This page details prerelease information and/or media for Fallout: New Vegas.
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Replace the final screenshots in the comparisons with PNGs. |
Development Timeline
2003
2004
- Bethesda Softworks acquires the license to develop and publish Fallout 3, as well as two potential sequels.
2007
- Bethesda Softworks purchases the Fallout IP fully.
2008
- Bethesda's Fallout 3 turns out to be a massive success, and the company commissions a sequel. Due to their own development team being preoccupied with The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Bethesda reaches out to Obsidian Entertainment, a company comprised of many of the original Fallout series' team members, to work on this sequel.
2009
- April - Fallout: New Vegas is announced. As the game is developed, a large number of ideas from Black Isle's Fallout 3 are implemented.
2010
- February 4 - Obsidian releases a teaser trailer.
- June - A second trailer is shown at E3, this one more focused on gameplay.
- October 19 - The game is released in North America.
- October 21 - The game is released in Australia.
- October 22 - The game is released in Europe.
Screenshots
Bethesda's official Fallout site hosts 19 pre-release screenshots, showing a multitude of small changes. A couple of these screenshots also appear on the game's Steam page.
Goodsprings
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Final
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Notes
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The Vit-o-matic Vigor Tester inside of Doc Mitchell's House during the tutorial. In the early version, the HUD icons are disabled (or simply missing), and the lighting on the bulbs is a bit different. The font for the explanation was altered and the final version is a bit shorter, omitting the last sentence. The overall composition of the text and image were also changed, and the bottom corners gained some small decorations.
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Final
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Notes
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A view of the two main buildings in Goodsprings. Originally, there was a pile of tires where there is now a couple of boxes in the final game. The road had more loose pieces by the side, and the plant in the final game was absent. Most of the trees were slightly changed, and one in front of the Prospector Saloon was removed. The early Saloon features standard writing like the general store and lacks the lights and neon seen in the final game. A box next to the old trailer in front of the saloon was removed, and some of the boxes in front of the general store were replaced with sacks. The early screenshot shows two mannequins standing where the Mojave Express dropbox stands in the final game. Some landmarks, such as the Yangtze Memorial and the water tower at the graveyard, can't be seen in the early screenshot.
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Notes
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The Courier killing Powder Gangers in Goodsprings during Ghost Town Gunfight.
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A possible early version of Joe Cobb can be seen behind the Powder Ganger wearing the Desperado Cowboy Hat.
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A Powder Ganger being targeted in VATS, likely during Ghost Town Gunfight as well.
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This exact Powder Ganger does not appear during Ghost Town Gunfight. In the final game they only appear at Whittaker Farmstead.
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The Courier shooting Securitrons in Goodsprings.
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An earlier version of the Prospector Saloon can be seen in the background, lacking the lights and neon seen in the final game. A tree is also present that doesn't appear in the final game. Also notable is that except for Victor, Securitrons are never found in Goodspings.
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A Courier in Legion Armor and Boxing Gloves fighting with Super Mutants and an NCR soldier. Another corpse can be seen in the background.
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TBA.
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Easy Pete sitting outside the Prospector Saloon.
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TBA.
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Sunny Smiles and Cheyenne inside of the Prospector Saloon. Sunny's physical design is quite a bit different than how she appears in the final game. This early version features darker hair, a darker skin tone, and a broader face structure.
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TBA.
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Doc Mitchell inside of his house during the inkblot test section of Ain't That a Kick in the Head.
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TBA.
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The Courier, Sunny Smiles and a Goodsprings settler fighting off Powder Gangers during Ghost Town Gunfight.
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Sunny seems to still be using her early design here.
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Primm
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Description |
Notes
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Primm Slimm inside of the Vikki & Vance Casino.
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TBA.
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The Courier firing at an assailant outside of the Bison Steve Hotel.
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The planters and trees seen here don't exist in the final game, the assailant also seems to be using a different generic raider template than the escaped convicts seen in the final game.
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Novac
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Description |
Notes
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The companion wheel used on Boone in Novac.
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TBA.
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Manny Vargas aiming at Super Mutants from his sniper nest.
