Follow us on Google News
Get the latest updates directly in your Google News feed
The story behindFallout 3is a doozy—no, not Bethesda’s iteration, but the canceled one from Black Isle Studios. Game development projects never seeing the light of day is a tale as old as time, but “Van Buren,” the codename for this project, faced a lot of unfortunate turmoil.
The backstory ofVan Burenis quite interesting, and had the project gone through, the franchise would be a lot different than what it is today.
Black Isle Studios’ Vision for Van Buren, a.k.a Fallout 3
Van Burenwas set in the Western United States, specifically in states like Colorado, Arizona, Utah, and Nevada. It took place in 2253, with players taking on the role of an escaped prisoner.
Whether the character was innocent or guilty would have been up to the player to decide during character creation.
The game’s storyline starts in a prison under attack by an unknown force. After an explosion knocked the character unconscious, they’d wake up to find the cell door open and escape into the wasteland.
Once outside, players could shape the wasteland through their actions. Their interactions with groups like the Brotherhood of Steel and the New California Republic would have influenced the region’s fate, as is typical with theFalloutgames.
Bethesda’s Fallout Timeline – Everything You Need to Know
A major aspect ofVan Buren’sstory was the ongoing conflict between the Brotherhood of Steel and the New California Republic. Players could visit areas controlled by these factions and affect the war’s progress through their actions.
The overarching plot involved a rogue scientist from the New California Republic, Dr. Victor Presper, who planned to seize control of a U.S. orbital nuclear weapons platform to initiate another nuclear holocaust.
The player wouldn’t be able to prevent all the missiles, but their decisions on where the missiles would strike shaped the world’s future.
Van Buren’s Behind-the-Scenes Turmoil
Before the concept ofVan Burentook shape, Interplay faced setbacks in its attempts to create a new game for the franchise. Titus Software halted two such efforts to prioritize other titles within Interplay’s portfolio, particularly console games.
When Interplay lost the rights to developIcewind DaleandBaldur’s Gategames for PC, its ongoing project,Baldur’s Gate III: The Black Hound, was scrapped. Subsequently, the team behindBaldur’s Gate IIIwas reassigned to developVan Buren.
![[REDACTED] Review (PS5) – Innovation Caught the Escape Pod Faster Than We Did](https://i2.wp.com/fwmedia.fandomwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/05095712/redacted-review-768x432.jpg)
As Black Isle started working onVan Buren, Interplay’s in-house team was concurrently working onFallout: Brotherhood of Steel. However, key departures gave Black Isle a lot of trouble.
“So it was a treat for me and everyone at Bethesda”: Fallout Allowed Todd Howard to Finally See 1 Aspect Of the Universe He Couldn’t Do in the Games
Ultimately, financial issues led to the cancellation ofVan Burenon July 22, 2025, resulting in Black Isle’s closure. Interplay sold the rights to make single-playerFalloutgames to Bethesda, which madeFallout 3.
Many developers from Black Isle came together and formed Obsidian Entertainment. They later releasedNew Vegasin 2010, which was published by Bethesda Softworks. Many of the game’s elements come fromVan Buren.
What do you think the franchise would look like right now if Van Buren was never cancelled? Let us know in the comments below!
Vibha Hegde
Critic/Gaming Writer
Articles Published :594
Vibha is an avid gamer that has been writing about video games for several years. When they’re not complaining about the lack of a Bloodborne sequel or brushing up on the Yokoverse lore, Vibha is busy watching 3-hour video essays on horror games they’re too scared to play themselves.
