused with Dr. House. For other uses, see House (surname).}}
===Setting=== [[File:Flag of the New California Republic.svg|thumb|Flag of the New California Republic, based on the Flag of California|alt=A drawing of a bear with two heads. To the left is a red star. Underneath the two-headed bear are the words NEW CALIFORNIA REPUBLIC.]]
''Fallout: New Vegas'' takes place in 2281, 204 years after a devastating nuclear war between the United States and China, known as the Great War.<ref name="IGN Timeline">{{cite web|last=Kim|first=Matt|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/fallout-official-timeline-confirmed-how-the-show-fits-in-with-the-games|title=Fallout Official Timeline Confirmed: How the Show Fits In With the Games|website=IGN|date=April 18, 2024|accessdate=April 30, 2024|archive-date=April 30, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240430034120/https://www.ign.com/articles/fallout-official-timeline-confirmed-how-the-show-fits-in-with-the-games|url-status=live}}</ref> Three major factions vie for control of the Mojave Desert, known in-game as the Mojave Wasteland: the New California Republic (NCR), a democratic republic attempting to restore representative government and maintain law and order; Caesar's Legion, a violent totalitarian army of tribal slavers inspired by the Roman legion; and Mr. House, a reclusive New Vegas businessman who commands an army of Securitron robots and rules as the city's technocratic dictator.<ref name="Polygon Retrospective">{{cite web|last=Marshall|first=Cass|url=https://www.polygon.com/gaming/24121439/fallout-new-vegas-recommendations-classic-rpg-story|title=Fallout: New Vegas endures because of big clunky story swings|website=Polygon|date=April 7, 2024|accessdate=April 30, 2024|archive-date=April 30, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240430031638/https://www.polygon.com/gaming/24121439/fallout-new-vegas-recommendations-classic-rpg-story|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="GamesRadar">{{cite web|last=Nagata|first=Tyler|url=https://www.gamesradar.com/fallout-new-vegas-review/|title=Fallout: New Vegas super review|website=GamesRadar+|date=October 22, 2010|accessdate=April 30, 2024|pages=1–3|archive-date=April 26, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240426160441/https://www.gamesradar.com/fallout-new-vegas-review/|url-status=live}}</ref> As part of an eastward expansion from California, the NCR took control of the Hoover Dam, which provides electricity to the surrounding area.<ref name="Polygon Retrospective"/> Both Caesar's Legion and Mr. House seek to control the Hoover Dam for themselves and advance their own plans for the region.<ref name="Polygon Retrospective"/> Minor factions include the Boomers, a heavily armed xenophobic tribe at Nellis Air Force Base; the Powder Gangers, escaped convicts from an NCR correctional facility; the Great Khans, a tribe of drug dealers; and the Brotherhood of Steel, a militant organization that aims to secure and hold old-world technology.<ref name="Game Guide"/>{{rp|p=43}}
===Story=== While delivering a data storage device known as the Platinum Chip to New Vegas, the courier is ambushed by mobster and casino owner Benny, who steals the Platinum Chip and shoots the courier in the head. A Securitron named Victor digs out the courier from a shallow grave, and physician Doc Mitchell nurses them back to health. The courier departs to search for Benny and the Platinum Chip. They confront Benny in a casino on the New Vegas strip; the courier can either kill Benny and recover the Platinum Chip or let him escape.
The courier's actions attract the attention of the NCR, Caesar's Legion, and Mr. House, and the three groups each attempt to recruit them to aid in their efforts. It is revealed Mr. House survived the nuclear apocalypse in a life-support chamber. He created the Platinum Chip, which contains a program capable of upgrading his Securitron army; the device was initially meant to protect Las Vegas during the Great War, but the war began before the Chip could be delivered. After the Platinum Chip was located, the courier was tasked with delivering it to Mr. House. Benny stole the Platinum Chip as part of his plan to usurp Mr. House with the assistance of a reprogrammed Securitron called Yes Man.
Hoover Dam becomes the center of the conflict between the NCR and Caesar's Legion. The player can choose which faction to support, resulting in one of four endings. If the player supports the NCR, they successfully repel the Legion's attack at Hoover Dam and annex the Mojave Wasteland into the Republic. If the player supports Caesar's Legion, they force the NCR to retreat as the Legion conquers New Vegas and the surrounding area. If the player supports Mr. House, the overwhelming Securitron army forces both the NCR and the Legion out of the area, securing control of the region for House alone. Alternatively, the player can usurp Mr. House and take control of the Securitron network themselves with the help of Yes Man, establishing an independent New Vegas.
==Development== thumb|Josh Sawyer was the project director for ''Fallout: New Vegas''.|alt=A man staring directly forward. He is wearing a white jacket. ===''Van Buren'' and Bethesda purchase=== ''Fallout: New Vegas'' began with the cancellation of ''Van Buren'', which was intended to be the third game in the mainline ''Fallout'' series.<ref name="VG247 New Vegas">{{cite web|last=Bailey|first=Kat|url=https://www.vg247.com/the-making-of-fallout-new-vegas-how-obsidians-underrated-sequel-became-a-beloved-classic|title=The Making of Fallout: New Vegas: How Obsidian's Underrated Sequel Became a Beloved Classic|website=VG247|date=December 31, 2020|accessdate=April 25, 2024|archive-date=April 14, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240414213631/https://www.vg247.com/the-making-of-fallout-new-vegas-how-obsidians-underrated-sequel-became-a-beloved-classic|url-status=live}}</ref> Black Isle Studios was set to develop a real-time game with turn-based combat set across Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, and Utah.<ref name="VG247 New Vegas" /><ref name="Retro Gamer History" /> The game was cancelled in December 2003 following the financial issues faced by Black Isle Studios' publisher, Interplay Entertainment.<ref name="VG247 Black Isle">{{cite web|last=Bailey|first=Kat|url=https://www.vg247.com/the-last-days-of-black-isle-studios|title=The Last Days of Black Isle Studios|website=VG247|date=November 24, 2017|accessdate=April 25, 2024|archive-date=April 21, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240421135314/https://www.vg247.com/the-last-days-of-black-isle-studios|url-status=live}}</ref> Prior to ''Van Buren''{{'s}} cancellation, former Black Isle and Interplay staff cofounded Obsidian Entertainment.<ref name="VG247 Black Isle" /> Over the next few years, Obsidian developed the role-playing games ''Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords'', ''Neverwinter Nights 2'', and ''Alpha Protocol'', and a canceled ''Alien'' role-playing game.<ref name="Kotaku Obsidian">{{cite web|last=Schreier|first=Jason|authorlink=Jason Schreier|url=https://kotaku.com/the-knights-of-new-vegas-5968952|title=The Knights of New Vegas|website=Kotaku|date=December 17, 2012|accessdate=April 25, 2024|archive-date=October 10, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231010002521/https://kotaku.com/the-knights-of-new-vegas-5968952|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Edge Interview">{{cite magazine|last=Pechalin|first=Andrei|title=Collected Works: Josh Sawyer|magazine=Edge|date=Christmas 2024|pages=75–76|issue=404|issn=1350-1593}}</ref>
In 2007, Bethesda Softworks purchased the ''Fallout'' intellectual property.<ref name="IGN History">{{cite web|last1=McLaughlin|first1=Rus|last2=Kaiser|first2=Rowan|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/07/21/ign-presents-the-history-of-fallout|title=IGN Presents the History of Fallout|website=IGN|date=July 21, 2010|accessdate=April 26, 2024|archive-date=July 19, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190719000608/https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/07/21/ign-presents-the-history-of-fallout|url-status=live}}</ref> The following year, Bethesda released ''Fallout 3'', which was well received by critics and sold over five million copies in 2008.<ref name="IGN History" /><ref name="Eurogamer Retrospective">{{cite web|last=Cobbett|first=Richard|url=https://www.eurogamer.net/a-brief-history-of-fallout|title=A brief history of Fallout|website=Eurogamer|date=June 5, 2015|accessdate=April 25, 2024|archive-date=March 22, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240322101811/https://www.eurogamer.net/a-brief-history-of-fallout|url-status=live}}</ref> Prior to the release of ''Fallout 3'', Bethesda had already started development on ''The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim''.<ref name="Fallout New Vegas Video">{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSw3oNnklZM|title=Fallout Retrospective - Surviving the Desert Wasteland|publisher=Bethesda Softworks|time=0:10–0:58|date=October 24, 2022|accessdate=April 25, 2024|archive-date=December 15, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231215101610/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSw3oNnklZM|url-status=live}}</ref> Bethesda wanted to support ''Fallout 3'' with more content and decided to contract another developer to create a large expansion pack.<ref name="Fallout New Vegas Video" /> Bethesda's creative director, Todd Howard, lobbied for a full game instead of an expansion pack and, based on their experience with the ''Fallout'' series, suggested Obsidian.<ref name="Fallout New Vegas Video" /> In 2007, Obsidian had rejected an offer from Bethesda to develop a ''Star Trek'' game but agreed to develop a spin-off from the ''Fallout'' main series.<ref name="Kotaku Obsidian" /><ref name="Eurogamer Interview" />
