Fallout Creator Tim Cain Returns to Obsidian Entertainment as a Full Time Developer
Tim Cain, one of the most influential RPG designers in gaming history and the original creator of Fallout, has officially returned to Obsidian Entertainment in a full time capacity. Cain revealed the news in a video posted on his personal YouTube channel, where he regularly discusses industry topics.
Cain initially entered semi retirement in 2020 after nine years at Obsidian. During his earlier tenure, he contributed to several major titles including South Park The Stick of Truth, Pillars of Eternity, Tyranny, and most notably, The Outer Worlds, where he served as co director alongside longtime collaborator Leonard Boyarsky. He later assisted with The Outer Worlds 2 as a creative consultant while maintaining contractor status. His return marks the end of his semi retirement and includes a full relocation back to Southern California to work on site at the studio.
In his update, Cain confirmed his new status and hinted at multiple unannounced projects he previously contributed to outside Obsidian. He also acknowledged that several contracted games from 2020 to 2025 may never ship due to industry turbulence. Regarding his new Obsidian project, Cain made clear that he cannot share any details under NDA and humorously insisted that fans should not expect to guess correctly.
Speculation immediately surged about the possibility of Fallout New Vegas 2 or another Fallout spin off, especially after a recent comment from former Obsidian co founder Chris Avellone suggesting that Microsoft and Obsidian may not currently be pursuing further entries in The Outer Worlds franchise. Given Cain’s legacy on Fallout 1 and Fallout 2, and Boyarsky’s continued presence at Obsidian, fans have long hoped for a reunion on a new Fallout project. However, Cain’s statement seems to imply that his current assignment is entirely new IP.
Regardless of what Obsidian is building, Cain’s return is a major creative win. His RPG pedigree includes not only Fallout but also Arcanum Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura and The Temple of Elemental Evil, the latter of which is soon launching on Steam via its upcoming re release page. His return aligns with Obsidian’s long term vision of crafting rich, narrative driven RPGs for the next century without scaling into a massive corporate studio.
Obsidian leadership has repeatedly stated their intention to satisfy the industry’s renewed appetite for deeper, systemic RPG experiences. Bringing Tim Cain back into the fold signals continued commitment to that philosophy as the studio advances into its next generation of projects.
Do you think Obsidian’s next major RPG will be a new IP or a return to an existing universe? What would you want Cain to helm next? Share your thoughts.
