It’s been over a decade since we first stepped into the Mojave Wasteland, yet Fallout: New Vegas remains one of the most beloved RPGs ever created. Despite its aging graphics and occasional technical hiccups, players continue to return to Obsidian’s masterpiece year after year. With recent rumors of a potential remaster circulating and industry insiders dropping hints, the excitement is palpable. But what exactly should a Fallout: New Vegas remaster include to satisfy both longtime fans and newcomers? Let’s dive into the comprehensive wish list that would make this legendary title shine in the modern gaming landscape.
Visual and Technical Overhauls
Modern Graphics Without Losing the Soul
The most obvious demand for any Fallout: New Vegas remaster is a complete visual overhaul. We’re not just talking about simple texture upscales—fans want a full-fledged graphical transformation that brings the Mojave to life while preserving its distinctive atmosphere. This means:
- 4K textures and environmental details that make the desert landscape feel truly immersive
- Improved lighting and weather systems that create more dynamic and atmospheric moments
- Enhanced character models with better facial animations and more expressive NPCs
- Redesigned creature models that make Deathclaws and Cazadores even more terrifying
- Stable 60fps performance with no dips, even during the chaotic Hoover Dam finale
What’s crucial here is maintaining the game’s unique aesthetic. Unlike Fallout 4’s more polished look, New Vegas has a gritty, worn-down charm that perfectly captures post-apocalyptic despair. A remaster shouldn’t lose this soul in pursuit of photorealism.
Breaking Down the Invisible Walls
One of the most frustrating aspects of exploring the original New Vegas was the abundance of invisible walls that blocked off seemingly climbable mountains and accessible areas. Even lead designer Joshua Sawyer admitted he would “insist that the world builders use as few invisible walls as possible” given another chance. A proper remaster would:
- Remove or significantly reduce invisible barriers throughout the Mojave
- Implement more natural boundary markers like impassable terrain or radiation zones
- Allow for more vertical exploration and creative pathfinding
- Make the world feel truly open and unrestricted
This change alone would revolutionize how players experience exploration in New Vegas, making every journey through the wasteland feel more authentic and rewarding.
Gameplay and Combat Evolution
Bringing Gunplay Into the Modern Era
Let’s be honest—the shooting mechanics in New Vegas haven’t aged well. While revolutionary for its time with iron sights, the combat feels stiff and unsatisfying by today’s standards. A remaster needs a complete combat overhaul that includes:
- Improved weapon handling and responsiveness with better recoil patterns and feedback
- Enhanced hit detection and damage indicators that make combat feel more impactful
- Melee weapon improvements with more weight and satisfying impact
- Dynamic enemy AI that provides more challenging and engaging encounters
- Decoupling shooting accuracy from skill stats to make FPS mechanics more accessible
The goal isn’t to turn New Vegas into a pure shooter like Call of Duty, but to make the combat feel more responsive and enjoyable while maintaining the RPG elements that make the series special.
Finally Adding Sprint and Movement Options
It’s almost unbelievable that New Vegas launched without a sprint function, forcing players to slowly trek across the vast Mojave. A remaster absolutely must include:
- A dedicated sprint button with appropriate stamina management
- Improved movement animations that feel more natural and fluid
- Climbing and vaulting mechanics for navigating obstacles
- Better jumping mechanics with more control and precision
- Swimming improvements for underwater exploration
These quality-of-life improvements would make traversing the wasteland significantly more enjoyable without breaking the game’s balance or immersion.
Quality of Life and UI Improvements
Inventory and Menu Revolution
New Vegas’ inventory system was a product of its time, and it shows. Scrolling through endless lists of items, quests, and notes was a tedious experience that modern gamers won’t tolerate. A remaster needs:
- Categorized inventory system with filters, sorting options, and search functionality
- Quick-select menus for weapons, healing items, and consumables
- Improved quest log with better organization, tracking, and map integration
- Streamlined crafting interface that makes modding weapons and armor more intuitive
- Modern UI design that’s clean, readable, and scalable for different screen sizes
These improvements would make managing the game’s complex systems much more accessible while preserving the depth that makes New Vegas special.
Controller and Accessibility Features
Modern gaming expectations include robust controller support and accessibility options. A New Vegas remaster should deliver:
- Fully rebindable controls for both keyboard and controller
- Improved controller support with proper analog stick movement and trigger sensitivity
- Accessibility options including colorblind modes, subtitle customization, and difficulty adjustments
- Ultrawide and multi-monitor support for PC players
- Cloud save functionality across all platforms
These features would make the game more accessible to a wider audience while providing quality-of-life improvements that all players can appreciate.
Preserving What Makes New Vegas Special
Maintaining the Classic RPG Systems
While improvements are needed, a remaster must be careful not to “fix” what isn’t broken. New Vegas’ RPG systems are widely regarded as some of the best in the series, including:
- The classic SPECIAL system with meaningful attribute choices
- Skill-based gameplay that rewards character building and specialization
- Perk system that offers meaningful progression and character customization
- Reputation and faction mechanics that create meaningful choices and consequences
- Hardcore mode that adds survival elements without being overly punitive
These systems should be preserved and perhaps refined, but never simplified or removed in favor of more mainstream appeal.