===Early development=== Bethesda wanted the game to take place on the West Coast of the United States, where the first two ''Fallout'' games are set, and Obsidian felt a similar setting would allow them to expand concepts introduced by ''Fallout 2'', like the New California Republic.<ref name="VG247 New Vegas" /><ref name="Kotaku Obsidian" /> Other proposals included setting the game in a city based on Reno, Nevada, and allowing the player to play as a human, a ghoul, or a super mutant.<ref name="Eurogamer Interview" /> The latter idea was rejected due to the technical challenges posed by armor-wearing ghouls and super mutants.<ref name="Eurogamer Interview" /> The developers chose to set the game in Las Vegas and the surrounding Mojave Desert because they evoked the 1950s imagery for which the series was known and the post-apocalyptic setting of ''Mad Max''.<ref name="VG247 New Vegas" /> At the behest of project director Josh Sawyer, Obsidian repurposed digital assets from the canceled ''Alien'' game for ''Fallout: New Vegas''.<ref name="Edge Interview" /> According to Sawyer: "[I] did not want to disrupt our pipelines at all. We basically want to use what's there – add to it, don't change it ... and make great content".<ref name="Edge Interview" /> Obsidian wanted ''New Vegas'' to take place between the events of ''Fallout 2'' and ''Fallout 3'', although Bethesda mandated each game in the series should follow chronological order.<ref name="Escapist Interview">{{cite web|last=Pitts|first=Russ|url=https://www.escapistmagazine.com/feargus-urquhart-comes-home/|title=Feargus Urquhart Comes Home|website=The Escapist|access-date=September 15, 2021|date=April 30, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160311132816/http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/video-games/editorials/interviews/7500-Feargus-Urquhart-Comes-Home|archive-date=March 11, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>
Sawyer wanted the story of ''Fallout: New Vegas'' to focus on greed and excess.<ref name="VG247 New Vegas" /> The history of Las Vegas served as an inspiration due to that city's connection with organized crime.<ref name="Making Of">{{cite AV media|title=The Making of Fallout: New Vegas|type=Documentary|publisher=Obsidian Entertainment|year=2010}}</ref> One of the working titles for the game was ''Fallout: Sin City''.<ref name="Eurogamer Interview" /> Sawyer used the assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963 as a cut-off for any historical references.<ref name="VG247 New Vegas" /> The game's narrative was structured around factional conflict as a result of fan feedback.<ref name="Kotaku Obsidian" /> Sawyer felt the factions would realistically be most concerned about access to water in the desert setting and Hoover Dam became a focal point for worldbuilding.<ref name="Edge Interview" /> During a Game Developers Conference presentation, Sawyer noted Obsidian wanted to avoid what he described as "Jesus/Hitler" moments, where factions like the NCR and Caesar's Legion were presented as straightforwardly good or evil, and aimed to make player choices come moral trade offs.<ref name="PC Gamer 2017" />
===Design and gameplay=== thumb|Obsidian designed the city of New Vegas to resemble Las Vegas in the 1950s.|alt=An old photograph of a busy street at night. There are large neon signs on every building.
To capture the ambiance of the Mojave Desert, Obsidian used data collected by the United States Geological Survey (USGS).<ref name="VG247 New Vegas"/> Sawyer traveled to Las Vegas and took reference photographs of the surrounding areas, including the nearby Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.<ref name="PCGamesN">{{cite web|last=McKeand|first=Kirk|url=https://www.pcgamesn.com/fallout-new-vegas/making-of|title=Making Fallout New Vegas was a battle against time and impolite NPCs|website=PCGamesN|date=April 12, 2024|accessdate=May 1, 2024|archive-date=April 17, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240417213044/https://www.pcgamesn.com/fallout-new-vegas/making-of|url-status=live}}</ref> Obsidian used the Las Vegas Beltway as a point of reference while designing the map because they felt circling the map with a road network would help the player navigate.<ref name="Game Developer Interview">{{cite web|last=Remo|first=Chris|url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/taking-back-i-fallout-i-|title=Taking Back Fallout|website=Game Developer|date=August 1, 2010|accessdate=May 1, 2024|archive-date=November 28, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231128172555/https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/taking-back-i-fallout-i-|url-status=live}}</ref> Bethesda requested the inclusion of large structures to serve as visual landmarks for the player.<ref name="VG247 New Vegas"/> While ''Fallout 3'' uses monuments in Washington, D.C., as visual landmarks, ''New Vegas'' uses kitschy roadside attractions, such as a large dinosaur statue based on the Cabazon Dinosaurs in Cabazon, California.<ref name="VG247 New Vegas"/><ref name="Escapist Interview"/> These attractions were motivated by a goal to differentiate ''New Vegas'' from ''Fallout 3''.<ref name="Escapist Interview"/> Locations within ''New Vegas'' are more spread out when compared to ''Fallout 3'', which largely centered around the Washington, D.C. metro.<ref name="Escapist Interview"/> Other differences include a warmer color palette for the graphics, and the inclusion of local flora, such as Joshua trees and prickly pear cacti.<ref name="Making Of"/> Obsidian wanted New Vegas to closely resemble the Las Vegas Strip in the 1950s;<ref name="Making Of"/> this means each casino is adorned with large neon signs, and their architecture is modeled on the contemporary Googie movement.<ref name="Making Of"/>
The gameplay of ''New Vegas'' remained largely unchanged from that of ''Fallout 3''.<ref name="Engadget">{{cite web|last=Kelly|first=Kevin|url=https://www.engadget.com/2010-05-05-interview-josh-sawyer-on-fallout-new-vegas.html|title=Interview: Josh Sawyer on Fallout: New Vegas|website=Engadget|date=May 5, 2010|accessdate=May 1, 2024|archive-date=July 11, 2020|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200711101358/https://www.engadget.com/2010-05-05-interview-josh-sawyer-on-fallout-new-vegas.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Obsidian instead focused on making minor adjustments, such as giving the player more tactical options while in combat.<ref name="Engadget" /> The player could now use iron sights on guns, and accuracy was greatly affected by player movement.<ref name="Engadget" /> Optional gameplay mechanics that would further evoke a sense of desert survival skills, such as item-crafting, and Hardcore Mode, were added.<ref name="VG247 New Vegas" /> According to Sawyer, the feature was added to provide an optional difficulty increase for players.<ref name="VG247 New Vegas" /> Obsidian was inspired by the ''Fallout 3'' modding community, specifically the mods that sought to improve the game with quality of life changes.<ref name="Engadget" /> Bethesda provided Obsidian with the Gamebryo engine, which had been used for ''Fallout 3''. No Obsidian staff had worked with Gamebryo, so the company hired a modder with experience making mods for ''The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion''.<ref name="VG247 New Vegas" />
