Rumors are running rampant among Fallout fans after the mysterious “newvegas2” branch was added to Fallout 4’s backend on April 4. Despite the branch being quickly deleted, speculation among players has only intensified as to what this could mean for the franchise.
The most likely option seems to be new Fallout 4 content referencing New Vegas, like a Creation Club Pack featuring designs and motifs from the beloved game. Since Fallout 4 is due for a next-gen update sometime this year, the mysterious “newvegas2” branch could be related to upcoming in-game content meant mainly for nostalgic purposes–not a full-on sequel to New Vegas.
Obsidian Entertainment, the original creator of Fallout: New Vegas, has not worked on the Fallout franchise since 2010. That said, Obsidian Entertainment CEO Feargus Urquhart has expressed openness to another Fallout game, with other Obsidian employees voicing enthusiasm about potentially working on a remake of the original New Vegas.
Unfortunately, Urquhart has confirmed that Obsidian does not currently have a Fallout game in development, lending further credence to the theory that the mysterious “newvegas2” branch is strictly related to an upcoming Fallout 4 update. Still, the branch’s existence does suggest that Bethesda is aware of the appetite its playerbase has for New Vegas content, so it’s possible players will one day see Bethesda resurrect the game in some manner–with or without Obsidian’s input.
For now, Fallout fans can only speculate what the “newvegas2” branch could mean for the franchise. Until Bethesda makes an official announcement, fans will have to wait and see what the future holds for the beloved Fallout: New Vegas.