Keeping the Original Voice Acting and Music
New Vegas featured some of the best voice acting in gaming history, with performances from actors like Danny Trejo, Matthew Perry, and Zachary Levi. The game also held the Guinness World Record for most lines of dialogue in a single-player RPG with over 65,000 recorded lines. A remaster must:
- Preserve all original voice performances without redubbing or replacement
- Maintain the iconic radio stations with all licensed music intact
- Expand radio playlists to reduce repetition while keeping classic tracks
- Add new radio content that fits seamlessly with the original atmosphere
- Ensure proper audio mixing for modern sound systems
The voice acting and music are integral to New Vegas’ identity, and losing them would be a catastrophic mistake for any remaster.
Content and Expansion Possibilities
Including All DLC from Day One
New Vegas featured some of the best DLC in gaming history, with each expansion adding meaningful content to the base game. A remaster should:
- Include all four major DLC packs (Dead Money, Honest Hearts, Old World Blues, Lonesome Road)
- Integrate DLC content more seamlessly into the main game world
- Add new connections between DLC locations and the Mojave
- Include all pre-order and bonus content without additional purchases
- Possibly add new story content that bridges gaps between existing narratives
This comprehensive approach would give players the complete New Vegas experience from the moment they start playing.
Restoring Cut Content and Adding New Material
New Vegas was famously developed in just 18 months, leading to significant amounts of cut content that never made it into the final game. A remaster presents the perfect opportunity to:
- Restore cut locations like the original Legion-controlled areas
- Reintegrate cut quests and storylines that were abandoned due to time constraints
- Add new weapons and armor based on concept art and design documents
- Expand faction storylines with additional quests and characters
- Create new areas that expand the Mojave without breaking established lore
This approach would give longtime fans new reasons to revisit the game while staying true to Obsidian’s original vision.
Technical and Platform Considerations
Modern Engine and Performance
New Vegas ran on the aging Gamebryo engine, which was already showing its limitations in 2010. A remaster should:
- Upgrade to a modern engine like Creation Engine 2 or Unreal Engine 5
- Improve stability and reduce crashes that plagued the original release
- Optimize performance for modern hardware across all platforms
- Implement proper mod support with dedicated tools and documentation
- Add ray tracing and other modern graphical technologies where appropriate
These technical improvements would ensure the remaster runs smoothly on modern systems while providing a foundation for future modding communities.
Cross-Platform Features and Mod Support
The New Vegas modding community remains one of the most active in gaming, creating everything from simple texture packs to total conversion mods. A remaster should embrace this community by:
- Including full mod support on all platforms, including consoles
- Providing official modding tools and documentation
- Creating a curated mod marketplace for easy discovery and installation
- Implementing cross-platform save functionality where possible
- Adding multiplayer support through official or community-driven solutions
These features would extend the remaster’s longevity and ensure it remains relevant for years to come.
The Business Case for a New Vegas Remaster
Why Now Is the Perfect Time?
With the Fallout franchise experiencing renewed interest and Bethesda’s acquisition by Microsoft, the timing has never been better for a New Vegas remaster. The game’s reputation has only grown over the years, with many considering it the best entry in the series. A remaster would:
- Capitalize on renewed Fallout interest following the TV series and Fallout 76 updates
- Introduce New Vegas to a new generation of players who missed the original
- Satisfy longtime fans who have been clamoring for a return to the Mojave
- Generate significant revenue with minimal development risk compared to a new title
- Set the stage for future Fallout projects and potentially a new Obsidian collaboration
The business case for a New Vegas remaster is compelling, and the potential for success is enormous if executed properly.
What Fans Are Willing to Pay For?
Based on community discussions and the success of other remasters, fans have made it clear they would support a New Vegas remaster that:
- Respects the original vision while making necessary improvements
- Includes all content without piecemeal DLC or microtransactions
- Offers significant upgrades over the original, not just minor tweaks
- Supports modding communities that have kept the game alive
- Provides value for money with reasonable pricing and no exploitative practices
Fans aren’t asking for a handout—they’re willing to pay for a quality product that honors the legacy of one of gaming’s greatest RPGs.
Conclusion: The Ultimate Fallout: New Vegas Remaster Wish List
A Fallout: New Vegas remaster represents one of the most exciting possibilities in modern gaming. By combining the original’s brilliant writing, deep RPG systems, and meaningful choices with modern graphics, improved gameplay, and quality-of-life features, a remaster could introduce this masterpiece to a new generation while giving longtime fans the definitive version they’ve always wanted.
The perfect Fallout: New Vegas remaster would respect what made the original special while bravely addressing its shortcomings. It would preserve the soul of the Mojave while giving it the technical polish it deserves. Most importantly, it would remind us why New Vegas continues to captivate players over a decade after its release—because few games have ever managed to blend freedom, choice, and storytelling quite like it.
Whether Bethesda and Obsidian will ever deliver this dream remaster remains to be seen, but one thing’s for certain: the demand is real, the wish list is comprehensive, and the potential for success is enormous. Here’s hoping we’ll eventually get to return to the Mojave in style.