===Audio=== Inon Zur composed the soundtrack of ''Fallout: New Vegas'', which was intended to evoke the soundscape of the American Southwest.<ref name="Making Of"/> While working on the soundtrack, Zur received an email that included the descriptors: "Southwest in the Future. Open, Spacious, Raw, Lonesome, Cowboy, Rattlesnake, Desert, Wind, Heat, Rust, Steel, Dirt, Grit."<ref name="GD Music">{{cite web|last=Lawlor|first=Scott|url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/audio/the-music-of-the-mojave-wasteland|title=The Music of The Mojave Wasteland|website=Game Developer|date=October 13, 2010|accessdate=May 1, 2024|archive-date=May 29, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230529163124/https://www.gamedeveloper.com/audio/the-music-of-the-mojave-wasteland|url-status=live}}</ref> Zur was inspired by the soundtrack for the film ''There Will Be Blood''; he worked with audio director Scott Lawlor to compose music for a string quartet.<ref name="Making Of"/> ''New Vegas'' has an adaptive music system, which means the soundtrack will change depending on what is happening to the player.<ref name="GD Music"/> While exploring, the music is quiet and ambient but becomes loud and powerful when the player enters combat.<ref name="GD Music"/> In addition to the original soundtrack, ''New Vegas'' includes licensed music to which the player can listen via in-game radio stations.<ref name="GD Music"/> The licensed music includes songs from the 1950s and several music genres, including country and bluegrass.<ref name="Engadget"/> Over 65,000 lines of dialogue were recorded for ''New Vegas'', which set a Guinness World Record for the most lines of dialogue in a single-player role-playing game.<ref>{{cite book|title=Guinness World Records 2011 – Gamer's Edition|year=2010|publisher=Guinness World Records|isbn=978-1-4053-6546-8|page=147|url=https://archive.org/details/guinnessworldrec0000unse_a4b2/page/147}}</ref> The game also includes celebrity voice acting from Rene Auberjonois, Felicia Day, Dave Foley, John Doman, Michael Dorn, Kris Kristofferson, Zachary Levi, Wayne Newton, Ron Perlman, Matthew Perry, William Sadler, and Danny Trejo.<ref name="Making Of"/>
===Challenges and cut content=== Bethesda gave Obsidian 18 months to develop ''Fallout: New Vegas'', which several journalists noted is a very short time in which to develop a Triple-A game.<ref name="VG247 New Vegas"/><ref name="PCGamesN"/><ref name="RPS Interview">{{cite web|last=Peel|first=Jeremy|url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/whatever-the-fallout-tv-show-does-with-new-vegas-lore-josh-sawyer-doesnt-care-it-was-never-mine|title=Whatever the Fallout TV show does with New Vegas lore, Josh Sawyer doesn't care: 'It was never mine'|website=Rock Paper Shotgun|date=April 23, 2024|accessdate=May 2, 2024|archive-date=May 3, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240503050803/https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/whatever-the-fallout-tv-show-does-with-new-vegas-lore-josh-sawyer-doesnt-care-it-was-never-mine|url-status=live}}</ref> When asked about the hastened development, Sawyer said: "We were working somewhere between forty and fifty hours a week, which is not too crazy ... It was a really tight schedule, but I don't think we had a point where we all thought 'this is crazy we can't do it.'"<ref>{{cite book|last=Lafleuriel|first=Erwan|title=Fallout. A Tale of Mutation|publisher=Third Éditions|year=2018|isbn=978-2-37784-032-8|type=E-book|page=Chapter 1 (Search phrase "Obsidian put in 18 months of hard work"}}</ref> Obsidian's lack of experience with the Gamebryo engine hindered development.<ref name="Edge Interview"/><ref name="PCGamesN"/> Programmers had to routinely run maintenance on the engine, and struggled to implement the Havok software, which was a requirement for console games.<ref name="Edge Interview"/> Sawyer recalled a specific moment when Obsidian received console development kits. They found the New Vegas Strip was not properly optimized, and had to split the area into sections that are separated by loading screens rather than being a single, continuous section.<ref name="Edge Interview"/>
The contracted development and decision to release the game on consoles meant some areas of the game needed to be cut.<ref name="PCGamesN"/> For example, there were planned settlements east of the Colorado River, including three locations that would have been controlled by Caesar's Legion and would have provided more information about the faction.<ref name="VG247 New Vegas"/> Additionally, Obsidian intended to give players the option to continue exploring the map after the story concluded, as opposed to an abrupt cessation of gameplay.<ref name="Eurogamer Ending">{{cite web|last=Kent|first=Emma|url=https://www.eurogamer.net/chris-avellone-explains-what-happened-to-fallout-new-vegass-post-game|title=The Fallout New Vegas post-game we never got to play|website=Eurogamer|date=May 31, 2019|accessdate=December 10, 2025|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20250611041934/https://www.eurogamer.net/chris-avellone-explains-what-happened-to-fallout-new-vegass-post-game|archivedate=June 11, 2025|url-status=live}}</ref> Little work had been put into designing post-story content once the beta stage of the development cycle had been reached, and Obsidian decided to prioritize optimization instead of adding content into an already unstable game.<ref name="Eurogamer Ending"/> Designer Chris Avellone noted that the post-story content would have been small, such as additional dialogue options with NPCs and changing the location of NPCs in accordance with the ending the player chose.<ref name="Eurogamer Ending"/>
==Release and downloadable content== {{multiple image | total_width = 320 | alt1 = A damaged sign at says "Welcome to Fabulous New Vegas. An obscured dinosaur statue is behind the sign. | image1 = Welcome_to_Fabulous_NEW_VEGAS_(4999592537).jpg | alt2 = A close up photo of a roulette table. Behind the table is a poster featuring drawings of a character in a blue suit. | image2 = Fallout New Vegas casino at Igromir 2010.jpg | footer = Promotional material for ''Fallout: New Vegas'' at PAX (''left'') and IgroMir (''right'') }}
''Fallout: New Vegas'' was announced in April 2009, and the first trailer was shown in February 2010.<ref>{{cite web |last=Thorsen |first=Tor |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/fallout-new-vegas-drops-fall-2010-first-trailer-debuts/1100-6249453/ |title=Fallout: New Vegas drops fall 2010, first trailer debuts |website=GameSpot |date=February 4, 2010 |accessdate=May 2, 2024 |archive-date=May 3, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240503055704/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/fallout-new-vegas-drops-fall-2010-first-trailer-debuts/1100-6249453/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Four pre-order bonuses were available for players who pre-ordered the game from Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop, Steam, and Walmart.<ref name="IGN Pre-Order">{{cite web |last=Brudvig |first=Erik |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/06/10/fallout-new-vegas-offers-pre-order-goodies |title=Fallout: New Vegas Offers Pre-Order Goodies |website=IGN |date=June 10, 2010 |accessdate=May 3, 2024 |archive-date=May 3, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240503075739/https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/06/10/fallout-new-vegas-offers-pre-order-goodies |url-status=live}}</ref> Each pre-order bonus included weapons and items the player could access at the beginning of the game.<ref name="IGN Pre-Order"/> A collectors' edition, which included the game, seven poker chips, a replica of the Platinum Chip, a deck of cards with character illustrations, a prequel graphic novel, and a making-of documentary, was announced in May 2010.<ref name="IGN Collectors">{{cite web |last=Reilly |first=Jim |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/05/11/fallout-new-vegas-collectors-edition-revealed |title=Fallout: New Vegas Collector's Edition Revealed |website=IGN |date=May 11, 2010 |accessdate=May 2, 2024 |archive-date=May 3, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240503053718/https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/05/11/fallout-new-vegas-collectors-edition-revealed |url-status=live}}</ref> Pre-order sales for ''Fallout: New Vegas'' were higher than those for ''Fallout 3'' in North America and the United Kingdom.<ref>{{cite web |last=Reilly |first=Jim |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/08/05/new-vegas-enjoying-a-bigger-fallout |title=New Vegas Enjoying A Bigger Fallout |website=IGN |date=August 5, 2010 |accessdate=May 3, 2024 |archive-date=May 3, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240503163427/https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/08/05/new-vegas-enjoying-a-bigger-fallout |url-status=live}}</ref>
