This article contains SPOILERS for the Fallout TV series and the franchise as a whole
Fallout director and Bethesda executive producer Todd Howard teased the possible return of the New California Republic in future projects. The NCR has been one of the most iconic factions of the franchise since it was introduced in the critically acclaimed Fallout: New Vegas, but the recent live-action TV adaptation revealed the organization has fallen onto hard times. However, Howard provided his insight into the current state of the Fallout canon, wherein he hinted that the Bear might still have some fight left in it.
While the Prime Video’s Fallout adaptation was met with mostly positive reviews by fans and critics alike, the series came with its fair share of shocking revelations. Specifically, many veterans of the Mojave Wasteland were horrified when it was revealed the NCR’s capital of Shady Sands was left in ruins after a nuclear explosion destroyed the city shortly following the events of Fallout: New Vegas. With the destruction of the faction’s capital, longtime fans of the franchise were left wondering about the fate of the NCR.
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In an interview with IGN, Howard claimed there was still a possibility that the NCR could revive itself sometime in the future. The Bethesda executive explained how the organization was still active, with territories and troops scattered around various regions outside California.
While the NCR in the TV show was fragmented because of its capital’s destruction and the difficulty in consolidating its remaining forces, Howard also hinted that none of the problems it faced were insurmountable. Notably, the NCR would not even be the first faction set up to make a miraculous comeback in the Fallout canon. Previous entries have featured the revival of several factions from the brink of annihilation, such as Fallout 4‘s Commonwealth Minutemen and New Vegas‘ Mojave chapter of the Brotherhood of Steel.
Howard did not specifically estimate how long the NCR’s darkest hour might last in the context of Fallout‘s expansive timeline, suggesting it might take the faction years to even decades to rebuild its military to what it was before Shady Sands was nuked. There’s also the possibility that the faction might languish as remnants for the foreseeable, similar to the pockets of remaining Enclave forces scattered around remote regions.
The Future of the Fallout Franchise
It remains to be seen if and when the NCR will return as one of the powerhouses of the Wasteland, leaving fans wondering how the destruction of one of the major factions in the series might affect the story of Fallout 5. Thankfully, the hit Prime Video TV adaptation has already been renewed for a Season 2, which might provide a deeper look into the NCR’s status in the Fallout canon.
