Tim Cain Reveals Cancelled RPG ‘Time Walker’ Where Players Assassinated Historical Figures

Tim Cain, the co-creator of Fallout, has revealed details about a cancelled video game project titled Time Walker. The concept was proposed in 2001 alongside fellow developer Jason Anderson. The project never moved beyond the discussion phase and was never developed into a playable product.

Fallout creator discusses unreleased Xbox game concept from 2001

Time Walker was designed as a first-person role-playing game. Players would assume the role of a temporal agent. The core gameplay loop involved traveling through 15 different time periods. The primary objective was to assassinate historical figures to preserve the timeline.

Cain outlined the game's structure with a blunt summary of its mechanics. He stated that players would visit different eras, meet interesting figures, and kill them. Specific mission examples included eliminating Pharaoh Tutankhamen and delivering a Barbie doll to a child. The project was discussed for release on the Xbox platform. Developers also explored potential multiplayer features, though specific details of those modes remain unclear.

The game concept highlights a period of experimental design in the early 2000s. The premise of altering history through direct intervention offered a unique narrative hook. Cain later noted that nothing ever went anywhere with the project. The idea remained a theoretical discussion rather than a commercial release.

Source: Tim Cain