Obsidian Entertainment Welcomes Back Veteran Writer John Gonzalez
Former Fallout: New Vegas lead writer returns to Obsidian as Creative Director after 15-year hiatus.
Industry veteran John Gonzalez has returned to Obsidian Entertainment, assuming the role of Creative Director nearly 15 years after his departure. Gonzalez announced his appointment via LinkedIn in late January 2025, marking a significant return to the studio where he previously led the writing team for Fallout: New Vegas.
During his initial tenure at Obsidian, Gonzalez served as lead creative designer and lead writer for Fallout: New Vegas, which garnered widespread acclaim for its narrative depth. His contributions extended to all four of the game’s DLC packs: Dead Money, Honest Hearts, Old World Blues, and Lonesome Road. Following his departure in February 2011, Gonzalez worked with several prominent studios, including Monolith Productions and Guerrilla Games.
Future Projects and Studio Direction
While speculation has circulated about potential projects, Gonzalez has explicitly stated he will not be working on a New Vegas sequel. Obsidian currently has two major titles in development: Avowed, scheduled for release on February 18, and The Outer Worlds 2, targeted for 2025. Given both projects’ advanced development stages, industry observers suggest Gonzalez may be helming the studio’s rumored Unity-powered game, which reportedly entered pre-production in 2023.
John Gonzalez’s Game Development Credits
|
Game |
Developer |
Release Year |
Role(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Alter Echo |
Outrage Games |
2003 |
Design, Level Scripting |
|
Tom Clancy’s EndWar |
Ubisoft Shanghai |
2009 |
Story Director, Scriptwriter |
|
Fallout: New Vegas |
Obsidian Entertainment |
2010 |
Lead Creative Designer, Lead Writer |
|
F:NV – Dead Money |
2010 |
Narrative Designer |
|
|
F:NV – Honest Hearts |
2011 |
||
|
F:NV – Old World Blues |
2011 |
||
|
F:NV – Lonesome Road |
2011 |
||
|
Dungeon Siege 3 |
2011 |
Writer |
|
|
Guardians of Middle-earth |
Monolith Productions |
2013 |
Writer |
|
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor |
2014 |
Additional Story |
|
|
Horizon Zero Dawn |
Guerrilla Games |
2017 |
Narrative Director |
|
Horizon Forbidden West |
2022 |
Narrative Director, Writer |
With Obsidian’s current workforce of approximately 300 employees and multiple projects in development, the studio appears positioned to leverage Gonzalez’s extensive experience in narrative design and creative direction. Given current industry development cycles, any new project under his leadership would likely target a release window no earlier than 2030.