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Manny doesn't carry a Sniper Rifle in the final game, but a Hunting Rifle. The Super Mutants are also using their Fallout 3 models.
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Dinky the Dinosaur in Novac.
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On the right, some picnick tables can be seen that don't appear in the final game.
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A Super Mutant with a missile launcher shooting at Dinky.
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The mutant is using a Fallout 3 model.
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HELIOS One
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Final |
Notes
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TBA.
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Archimedes II being used on the NCR at HELIOS One. The shelters seen above the beds don't appear in the final game.
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TBA.
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Archimedes II charging at HELIOS One. The unused shelters can be seen again.
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The front of HELIOS One. The rocks in the background have been changed, and the flagpole on the left is a different, squarer-model than the final game version.
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Black Mountain
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Final |
Notes
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Raul inside of the prison building at Black Mountain. Raul is inexplicably equipped with the All-American, and in the final game there's a table behind him that is not visible here.
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TBA.
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The companion wheel used on Raul inside of the prison building.
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TBA.
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The Courier battling a Nightkin.
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TBA.
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The Courier battling three Super Mutants with a grenade machinegun. The Super Mutants are using Fallout 3 models.
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TBA.
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The Courier battling Tabitha.
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TBA.
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The Courier battling a Nightkin.
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New Vegas/The Strip
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Notes
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The Courier standing in front of the Strip north gate.
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There seems to be a concrete barrier right behind the Courier that doesn't exist in the final game.
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A Mark I Securitron standing in front of the Lucky 38.
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There is no Securitron to be found here in the final game, the bus stop and mailbox don't exist either. The bus stop is a reycled Fallout 3 model.
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Etc.
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Notes
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A female Courier standing in front of the Hidden Valley Bunker.
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TBA.
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The Courier in a Ranger Outfit walking on the tracks at Boulder City Train Station.
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In the final game you would not be able to walk here, as there is a stationary train located in the way.
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Legionnaires attacking at Camp Searchlight.
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TBA.
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The Courier at Freeside. Simon and the Silver Rush Crier can be seen in the background.
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TBA.
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Marcus at Jacobstown.
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TBA.
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The Courier throwing dynamite at a Giant Ant outside of the Ant Mound barn.
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TBA.
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A Sunset Sarsaparilla sign in the Mojave Wasteland.
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TBA.
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The Courier fighting Geckos in the Mojave Wasteland.
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TBA.
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The Courier fighting a Super Mutant.
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A big hole can be seen in the LOD of the landscape in the background.
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Magazine Scans
Some very interesting and early screenshots were only ever used in magazines. For example, the following eight screenshots only ever appeared in the June 2010 issue of the German GameStar magazine.
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Notes
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A male Courier gambling at The Tops.
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The whole interior of the casino looks different, as it uses an early texture where everything appears a lot less worn than it does in the final game. A doorway can be seen in the back that was removed. It also features sandstone pillars, different plants and planters, as well as different light fixtures. The Courier is wearing the Armored Vault 21 Jumpsuit, which is unobtainable in the final game, and the gambling hall is a lot more densely packed than in the final game.
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A male Courier in Legion armor inside of the Camp Forlorn Hope Command Center.
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TBA.
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Roulette Table gambling interface.
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TBA.
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Blackjack Table gambling interface.
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TBA.
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Tops slot machine gambling interface.
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TBA.
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A male Courier standing in front of the "No Vacancy" sign in Novac.
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The big car barricade is absent in the final game.
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A look at the New Vegas Strip establishments.
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Most noticeable is that the loading zones of the final game are absent here, making the Strip one big zone. The arches of the Las Vegas Boulevard Station look different, as does the Ultra-Luxe fountain. Also, all of the Lucky 38's windows are lit and there's a strip of yellow neon on the edge of The Tops' roof, both of which are seen in the E3 demo.
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A male Courier in front of the Bison Steve Hotel in Primm.
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Neither the trees, the planters, nor the pylon seen in the background appear in the final game.
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Concept Art
Brian Menze was the main person responsible for the game's concept art, alongside a handful of others at Obsidian. Additional concept art was made by several people at Massive Black, none of them are named in the game's credits.
Joe Sanabria
Joe is credited as an Art Director, and would later go on to be the Lead Artist on the game's expansion Dead Money.
