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Fallout 4 is in development, set in Boston - report

Has a speaking main character.

Despite it being a no-show at VGX last week, some leaked casting documents have all but confirmed that Fallout 4 is not only real, but it will be set in Boston, Massachusetts.

Boston's post-apocalypse has not been kind to Will Hunting.

The documents, bearing the codename The Institute, were leaked to Kotaku, who claims to have confirmed are the real deal. The leaked files include scripts, character descriptions, and references to numerous locations in the series, even if the title "Fallout" is never actually mentioned by name. Furthermore, the casting director for the project also worked on Bethesda projects Dishonored and Skyrim.

So here's what Kotaku's gleaned from the leaked documents, bearing in mind that much of this could change before the project comes to light:

The intro will begin with the series' staple passage, "War. War never changes," only this time, it will be narrated by the player character rather than the disembodied voice of Ron Perlman. In fact, the leaked documents suggest that Bethesda was looking for both male and female voices for the protagonist, who begins the game awakening from cryosleep.

Locations mentioned include the Commonwealth, the Fallout universe's version of Massachusetts, and the Institute, the post-apocalyptic rendition of MIT after years of rot have tarnished the M and the T away.

Leaked characters include a radio DJ named Travis Miles, an engineer named Sturges, and a guy named Preston Garvey who wants you to fetch a fusion core from a Commonwealth museum.

We've reached out to Bethesda to try to verify this report, but were greeted with the usual "we don't comment on rumour and speculation."