''Fallout: New Vegas'' was released in North America for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 on October 19, 2010; October 21 in Australia; and October 22 in Europe.<ref name="DLCannounce">{{cite web |last=Ransom-Wiley |first=James |url=https://www.engadget.com/2010-10-18-first-fallout-new-vegas-dlc-exclusive-to-xbox-360.html |title=First Fallout: New Vegas DLC 'exclusive' to Xbox 360 |website=Engadget |date=October 18, 2010 |access-date=October 26, 2010 |archive-date=October 22, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181022163453/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/18/first-fallout-new-vegas-dlc-exclusive-to-xbox-360/ |url-status=live}}</ref> By November 8, the game had sold five million copies worldwide and garnered $300 million in revenue.<ref>{{cite web |last=Raby |first=Mark |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/fallout-new-vegas-sells-5-million-copies-generates-300-million-in-revenue-says-bethesda/ |title=Fallout: New Vegas sells 5 million copies, generates $300 million in revenue, says Bethesda |website=GamesRadar+ |date=November 8, 2010 |accessdate=May 2, 2024 |archive-date=February 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230218203341/https://www.gamesradar.com/fallout-new-vegas-sells-5-million-copies-generates-300-million-in-revenue-says-bethesda/ |url-status=live}}</ref> The market-research firm Electronic Entertainment Design and Research estimated by 2015, the game had sold 11.6 million copies worldwide.<ref>{{cite web |last=Kollar |first=Philip |url=https://www.polygon.com/2015/11/10/9673936/elder-scrolls-bigger-than-fallout-sales-data-report |title=Fallout 4 could be a bigger hit than Skyrim |website=Polygon |date=November 10, 2015 |accessdate=November 13, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151113201845/http://www.polygon.com/2015/11/10/9673936/elder-scrolls-bigger-than-fallout-sales-data-report |archive-date=November 13, 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> ''Fallout: New Vegas'' suffered from numerous glitches upon release, including crashes, corrupted saved games, and frame rate issues.<ref name="VG247 New Vegas"/> Fans and video-game journalists criticized the large number of glitches.<ref name="VG247 New Vegas"/><ref name="IGN History"/> Months after release, Bethesda published patches to fix the glitches.<ref>{{cite web |last=Reilly |first=Jim |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/11/08/comprehensive-fallout-new-vegas-patch-coming |title='Comprehensive' Fallout: New Vegas Patch Coming |website=IGN |date=November 8, 2010 |accessdate=May 3, 2024 |archive-date=May 3, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240503170027/https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/11/08/comprehensive-fallout-new-vegas-patch-coming |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Reilly |first=Jim |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/12/11/fallout-new-vegas-gets-major-update |title=Fallout: New Vegas Gets Major Update |website=IGN |date=December 10, 2010 |accessdate=May 3, 2024 |archive-date=May 3, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240503170028/https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/12/11/fallout-new-vegas-gets-major-update |url-status=live}}</ref>
''Fallout: New Vegas'' was supported with six downloadable content (DLC) add-ons, whose development was led by Avellone.<ref name="VG247 New Vegas"/> Avellone's goal was to expand the game's story and incorporate gameplay ideas that would not have worked in the base game.<ref name="VG247 New Vegas"/> Avellone cited the survival horror elements of the DLC ''Dead Money'' as an example.<ref name="VG247 New Vegas"/> Avellone said: "It would feel weird if you designed even maybe a big ''Fallout New Vegas'' level around that. But as a DLC, it felt like, 'Oh, cool. This is my trip to a horror realm.'{{sp}}"<ref name="VG247 New Vegas"/> In ''Dead Money'', the courier is captured and forced to stage a heist on Sierra Madre Casino, which is concealed by a cloud of deadly toxic vapor.<ref>{{cite web |last=Whitehead |first=Dan |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/fallout-new-vegas-dead-money-review |title=Fallout: New Vegas - Dead Money |website=Eurogamer |date=January 6, 2011 |accessdate=May 3, 2024 |archive-date=May 3, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240503181702/https://www.eurogamer.net/fallout-new-vegas-dead-money-review |url-status=live}}</ref> The second DLC was ''Honest Hearts'',<ref name="Honest Hearts">{{cite web |last=Johnston |first=Jarrod Charles |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/fallout-new-vegas-honest-hearts-dlc-review/ |title=Fallout: New Vegas Honest Hearts DLC review |website=GamesRadar+ |date=May 24, 2011 |accessdate=May 3, 2024 |archive-date=May 3, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240503181701/https://www.gamesradar.com/fallout-new-vegas-honest-hearts-dlc-review/ |url-status=live}}</ref> which is set in Zion National Park and revolves around the courier's involvement in a conflict between several tribes.<ref name="Honest Hearts"/> The third DLC, ''Old World Blues'', features B movie humor and a plot about a group of mad scientists.<ref>{{cite web |last=Cobbett |first=Richard |url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/wot-i-think-new-vegas-old-world-blues |title=Wot I Think: New Vegas: Old World Blues |website=Rock Paper Shotgun |date=July 20, 2011 |accessdate=May 3, 2011 |archive-date=April 17, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210417173250/https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/wot-i-think-new-vegas-old-world-blues |url-status=live}}</ref> The final story-driven DLC was ''Lonesome Road'', in which the player tracks another courier named Ulysses, who rejected the job of delivering the Platinum Chip to Mr. House.<ref>{{cite web |last=Whitehead |first=Dan |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/fallout-new-vegas-lonesome-road-review |title=Fallout New Vegas: Lonesome Road |website=Eurogamer |date=September 21, 2011 |accessdate=May 3, 2024 |archive-date=May 3, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240503181701/https://www.eurogamer.net/fallout-new-vegas-lonesome-road-review |url-status=live}}</ref> Two additional, non-story-driven DLC add-ons were released: ''Courier's Stash'' granted access to items that were originally released as pre-order bonuses; and ''Gun Runners' Arsenal'' added new weapons, firearm modifications, and new types of ammunition.<ref name="Other DLCs">{{cite web |last=Nunneley-Jackson |first=Stephany |url=https://www.vg247.com/fallout-new-vegas-lonesome-road-couriers-stash-and-gun-runners-arsenal-given-release-date |title=Fallout: New Vegas - Lonesome Road, Courier's Stash and Gun Runners' Arsenal given release dates |website=VG247 |date=August 25, 2011 |accessdate=May 3, 2024 |archive-date=May 3, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240503181701/https://www.vg247.com/fallout-new-vegas-lonesome-road-couriers-stash-and-gun-runners-arsenal-given-release-date |url-status=live}}</ref>
==Initial reception== {{Video game reviews |title=''Fallout: New Vegas'' |MC=84/100 <small>(PC)</small><ref name="Metacritic PC">{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/fallout-new-vegas/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |title=PC Critic Reviews |website=Metacritic |accessdate=May 3, 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240418202133/https://www.metacritic.com/game/fallout-new-vegas/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |archivedate=April 18, 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref><br />82/100 <small>(PS3)</small><ref name="Metacritic PS3">{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/fallout-new-vegas/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-3 |title=PlayStation 3 Critic Reviews |website=Metacritic |accessdate=May 3, 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240418202108/https://www.metacritic.com/game/fallout-new-vegas/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-3 |archivedate=April 18, 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref><br />84/100 <small>(X360)</small><ref name="Metacritic X360">{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/fallout-new-vegas/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox-360 |title=Xbox 360 Critic Reviews |website=Metacritic |accessdate=May 3, 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240418202045/https://www.metacritic.com/game/fallout-new-vegas/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox-360 |archivedate=April 18, 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref> |1UP=B<ref name="1UP Review">{{cite web |last=Nelson |first=Mike |title=Fallout: New Vegas Review |url=http://www.1up.com/reviews/fallout-vegas-review |website=1Up.com |date=October 25, 2010 |accessdate=September 14, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130411200626/http://www.1up.com/reviews/fallout-vegas-review |archive-date=11 April 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref> |Edge=6/10<ref name="Edge Review">{{cite magazine |author=Anon. |url=http://www.next-gen.biz/reviews/fallout-new-vegas-review |title=Fallout: New Vegas Review |magazine=Edge |date=October 22, 2010 |accessdate=October 26, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110610073051/http://www.next-gen.biz/reviews/fallout-new-vegas-review |archive-date=June 10, 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> |EuroG=9/10<ref name="Eurogamer Review">{{cite web |last=Whitehead |first=Dan |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/fallout-new-vegas-review |title=Fallout: New Vegas |website=Eurogamer |pages=1–3 |date=October 19, 2010 |access-date=October 19, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240417185446/https://www.eurogamer.net/fallout-new-vegas-review |archive-date=April 17, 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref> |G4=4/5<ref name="G4 Review">{{cite web |last=Monfette |first=Christopher |url=http://g4tv.com/games/xbox-360/61733/fallout-new-vegas/review/ |title=Fallout: New Vegas Review |date=October 19, 2010 |access-date=November 18, 2010 |website=G4 |archive-date=August 4, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160804141806/http://g4tv.com/games/xbox-360/61733/fallout-new-vegas/review/ |url-status=dead}}</ref> |GI=8.5/10<ref name="Game Informer Review">{{cite magazine |last=Reiner |first=Andrew |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/games/fallout_new_vegas/b/xbox360/archive/2010/10/18/war-war-never-changes-and-neither-does-fallout.aspx |title=Fallout New Vegas Review |date=October 18, 2010 |access-date=December 9, 2010 |magazine=Game Informer |archive-date=October 22, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181022163640/http://www.gameinformer.com/games/fallout_new_vegas/b/xbox360/archive/2010/10/18/war-war-never-changes-and-neither-does-fallout.aspx |url-status=live}}</ref> |GSpot=8.5/10<ref name="GameSpot Review">{{cite web |last=VanOrd |first=Kevin |url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/fallout-new-vegas-review/1900-6282605/ |title=Fallout: New Vegas Review |date=October 20, 2010 |access-date=October 19, 2010 |publisher=GameSpot |archive-date=October 22, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181022163353/http://www.gamespot.com/ps3/rpg/falloutnewvegas/review.html?tag=topslot;img;3 |url-status=live}}</ref> |GSpy=4.5/5<ref name="GameSpy Review">{{cite web |last=Tuttle |first=Will |url=http://uk.xbox360.gamespy.com/xbox-360/fallout-new-vegas/1130264p1.html |title=Fallout: New Vegas Review |website=GameSpy |date=October 25, 2010 |access-date=November 18, 2010 |archive-date=October 22, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181022163657/http://uk.xbox360.gamespy.com/xbox-360/fallout-new-vegas/1130264p1.html |url-status=live}}</ref> |IGN=8.5/10<ref name="IGN Review">{{cite web |last=Steimer |first=Kristine |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/10/19/fallout-new-vegas-review |title=Fallout: New Vegas Review |website=IGN |date=October 19, 2010 |accessdate=April 29, 2024 |archive-date=September 5, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210905142742/https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/10/19/fallout-new-vegas-review |url-status=live}}</ref> |OXMUK=9/10<ref name="OXMUK Review">{{cite magazine |author=Anon. |url=http://www.oxm.co.uk/article.php?id=23028 |title=Review: Fallout: New Vegas |magazine=Official Xbox Magazine UK |date=October 19, 2010 |accessdate=November 19, 2010 |archive-date=March 12, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110312194754/http://www.oxm.co.uk/23028/reviews/fallout-new-vegas-review/ |url-status=dead}}</ref> |OXM=9.5/10<ref name="OXMUS Review">{{cite magazine |last=Reyes |first=Francesca |url=http://www.oxmonline.com/article/reviews/xbox-360/a-f/fallout-new-vegas |title=Fallout: New Vegas |date=October 20, 2010 |access-date=November 19, 2010 |magazine=Official Xbox Magazine US |archive-date=October 24, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101024002153/http://www.oxmonline.com/article/reviews/xbox-360/a-f/fallout-new-vegas |url-status=dead}}</ref> |PCGUK=84/100<ref name="PC Gamer Review">{{cite web |last=Pearson |first=Craig |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/fallout-new-vegas-review/ |title=Fallout: New Vegas Review |website=PC Gamer |date=October 19, 2010 |access-date=November 19, 2010 |archive-date=October 22, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181022163233/http://www.pcgamer.com/2010/10/19/fallout-new-vegas-review/ |url-status=live}}</ref> }}
Upon its release, ''Fallout: New Vegas'' received positive reviews from critics.<ref name="VG247 New Vegas"/> Bethesda offered Obsidian a bonus payment if any version of the game received a rating of 85/100 or higher on the review aggregator website Metacritic.<ref>{{cite web |last=Rose |first=Mike |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/report-obsidian-missed-i-fallout-new-vegas-i-bonus-by-one-metacritic-point |title=Report: Obsidian missed Fallout: New Vegas bonus by one Metacritic point |website=Game Deverloper |date=March 14, 2012 |accessdate=May 3, 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240407023516/https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/report-obsidian-missed-i-fallout-new-vegas-i-bonus-by-one-metacritic-point |archivedate=April 7, 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref> ''New Vegas'' missed the threshold by one point; Metacritic assigned it a weighted-average critic score of 84/100 for the Windows and Xbox 360 versions, and an 82/100 for the PlayStation 3 version.<ref name="Metacritic PC"/><ref name="Metacritic PS3"/><ref name="Metacritic X360"/> When asked about narrowly missing the threshold, Obsidian CEO Feargus Urquhart said: "It was in the contract, it was what it said. We didn't put it in there and we signed it. I wasn't crying over it by any stretch of the imagination."<ref name="Eurogamer Interview">{{cite web |last=Purchese |first=Robert |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/fallout-new-vegas-was-once-fallout-sin-city-and-had-three-playable-races |title=Fallout: New Vegas was once Fallout: Sin City and had three playable races |website=Eurogamer |date=September 13, 2017 |accessdate=May 7, 2024 |archive-date=January 9, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240109105411/https://www.eurogamer.net/fallout-new-vegas-was-once-fallout-sin-city-and-had-three-playable-races |url-status=live}}</ref> Bethesda's decision to use Metacritic's rating as a determinant for bonus payment was criticized; journalists said Metacritic lacked the objectivity needed to measure the quality of a game.<ref>{{cite web |last=Schreier |first=Jason |authorlink=Jason Schreier |url=https://kotaku.com/why-are-game-developer-bonuses-based-on-review-scores-5893595 |title=Why Are Game Developer Bonuses Based On Review Scores? |website=Kotaku |date=March 15, 2012 |accessdate=May 5, 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240123162827/https://kotaku.com/why-are-game-developer-bonuses-based-on-review-scores-5893595 |archivedate=January 23, 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Zerebeski |first=Graham |url=https://venturebeat.com/community/2012/04/23/for-want-of-a-percent-a-plea-for-sanity-regarding-metacritic-and-bonuses/ |title=A plea for sanity regarding Metacritic and developer bonuses |website=VentureBeat |date=April 23, 2012 |accessdate=May 5, 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240508173520/https://venturebeat.com/community/2012/04/23/for-want-of-a-percent-a-plea-for-sanity-regarding-metacritic-and-bonuses/ |archivedate=May 8, 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Orland |first=Kyle |url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2012/03/why-linking-developer-bonuses-to-metacritic-scores-should-come-to-an-end/ |title=Why linking developer bonuses to Metacritic scores should come to an end |website=Ars Technica |date=March 25, 2012 |accessdate=May 5, 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20231003223343/https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2012/03/why-linking-developer-bonuses-to-metacritic-scores-should-come-to-an-end/ |archivedate=October 3, 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref>
''Fallout: New Vegas''{{'s}} story and writing were well received, and were consistently highlighted in reviews.<ref name="Edge Review"/><ref name="OXMUK Review"/><ref name="PC Gamer Review"/> Craig Pearson of ''PC Gamer'' described the story as a significant improvement over that of ''Fallout 3'', and appreciated the way factions adapt to the player's choices and previous actions.<ref name="PC Gamer Review"/> The British version of ''Official Xbox Magazine'' called the story "staggering in scope and consistent in quality", and particularly praised the final quest.<ref name="OXMUK Review"/> Despite their enjoyment, some critics bemoaned the lack of memorable story moments when compared with ''Fallout 3''.<ref name="G4 Review"/><ref name="GameSpot Review"/> ''Game Informer''{{'s}} Andrew Reiner wrote: "Obsidian's writing is top notch (especially the dialogue), and I wanted to see more from most of the characters I met, but none of the scripted moments deliver the nuclear bang that Bethesda achieved".<ref name="Game Informer Review"/>
