So I remember several years back when talking about the future of Fallout, Pete Hines (I think, very uncertain on that, though) said that they had learned their lesson from Fallout 3 and that in future Fallout installments from BGS players would be able to play on after completion of the main quest. Maybe I missed it entirely or have forgotten but has it been explicitly stated since reveal that this will indeed be the case with Fallout 4?

I get that goes against the typical endings in Fallout as a series (from what I've been told, anyway), but I'd really prefer it all the same. I jumped on when Bethesda took over, so have no attachment or nostalgia to the original titles. Let's just hope the ability to play on after completion of the main quest is NOT paid DLC again, whatever the case.

I'm sure you will not get a comment about this, because the plot is not being discussed.

(but I'd be surprised if you can't plan on)

Yeah, I suppose it's arguable whether this is plot or gameplay though, I'd say predominantly gameplay as knowing you can play on after the end can change the entire way some would approach a game. At the most confirming you can play on after the end would be a very minor hint that your protagonist MAY NOT die, although as has been seen in some games the ability to play on after the end can be prevalent despite a protagonist dying in the final mission.

I'm confident that the game won't end after the completion of any given quest, even the 'main' one. And yeah, Todd Howard http://news.softpedia.com/news/Bethesda-Boss-Talks-About-Fallout-3-Ending-103137.shtml that they were unlikely to do another hard ending after Fallout 3.

Yes this Definetly seems to be the case.

Hopefully it is. I guess with the ability to build settlements and all that now, it would be kinda insane to spring a hard ending on the player.

You can
you can continue to play Fo2 after the ending. But you never see Arroyo again.

Huh. I was always under the impression that the original Fallout games ended in the typical slide manner that Fallout 3 did. Thanks for the clarification.

Yan L, that was a Yes/No option you were given upon completing the main mission line/game in Fallout 2, it did not automatically continue.

You do not need to die at the end of the main quest for the game to end, that was an lame way it was done in FO3.

Two reasons why the game will continue after main quest, first is players demand it, most has also played the tes games and like how you can continue.

Its also an danger that more will finish the game and don't look back after getting the end of game message, this might reduce DLC sales.