Last year when I went to Bethesda to get an early glimpse of Fallout 3, I doubted their "Fall 2008" release date. Not that the game didn't look great -- hell, it looked close to finished -- but history has shown some of the most anticipated games not hitting their targets. 

Well Bethesda was right on: they've officially announced that Fallout 3 will be coming to the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC on October 28. Considering the suppose size of the game, now might be a good time to cancel all Halloween plans.

"We are very excited to let gamers get their hands on Fallout 3, the latest chapter in this beloved and highly acclaimed franchise," Bethesda's president Vlatko Andonov said. "To meet the huge demand for this title by our fans worldwide, we are planning one of the biggest launches of any game released this year."

No word on what "the biggest launch of any game release this year" means, but hopefully it doesn't mean dropping a bomb on the real-world Washington D.C.; I live way to close for that kind of launch.

Fallout 3 Available October 28

Major Launch Planned for the Winner of E3 2008’s “Best of Show”

August 20, 2008 (Rockville, MD) – Bethesda Softworks®, a ZeniMax Media company,  announced today that its highly anticipated title, Fallout® 3, will be available on store shelves and online in North America on October 28, 2008 and in Europe on October 31, 2008. Developed at Bethesda Game Studios – creators of the 2006 Game of the Year,  The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion® – Fallout 3 is slated for release on the Xbox 360®video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, and Games for Windows.

“We are very excited to let gamers get their hands on Fallout 3, the latest chapter in this beloved and highly acclaimed franchise,” said Vlatko Andonov, president of Bethesda Softworks. “To meet the huge demand for this title by our fans worldwide, we are planning one of the biggest launches of any game released this year.”

Fallout 3 features one of the most realized game worlds ever created. Set more than 200 years following a nuclear war, you can create any kind of character you want and explore the open wastes of Washington, D.C. however you choose. Every minute is a fight for survival as you encounter Super Mutants, Ghouls, Raiders, and other dangers of the Wasteland.

Hailed as one of the most anticipated games for 2008, Fallout 3 has already won numerous awards including Best of Show from the official Game Critics Awards at E3 2008, a selection voted on by an independent group of journalists from 36 leading North American media outlets that cover the videogame industry.

Fallout® 3 has not yet been rated by the ESRB.  For more information on Fallout 3, visit http://fallout.bethsoft.com.