Although it's probably still a long ways off, Bethesda's Starfield isn't even launching this year, and The Elder Scrolls VI is already slated to follow. There are plenty of options for Bethesda when deciding where to flesh out the Fallout universe next, but there are also a handful of locations the developer shouldn't consider.
The Fallout series has primarily taken place on the coasts of the United States. The very first Fallout game was somewhere in Southern California, while its sequel took place further North in Oregon and below. When the series abandoned the isometric view point of the classic titles with Fallout 3, it also moved across the country to the Capital Wasteland surrounding the ruins of Washington DC. Obsidian's New Vegas returned West, but only as far as the Mojave Desert, while Fallout 4 remained on the east coast near Boston. The most recent Fallout title, 76, takes place in West Virginia.
It's safe to say a new Fallout game should at least ignore the settings of all the modern games, though Bethesda probably won't want to step on the toes of the original titles either. Exploring the different wastelands in the Fallout franchise is a large part of the fun, and rehashing an area would take away a lot of the series' novelty. Seeing a revamped DC would be fun, especially since Fallout 3 is showing its age, but there's really no point in crafting a story there for Fallout 5 that might overshadow that of the Lone Wanderer.
Fallout Should Stay In The United States For Fallout 5
This may draw a bit of flak from international Fallout fans, but Bethesda should also ignore settings abroad for Fallout 5. It seems like every time speculation begins on the next Fallout's setting, people are hoping to see what the Fallout universe is like in other countries. While there is definitely potential for interesting foreign narratives, so much of the series charm comes from the celebration of post-nuclear Americana. A spin-off game (potentially made more likely by Microsoft's buyout of Zenimax) overseas sounds wonderful, but as a mainline title, Fallout 5's setting should stick to the States.
The United States is a huge country geographically, and there's so much opportunity to explore a new wasteland that it would be wasted on DC or the Mojave again. Large cities like New York, Chicago, or Houston could all make for interesting locales away from those of previous installments, but there's also plenty of American culture to mirror in locations like Oklahoma or Florida. It's probably going to be a while before any official information on Fallout 5's setting surfaces, but hopefully when it does the game will take place in a brand-new location.