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Notes
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What appears to be just some kind of test for artists working at Obsidian. They had to use the given elements to design something in accordance with the dimensions given.
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The Strip's Gomorrah Casino. Both the sign and the front of the main building look slightly different. The final game version has just the name "Gomorrah", while the concept has it written down as "The Gamorrah Casino". It seems that the name "Gamorrah" was a mistake, as it's mentioned during the credits that the team struggled with the spelling of "Gomorrah" throughout development, althought his can only be seen with the Wild Wasteland trait. Also of note is an early or placeholder logo for the game itself.
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The Reflectron as seen during the game's opening. The early/placeholder logo appears here once more.
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The Strip North Gate. While the concept version lacks a lot of detail that's present in the final game, the "STOP" barricade doesn't appear there. Neither does the paved road.
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The Strip's billboard barrier walls. Featuring an exterior view, interior view, side view and reference pictures.
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Michael Bierek
One of the Massive Black employees as mentioned above, he shared two pieces of concept art on his ArtStation account.
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Notes
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The apparent original layout for the room where Mr. House's physical form would be kept. The only thing that's really kept in the final game is the pod in which he resides. In the files there's still some leftovers related to this room, such as the water, but nothing concrete. This piece of art also appears in "Behind the Bright Lights & Big City", a special section in the Collector's Edition of the Fallout: New Vegas Official Game Guide, showcasing lore snippets and art.
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A large view of the Strip and its surrounding area, with the Lucky 38 rising above the surrounding ruins.
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Wesley Burt
Wesley Burt was a Massive Black employee that worked on a number of NCR Ranger concept arts. Lead designer Joshua Sawyer commented on a formspring post that noted the trenchcoat and gasmask as a little played out:
"Wes Burt (for Massive Black) developed the design. I shared your concerns, so there were a few things I requested to keep it from turning into Jin-Roh Part 53. First, I asked that he wear jeans and boots. I also requested that he should typically have a revolver or lever-action rifle with a bandoleer for bullets. Last, I asked for his jacket to be dark brown, not completely black. I wanted to pull some of the color elements toward warmer "cowboy" tones instead of strict neutrals."
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Notes
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Ranger Pose Sketches. This art was made on July 29, 2009, showing that the NCR Ranger outfit was already completely finished design-wise about three months into development.
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Ranger. This art was made on August 13, 2009. It appears that the headgear is an early version of what would later be known as the Ranger Helmet.
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Close-ups with variations of the headgear as seen in the previous art piece.
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A ranger wearing a finalized version of the NCR Ranger Combat Armor and the Ranger Helmet. The ranger also has a minigun and its ammo backpack.
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Whit Brachna
Another Massive Black employee, Whit, was seemingly responsible for concept art in relation to Caesar's Legion. The first art piece originates from Whit's ArtStation account, while the others are from archived versions of Massive Black's blog posts.
Whit describes his pieces as "'look & feel' illustrations and environment concepts with a few characters and badguys mixed in", so these were likely just used as mood settings and not to actually depict how the faction was to appear in-game.
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Notes
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The tent camp in the Fort, seemingly depicting Caesar's tent. Also of note are the Praetorian guards that appear very close to how they are depicted in-game, similar to the single Decanus near Caesar's tent. Three slaves are seen, and a fourth can be seen in the background cutting up a Bighorner.
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A turret and other assorted ruins with a view of what appears to be the Fort.
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What appears to be a Legionnaire standing at a fortified location on a mountain top. He might be looking at the Fort.
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A Legion Decanus leading a group of bound slaves in an apparent slave camp. Of note is that the Decanus is armed with an automatic rifle. This picture uses a cool color scheme.
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The same as above, this time using a warm color scheme.
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More Legionnaires in a fortified slave labor setting. A Veteran Legionary can be seen, as well as a Praetorian guard. Of note is one member operating a mounted turret, and more Legionnaires using automatic guns.
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A longshot of what appears to be Caesar's tent at the Fort. In the very back, another fortified position can be seen as well.
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What appears to be a building inspired by temples found in ancient Greece and Rome, presumably located on the same mountain range as the Fort.
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