Over the last two decades, Bethesda has turnedFalloutinto one of the biggest gaming franchises in the Western world, but its history dates back to long before then. Released all the way back in 1997,Interplay Productions’Fallout, naturally, laid much of the groundwork that the rest of the franchise would follow in the decades to come, as did developer Black Isle’s 1998 sequel. TheFalloutfranchise has had a long history, and the recently released AmazonFalloutshow does its very best to honor everything that came before it.
Announced back in July 2020, fans were initially skeptical of the news of a live-actionFalloutproject. Though the game’s strong focus on narrative and character development made a live-action adaptation make a lot of sense, at that time, there weren’t too many great live-action video game adaptations around. But flash forward almost four years to the release of Amazon’sFallout, and both fans and critics alike are loving it, so much so that many are now requesting a live-action adaptation of Bethesda’s other beloved RPG franchise,The Elder Scrolls. But just becauseFallouthas worked in the world of live-action doesn’t mean thatThe Elder Scrollswill, and there are a few big reasons for that.
Skyrim Can’t Be Given Fallout’s TV Treatment So Easily
The Fallout Show Offers a Unique Take on The Post-Acopalypse
Thepost-apocalyptic genreis nothing new to the world of entertainment, with dystopian fiction first gaining popularity all the way back in the 1800s. Countless pieces of media have adopted the genre over the last two centuries. In the realm of movies and TV, most shows revolving around a post-apocalyptic setting are usually sorted into two main categories: drama and comedy.
Shows likeThe Walking Dead,Westworld,Snowpiercer, andThe Last of Usall belong to the drama category, with the vast majority of their runtime being centered around the horrors and grounded reality of whatever post-apocalyptic setting they’re portraying. Then there are shows likeThe Last Man on EarthandMiracle Workers, that subvert the conventions of the dramatic post-apocalyptic setting. The recently releasedFalloutmanages to carve out a special niche for itself by striking a perfect balance between these two extremes.
Embracing the often irreverent, but occasionally somber and dark tone of its source material fully,Amazon’sFalloutshowcan rapidly change between moments of absurdity designed to evoke humor, and moments of horror designed to build suspense and tension, occasionally during the very same scene. WhileFalloutalso features some excellent writing, performances, action choreography, special effects, and cinematography, it’s this genre-switching niche that really makesFalloutstand out among the sea of other post-apocalyptic TV shows, and other live-action video game adaptations.
A Skyrim Show Might Not Have a Distinct Niche
While humor is occasionally sprinkled intoSkyrimvia dialogue or certain side quests, it’s mainly a very straightforward fantasy drama, and one that follows a lot of the conventions of its genre. Dragons, magic, mages, werewolves, elves, swords, and legendary heroes are all present inSkyrim, just as they are in countless other pieces of fantasy media. On a surface level,Skyrimshares a lot of similarities with shows likeGame of ThronesandRings of Power, meaning that a live-action adaptation of the game wouldn’t stand out in its genre nearly as much asFalloutdoes in its own.
On top of that, Bethesda has been pretty open about its future plans for aSkyrimTV show, or the lack thereof. In arecent interview with IGN,Elder Scrollsdirector Todd Howardconfirmed that there are no current plans for aSkyrimorElder ScrollsTV adaptation, and even stated that he would “probably say no” to any pitches for one right now, citing that theFalloutshow was a “natural relationship” that wasn’t forced, and came about on its own over time. Howard did say that he “can’t predict the future,” though, meaning aSkyrimlive-action adaptation could come in the future, but likely not anytime soon.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
WHERE TO PLAY
Winner of more than 200 Game of the Year Awards, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim celebrates 10 years of adventuring in stunning detail. The Anniversary Edition includes a decade worth of content: the critically acclaimed core game and add-ons of Skyrim Special Edition, plus Creation Club content released on or prior to Jul 25, 2025.EPIC FANTASY REBORNSkyrim reimagines and revolutionizes the open-world fantasy epic, bringing to life a complete virtual world open for you to explore any way you choose.LIVE ANOTHER LIFE, IN ANOTHER WORLDPlay any type of character you may imagine, and do whatever you want; the legendary freedom of choice, storytelling, and adventure of The Elder Scrolls is realized like never before.YOU ARE WHAT YOU PLAYChoose from hundreds of weapons, spells, and abilities. The new character system allows you to play any way you want and define yourself through your actions.BATTLE DRAGONSBattle ancient dragons like you’ve never seen. As Dragonborn, learn their secrets and harness their power for yourself.
