I like fallout
Its one of my favorite games of all time
But you cant read an interview, or listen to a podcast where someone doesnt bring up FO3 in some way.
The perk system is straight from fallout
So the questions are
1. What else do you think will come from FO3 mechanic or otherwise?
2. Would pop culture Easter eggs work in Skyrim like it works in FO?
Honestly, I think the reason that it comes up so much is that this game stands upon Fallout 3's shoulders technically and mechanically. By that I mean that the engineering aspects that make the world 'exist' for the player were 'perfected,' if I can use that word, in the recent installments of the Fallout franchise. A lot of technical systems that make things behave in realistic and pleasing ways were improved dramatically as the developer gained experience building another RPG world after Oblivion.
As far as the mechanical side goes, the game systems (like perks) work really, really well within the context of the worlds and situations that Bethesda places the player in. These systems (like: you gain a new, fun ability each time you level that is cookie-cutter, but when combined with other abilities in your personal, specific way make your character / playthrough special and rewarding for you...) are sort of applicable within any plot or lore setting. A gameplay system that works well within one context can be applied to another. Fallout uses baseball bats and police batons. Skyrim uses swords, axes and maces. A melee 'perk' can be applied in both instances with similar results. The same engine can pull two different cars that look completely different from one another and if the engineer has done his job right the occupants will never know the difference, other than that it's a smooth, enjoyable ride.
As for cultural references, I think the developer has the sophistication and the... well... just plain class to be honest... to do what works in that regard. I saw Fallout 3 as an iconic experience, not just for the RPG genre but for the computer game medium as a whole, not because of the gameplay, graphics or any other mundane element, but for the connection that the developer created between the player and the world. It was better than some of the best big-budget films you've ever seen and you knew that from the first five minutes of gameplay. You KNEW that what you were participating in was something special that you might not see for the next ten years as a video game enthusiast. Fallout 3 was a work of art.
I trust Bethesda to make the right calls on gameplay and suspension of disbelief. Post-apocalyptia or high-fantasy province... we're in good hands. A little Fallout under the hood of the greatest fantasy RPG series of all time will have positive repercussions for players.