Bethesda Learned "Being Realistic Isn't Always Fun" in Fallout Games

Developer says the studio had to cut down on sprawling underground subway sections in Fallout 3 that were too realistic.

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

In a retrospective interview, Bethesda Game Studios designer and writer Emil Pagliarulo revealed that the studio originally planned for the Washington D.C. map in Fallout 3 to have a completely connected underground Metro system. However, they realized this level of realism made the game less fun to play, so they had to cut down on those sprawling subway sections.

Why it matters

This insight from Bethesda shows how the studio has learned over the years that sticking too closely to realism isn't always the best approach for creating an engaging and fun open-world game experience, even in a gritty post-apocalyptic setting like Fallout. Finding the right balance between realism and gameplay is an ongoing challenge for developers.

The details

Pagliarulo said Bethesda "had this thought that the Metro would be connected completely underground" in Fallout 3, but "realized it was just too sprawling. It was too big." They ended up having to "cut down sections" of the underground subway system because "traversing miles of underground subway stations turns out very realistic, not very fun."

  • Fallout 3 was released in 2008.

The players

Emil Pagliarulo

A long-time designer and writer at Bethesda Game Studios.

Bethesda Game Studios

The developer behind the Fallout game series.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“And we realized it was just too sprawling. It was too big. We had to cut down sections, and it's a lesson we've learned over the years: that being realistic sometimes isn't fun.”

— Emil Pagliarulo, Designer and Writer (Game Informer)

What’s next

Bethesda is reportedly still working on Fallout 3 and New Vegas remasters, and the next Fallout game is set to explore a location that has only been featured once before in the series.

The takeaway

Bethesda's experience with Fallout 3 shows how developers have to carefully balance realism and fun when creating open-world games, even in gritty post-apocalyptic settings. Sticking too closely to real-world details can sometimes make a game less engaging, so studios have to be willing to make compromises for the sake of gameplay.