The side quests received praise, and some reviewers said they are more interesting than the main story.<ref name="IGN Review"/><ref name="GameSpot Review"/> Kevin VanOrd of ''GameSpot'' greatly appreciated the number of solutions each quest offers, such as a quest that allows the player to either fight robots in an abandoned museum or steal a keycard and avoid confrontation.<ref name="GameSpot Review"/> Reiner offered similar commentary, and said: "In just the missions and story, ''New Vegas'' offers a nearly unprecedented level of depth ... it delivers a true sense of ownership over the experience and gives you thousands of reasons why you should come back and play it again and again".<ref name="Game Informer Review"/> Kristine Steimer of ''IGN'' gave particular praise to the map, which she said acts as a catalyst to finding new side quests and unique locations.<ref name="IGN Review"/>
Because Obsidian made only minor adjustments to the gameplay, some reviewers described ''New Vegas'' as a large expansion of ''Fallout 3'' rather than a separate game.<ref name="IGN Review"/><ref name="Game Informer Review"/><ref name="OXMUK Review"/><ref name="PC Gamer Review"/> Steimer wrote: "I often want to call it ''Fallout 3: New Vegas''. Since the first game was so widely loved, that's certainly not a bad thing, but ''New Vegas'' does feel like a giant, awesome expansion."<ref name="IGN Review"/> Pearson was disappointed there were few technological advancements in ''New Vegas''; he said: "New areas, characters and factions, but the same clunky inventory and character models. Two years to stay exactly where you were."<ref name="PC Gamer Review"/> Francesca Reyes of the American version of ''Official Xbox Magazine'' struggled to recommend the game to anyone who did not enjoy ''Fallout 3''.<ref name="OXMUS Review"/> The newly added gameplay mechanics, such as faction reputation and Hardcore Mode, were well received; reviewers said they add an additional layer of complexity over ''Fallout 3''.<ref name="OXMUK Review"/> Reviewers were divided in their opinions on the companions;<ref name="Eurogamer Review"/><ref name="G4 Review"/> Christopher Monfette of G4 said the companions provide a stronger emotional connection than any moment in the main quest,<ref name="G4 Review"/> while Dan Whitehead of ''Eurogamer'' found the companions to be more trouble than they were worth due to their penchant for ignoring the commands he gave them.<ref name="Eurogamer Review"/>
Many reviewers derided the glitches, which were seen as substantive and disruptive to gameplay.<ref name="IGN Review"/><ref name="1UP Review"/><ref name="Edge Review"/><ref name="G4 Review"/> Among the more common glitches noted in reviews were poor companion and enemy pathfinding, framerate issues, and crashes.<ref name="IGN Review"/><ref name="Game Informer Review"/><ref name="Eurogamer Review"/> Mike Nelson of ''1Up.com'' stated that ''New Vegas'' had some of the most frustrating glitches he had ever seen, and he would have given the game a higher score had it not been for them.<ref name="1UP Review"/> A reviewer for ''Edge'' wrote, "Creatively, ''New Vegas'' gets almost everything right. Mechanically and technically, it's a tragedy."<ref name="Edge Review"/> Some reviewers noted that they still enjoyed the game despite the glitches.<ref name="Game Informer Review"/><ref name="GameSpy Review"/><ref name="OXMUK Review"/> ''Giant Bomb's'' Jeff Gerstmann wrote, "[...] when I reflect on the experience, I'll probably think about the times the game locked up on me or broke in a dozen other crazy ways first, before thinking about the great world and the objectives that fill it. If you were able to look past the issues that plagued ''Fallout 3'' and [''The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion''] before it, ''New Vegas'' will eventually show you a real good time."<ref name="Giant Bomb Review">{{cite web |last=Gerstmann |first=Jeff |author-link=Jeff Gerstmann |title=Fallout: New Vegas Review |url=https://www.giantbomb.com/reviews/fallout-new-vegas-review/1900-326/ |access-date=September 14, 2021 |website=Giant Bomb |date=October 18, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210828024354/https://www.giantbomb.com/reviews/fallout-new-vegas-review/1900-326/ |archive-date=August 28, 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref>
''Fallout: New Vegas'' won the 2011 Golden Joystick Award for Role-Playing Game of the Year,<ref>{{cite web |last=Nunneley-Jackson |first=Stephany |url=https://www.vg247.com/29th-annual-golden-joystick-awards-are-live-new-vegas-mortal-kombat-winners |title=29th Annual Golden Joystick Awards: Portal 2 wins Ultimate Game of the Year |website=VG247 |date=October 21, 2011 |accessdate=May 4, 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240507192247/https://www.vg247.com/29th-annual-golden-joystick-awards-are-live-new-vegas-mortal-kombat-winners |archivedate=May 7, 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref> and the 2010 ''IGN'' award for Most Bang for Your Buck.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/wikis/best-of-2010/Most_Bang_for_Your_Buck |title=Most Bang for Your Buck |website=IGN |date=January 25, 2013 |accessdate=May 4, 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240507192249/https://www.ign.com/wikis/best-of-2010/Most_Bang_for_Your_Buck |archivedate=May 7, 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref> The game was also nominated for the Role-Playing/Massively Multiplayer Game of the Year award during the 14th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards but the award went to ''Mass Effect 2''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.interactive.org/awards/award_category_details.asp?idAward=2011&idGameAwardType=142 |title=2011 Award Category Details: Role-Playing/Massively Multiplayer Game of the Year |website=Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences |date=n.d. |accessdate=May 4, 2024 |archive-date=November 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231120180718/https://www.interactive.org/games/video_game_details.asp?idAward=2011&idGame=1122 |url-status=live}}</ref>
==Re-evaluation and legacy== Since its release, fans and journalists have re-evaluated ''Fallout: New Vegas'', and the game's reception has become significantly more positive.<ref name="VG247 New Vegas"/> Cass Marshall of ''Polygon'' wrote: "''Fallout: New Vegas'' has endured in the cultural zeitgeist in a way that few other games have."<ref name="Polygon Retrospective"/> Some critics have referred to ''New Vegas'' as the best game in the ''Fallout'' series{{efn-ua|Attributed to multiple references:<ref>{{cite web |last=Wald |first=Heather |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/best-fallout-games/ |title=The best Fallout games, ranked from worst to best |website=GamesRadar+ |date=July 22, 2021 |access-date=August 8, 2021 |archive-date=August 8, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210808141615/https://www.gamesradar.com/best-fallout-games/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Watts |first=Steve |url=https://www.gamespot.com/gallery/best-fallout-games/2900-5249/ |title=Best Fallout Games, Ranked |website=GameSpot |date=April 10, 2024 |access-date=May 4, 2024 |archive-date=May 5, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240505060540/https://www.gamespot.com/gallery/best-fallout-games/2900-5249/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Kelly |first=Paul |url=https://www.pcgamesn.com/fallout/games-best |title=The best Fallout games ranked |website=PCGamesN |date=April 24, 2024 |access-date=May 4, 2024 |archive-date=May 7, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240507030623/https://www.pcgamesn.com/fallout/games-best |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Wright |first=Jonathan |url=https://www.destructoid.com/every-fallout-game-ranked-best-to-worst/ |title=Every Fallout game, ranked best to worst |website=Destructoid |date=April 30, 2024 |accessdate=December 24, 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240304185112/https://www.destructoid.com/every-fallout-game-ranked-best-to-worst/ |archivedate=March 4, 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Stone |first=Sam |url=https://www.escapistmagazine.com/all-fallout-games-ranked-from-worst-to-best/ |title=All Fallout Games, Ranked From Worst to Best |website=The Escapist |date=May 15, 2024 |accessdate=December 24, 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240204132454/https://www.escapistmagazine.com/all-fallout-games-ranked-from-worst-to-best/ |archivedate=February 4, 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref>}} and as one of the greatest video games of all time.