One of the most anticipated games of the past two years has finally been given a firm release date – with MCV exclusively revealing that Bethesda’s Fallout 3 will arrive on all formats in Europe on October 31st.

The hotly-tipped action RPG from the creator of smash hit The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion has already notched up a series of accolades, winning multiple E3 Game of the Show Awards from the media over the past two years.

Anticipation and expectation for the dark, gritty post-apocalyptic title is high across the board, but the newly-established Bethesda European team is lining up a heavyweight marketing campaign to further build awareness for Fallout 3, spending an ultra impressive £2.5 million in the UK alone in the run-up to the title’s release and beyond.

It looks set to be a strong start for Bethesda Softworks Europe, which established its presence here less than a year ago and has just moved into new offices in Golden Square, Soho, London.

“It’s great to be finally announcing the release date for Fallout 3,” the publisher’s Euro MD Sean Brennan told MCV.

“We’ve been overwhelmed by the reaction we’ve had from the trade and the press to the title and the timing of the release is perfect for the peak selling season.

"From the feedback we’ve had from retail, Fallout 3 is expected to be a fop five seller for the whole of 2008 across its respective formats of PS3, 360 and PC. And it will be the only major hit from a small independent publisher. In our first year of trading, that’s not bad going.”