Bethesda's Todd Howard has once again had to publicly deny holding any grudge against Obsidian Entertainment or its acclaimed 2010 spin-off Fallout: New Vegas, a rumour that resurfaces periodically among fans despite years of denials. The recurring nature of the question, highlighted by the article's wry framing, reflects how persistent the fan theory has become that friction between the two studios explains why Bethesda has not commissioned another externally developed Fallout spin-off since New Vegas.

Fallout: New Vegas, developed by Obsidian using Bethesda's engine and released as a stand-alone follow-up to Fallout 3, is widely regarded by fans as one of the best entries in the series thanks to its branching narrative and factional politics. Howard has repeatedly said in interviews that Bethesda holds no ill will towards Obsidian, attributing the lack of a sequel-style collaboration to other factors rather than any behind-the-scenes dispute, though the specifics of this latest reiteration were not detailed in the available article text.