{{efn-ua|Attributed to multiple references:<ref>{{cite web |author=Anon. |title=The 500 Best Video Games of All Time |url=https://www.polygon.com/features/2017/11/27/16158276/polygon-500-best-games-of-all-time-500-401 |website=Polygon |access-date=December 1, 2017 |date=November 27, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180303210843/https://www.polygon.com/features/2017/11/27/16158276/polygon-500-best-games-of-all-time-500-401 |archive-date=March 3, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |author=Anon. |magazine=Game Informer |title=The Top 300 Games of All Time |date=April 2018 |issue=300 |issn=1067-6392}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Anon. |title=The Top 100 Video Games of All Time |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/the-best-100-video-games-of-all-time |website=IGN |access-date=December 31, 2021 |date=December 31, 2021 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20211231162533/https://www.ign.com/articles/the-best-100-video-games-of-all-time |archivedate=December 31, 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Leedham |first1=Robert |last2=White |first2=Sam |url=https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/best-video-games-all-time |title=The 100 greatest video games of all time, ranked by experts |website=GQ |date=May 10, 2023 |access-date=May 11, 2023 |archive-date=May 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230510142624/https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/best-video-games-all-time |url-status=live}}</ref>}} In a retrospective article about the ''Fallout'' series, Ian Dransfield of ''Retro Gamer'' stated: "''New Vegas'' served as the balance between Bethesda's new 3D approach, and Black Isle/Interplays focus on traditional [role-playing] mechanics."<ref name="Retro Gamer History">{{cite web |last=Dransfield |first=Ian |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/the-complete-history-of-fallout/ |title=The complete history of Fallout |website=PC Gamer |date=April 4, 2019 |access-date=May 4, 2024 |pages=1–2 |archive-date=December 28, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241228164243/https://www.pcgamer.com/the-complete-history-of-fallout/ |url-status=live}}</ref> ''Eurogamer''{{'s}} Emma Kent wrote: "It felt like even the smallest story was carefully crafted to maintain interest and deliver a rewarding kicker ... on the macro scale, ''New Vegas'' took a more serious tone by weaving a complex power struggle that mirrors many current real-world conflicts."<ref name="New_Vegas_Game_Of_The_Decade">{{cite news |last=Kent |first=Emma |title=Games of the Decade: Fallout New Vegas knows you better than yourself |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2019-11-26-games-of-the-decade-fallout-new-vegas-knows-you-better-than-yourself |access-date=September 14, 2021 |website=Eurogamer |date=November 27, 2019 |archive-date=November 2, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201102151919/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2019-11-26-games-of-the-decade-fallout-new-vegas-knows-you-better-than-yourself |url-status=live }}</ref>
Part of the game's re-evaluation comes from patches that fixed many of its glitches. Kat Bailey of ''VG247'' noted once the discourse regarding the technical aspects subsided, players grew to appreciate the game for what it is.<ref name="VG247 New Vegas"/> The subsequent DLC add-ons and the active modding community also contributed to the game's long-lasting appeal.<ref name="VG247 RPGs">{{cite web |last=Bailey |first=Kat |url=https://www.vg247.com/the-top-25-rpgs-of-all-time-13-fallout-new-vegas |title=The Top 25 RPGs of All Time #13: Fallout: New Vegas |website=VG247 |date=May 4, 2024 |access-date=May 4, 2024 |archive-date=December 16, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231216230920/https://www.vg247.com/the-top-25-rpgs-of-all-time-13-fallout-new-vegas |url-status=live}}</ref> ''PC Gamer''{{'s}} Dominic Tarason wrote: "Years of dedicated community efforts have culminated in ''New Vegas'' being a better game than ever."<ref name="PC Gamer Mods">{{cite web |last=Tarason |first=Dominic |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/fallout-new-vegas-guide-tips-best-experience/ |title=How to have the best Fallout New Vegas experience today |website=PC Gamer |date=April 12, 2024 |access-date=April 24, 2024 |archive-date=April 25, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240425171429/https://www.pcgamer.com/fallout-new-vegas-guide-tips-best-experience/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Notable mods for the game include ''Tale of Two Wastelands'', which fully combines the games of ''Fallout 3'' and ''New Vegas''; ''Fallout: New California'', which serves as a prequel and expands on the Courier's backstory, and others.<ref name="PC Gamer Mods"/> ''Fallout: The Frontier'', a DLC-sized expansion mod that added a new worldspace with new items, quests, and characters to the game, was the subject of media attention due to its large size and controversial content.<ref>{{cite web |last=Winslow |first=Jeremy |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/huge-fallout-new-vegas-the-frontier-pc-mod-now-live/1100-6486406/ |title=Huge Fallout: New Vegas The Frontier PC Mod Now Live |website=GameSpot |date=January 17, 2021 |access-date=May 5, 2024 |archive-date=January 15, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210115232210/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/huge-fallout-new-vegas-the-frontier-pc-mod-now-live/1100-6486406/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Winslow |first=Jeremy |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/fallout-the-frontier-mod-taken-down-after-modder-shared-pedophilic-content/1100-6486927/ |title=Fallout: The Frontier Mod Taken Down After Modder Shared Pedophilic Content |website=GameSpot |date=January 29, 2021 |access-date=May 5, 2024 |archive-date=May 5, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240505184901/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/fallout-the-frontier-mod-taken-down-after-modder-shared-pedophilic-content/1100-6486927/ |url-status=live}}</ref> A modding guide, ''Viva New Vegas'', received widespread commendation from journalists for its quality of life improvements for new and returning players alike.{{efn-ua|Attributed to multiple references:<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.ign.com/videos/the-best-way-to-play-fallout-new-vegas-in-2025-with-mods |title=The Best Way To Play Fallout New Vegas in 2025 With Mods - IGN |date=2025-12-08 |language=en |access-date=2026-05-15 |via=IGN}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Stella |first=Marloes Valentina |date=2025-12-17 |title=9 Fallout: New Vegas beginner's tips to help you get started |url=https://www.polygon.com/fallout-new-vegas-beginners-guide/ |access-date=2026-05-15 |website=Polygon |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Zwiezen |first=Zack |date=2026-01-29 |title=Fallout New Vegas Guide: The Best Way To Play In 2026 |url=https://kotaku.com/the-best-way-to-play-fallout-new-vegas-in-2026-pc-mods-steam-deck-xbox-ps5-2000664195 |access-date=2026-05-15 |website=Kotaku |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Lowry |first=Brendan |date=2026-01-06 |title=PSA: If Fallout Season 2 has you playing New Vegas, these mods are a must — I'll never play without them again |url=https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/pc-gaming/psa-if-fallout-season-2-has-you-playing-new-vegas-these-mods-are-a-must-ill-never-play-without-them-again |access-date=2026-05-15 |website=Windows Central |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Tarason |first=Dominic |date=2024-04-12 |title=How to have the best Fallout New Vegas experience today |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/fallout-new-vegas-guide-tips-best-experience/ |access-date=2026-05-15 |work=PC Gamer |language=en}}</ref>}}
Journalists have noted that ''New Vegas'' harbors a passionate fanbase within the ''Fallout'' fandom.<ref name="Polygon Retrospective"/><ref name="PC Gamer Goodsprings"/><ref name="Kotaku Other Games"/> Since 2022, a yearly ''Fallout: New Vegas''-themed fan event has been held in Goodsprings, Nevada, the player's in-game starting location.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Carter |first=Justin |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/fallout-new-vegas-day-pioneer-saloon |title=Fallout: New Vegas inspires a holiday in Nevada town |website=Game Developer |date=July 20, 2022 |accessdate=November 23, 2023 |archive-date=November 23, 2023 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20231123030828/https://www.gamedeveloper.com/culture/fallout-new-vegas-day-pioneer-saloon |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="PC Gamer Goodsprings">{{cite web |last=Park |first=Morgan |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fallout/this-fallout-fan-loves-new-vegas-so-much-he-moved-to-the-actual-starting-town-of-goodsprings/ |title='Goodsprings is a real place?': This Fallout fan loved New Vegas so much he actually moved to the Nevada desert |website=PC Gamer |date=November 19, 2024 |accessdate=December 24, 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20241120135745/https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fallout/this-fallout-fan-loves-new-vegas-so-much-he-moved-to-the-actual-starting-town-of-goodsprings/ |archivedate=November 20, 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref> Journalists have also noted that some fans negatively compare ''Fallout 3'' and ''Fallout 4'' with ''New Vegas''.<ref name="TheGamer">{{cite web |last=King |first=Jade |url=https://www.thegamer.com/fallout-3-vs-fallout-new-vegas-comparison-bethesda-interplay/ |title=It's Okay To Enjoy Fallout 3 More Than New Vegas |website=TheGamer |date=April 22, 2024 |accessdate=May 31, 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20241126235705/https://www.thegamer.com/fallout-3-vs-fallout-new-vegas-comparison-bethesda-interplay/ |archivedate=November 26, 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Kotaku Other Games">{{cite web |last=Hernandez |first=Patricia |url=https://kotaku.com/fans-intense-love-for-fallout-new-vegas-must-be-weird-1754047840 |title=Fans' Intense Love For Fallout: New Vegas Must Be Weird For People At Bethesda |website=Kotaku |date=January 20, 2016 |accessdate=May 4, 2024 |archive-date=December 25, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231225094201/https://kotaku.com/fans-intense-love-for-fallout-new-vegas-must-be-weird-1754047840 |url-status=live}}</ref> When compared with ''New Vegas'', fans commonly criticize ''3'' and ''4'' for uninteresting storylines, downgraded role-playing mechanics, and limited options for player expression.<ref name="Polygon Retrospective"/><ref name="VG247 New Vegas"/><ref name="Kotaku Other Games"/> Patricia Hernandez of ''Kotaku'' commented: <blockquote>It sometimes seems as though you can't talk about ''Fallout 4'' without having someone start talking about how good ''New Vegas'' is, how much they wish Obsidian, rather than Bethesda, handled modern ''Fallout'' games. It's in every comments section for the ''Fallout 4'' articles we post, I see it on Reddit a whole lot, and I've been emailed petitions about Obsidian and future ''Fallout'' games many, many times.<ref name="Kotaku Other Games"/></blockquote>
''New Vegas'' has served as an inspiration for other games.<ref name="Atomfall">{{cite web|last=McCrae|first=Scott|url=https://www.gamesradar.com/games/rpg/fallout-new-vegas-is-a-big-inspiration-for-atomfall-which-is-why-youll-be-able-to-kill-every-npc-in-post-apocalyptic-cumbria/|title=Fallout: New Vegas is a big inspiration for Atomfall, which is why you'll be able to kill every NPC in post-apocalyptic Cumbria|website=GamesRadar+|date=March 10, 2025|accessdate=April 20, 2025|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20250406225143/https://www.gamesradar.com/games/rpg/fallout-new-vegas-is-a-big-inspiration-for-atomfall-which-is-why-youll-be-able-to-kill-every-npc-in-post-apocalyptic-cumbria/|archivedate=April 6, 2025|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Jones|first=Ali|url=https://www.gamesradar.com/games/rpg/the-outer-worlds-2-was-obviously-inspired-by-fallout-new-vegas-but-if-youre-tired-of-hearing-that-its-director-says-its-got-plenty-of-deus-ex-dna-too/|title=The Outer Worlds 2 was obviously inspired by Fallout: New Vegas, but if you're 'tired' of hearing that, its director says it's got plenty of Deus Ex DNA too|website=GamesRadar+|date=June 25, 2025|accessdate=August 21, 2025|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20250627102541/https://www.gamesradar.com/games/rpg/the-outer-worlds-2-was-obviously-inspired-by-fallout-new-vegas-but-if-youre-tired-of-hearing-that-its-director-says-its-got-plenty-of-deus-ex-dna-too/|archivedate=June 27, 2025|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="WolfEye">{{cite web|last=Jones|first=Ali|url=https://www.gamesradar.com/games/fallout/fallout-new-vegas-helped-inspire-dishonored-creators-new-rpg-hybrid-we-like-the-structure-the-size-the-humor-the-possibilities/|title=Fallout: New Vegas helped inspire Dishonored creator's new RPG hybrid: 'We like the structure, the size, the humor, the possibilities'|website=GamesRadar+|date=August 19, 2024|accessdate=August 21, 2025|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20250118023034/https://www.gamesradar.com/games/fallout/fallout-new-vegas-helped-inspire-dishonored-creators-new-rpg-hybrid-we-like-the-structure-the-size-the-humor-the-possibilities/|archivedate=January 18, 2025|url-status=live}}</ref> Rebellion Developments designer Ben Fisher remarked that ''New Vegas'' served as a reference point for ''Atomfall'', a 2025 game set in an alternate history after the Windscale fire.<ref name="Atomfall"/> Fisher recalled how Rebellion structured the plot of ''Atomfall'' similarly to ''New Vegas'', in that the city of New Vegas became the focal point for the entire story.<ref name="Atomfall"/> According to Fisher, "The narrative [of ''New Vegas''] largely all reflects this key location and the events happening in that location, and all of the characters you come across are esoteric people that have a perspective on this central location ... It was a reference point for the idea of a densely concentrated RPG adventure experience."<ref name="Atomfall"/> In a similar vein, WolfEye Studios co-founder Raphaël Colantonio stated that the plot of ''New Vegas'' was an important inspiration for the studio's unnamed upcoming game.<ref name="WolfEye"/> Colantonio remarked, "We did like the free-form exploration of New Vegas ... We like the humor, we liked some of the possibilities - how you can go with this group or that group, and the story keeps going no matter what."<ref name="WolfEye"/>
=== Television series ===
When the television series ''Fallout'' was released, the episode "The Trap" seemingly contradicts the plot of ''Fallout: New Vegas'', which led some fans to believe Bethesda was trying to retcon the game due to their perceived disdain of its reception.<ref name="IGN Timeline" /><ref name="PC Gamer Show">{{cite web |last=Wilde |first=Tyler |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/fallout/todd-howard-new-vegas-obsidian-show/ |title='New Vegas is a very, very important game to us,' says mildly exasperated Todd Howard, who will never stop getting grilled about New Vegas |website=PC Gamer |date=April 30, 2024 |accessdate=May 4, 2024 |archive-date=May 3, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240503162244/https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/fallout/todd-howard-new-vegas-obsidian-show/ |url-status=live}}</ref> When Bethesda director Todd Howard clarified the issue, ''PC Gamer'' published an article with the headline {{" '}}New Vegas is a very, very important game to us,' says mildly exasperated Todd Howard, who will never stop getting grilled about New Vegas".<ref name="PC Gamer Show" />
The setting of ''New Vegas'' is prominently featured in the second season of the television series ''Fallout''.<ref name="IGN Show">{{cite web|last=Vejvoda|first=Jim|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/fallout-season-2-trailer-ties-the-ghouls-origin-story-to-mr-house|title=Fallout: Season 2 Trailer Ties The Ghoul's Origin Story to Mr. House|website=IGN|date=August 19, 2025|accessdate=August 21, 2025|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20250821061713/https://www.ign.com/articles/fallout-season-2-trailer-ties-the-ghouls-origin-story-to-mr-house|archivedate=August 21, 2025|url-status=live}}</ref> The season takes place 15 years after the events of the game, and features flashbacks of Cooper Howard's character interacting with Mr. House before the Great War.<ref name="IGN Show" /> ''IGN'' writer Jim Vejvoda noted the trailer referenced important aspects from the game such as Caesar's Legion and the Hoover Dam. Co-showrunner Geneva Robertson-Dworet later stated the show would not confirm which ending to the game is canon.<ref>{{cite web|last=Russell|first=Bradley|url=https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/sci-fi-shows/fallout-season-2-will-avoid-outright-confirming-which-new-vegas-ending-is-canon-because-we-didnt-want-to-contradict-anyones-experiences-playing-the-games/|title=Fallout season 2 will 'avoid' outright confirming which New Vegas ending is canon because 'we didn't want to contradict anyone's experiences playing the games'|website=GamesRadar+|date=December 7, 2025|accessdate=December 10, 2025|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20251211005136/https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/sci-fi-shows/fallout-season-2-will-avoid-outright-confirming-which-new-vegas-ending-is-canon-because-we-didnt-want-to-contradict-anyones-experiences-playing-the-games/|archivedate=December 11, 2025|url-status=live}}</ref> {{clear}}
==Notes== {{notelist-ua}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category|Fallout: New Vegas}} {{Official website|https://fallout.bethesda.net/en/games/fallout-new-vegas}}
[https://vivanewvegas.moddinglinked.com/ ''Viva New Vegas'' modding guide]
{{Fallout}} {{Obsidian Entertainment}} {{Portal bar|United States|Nuclear technology|Speculative fiction|Video games}} {{Authority control}}
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