The Fallout television series is set mainly in 2296, after the game settings on Bethesda’s official timeline, which runs through Fallout 4 in 2287. The creators describe the show as an original story in the games’ world—not a retelling of one game—and say they aimed to leave room for the games’ multiple possible endings.
When does the Fallout show take place?
The show’s main story is set in 2296, according to creator interview coverage by The Direct. That places it nine years after Fallout 4, whose setting Bethesda dates to 2287. The game dates below come from Bethesda’s official franchise timeline; the show’s 2296 date comes from the interview coverage, not that timeline page.
| In-universe year | Entry | How it fits |
|---|---|---|
| 2077 | The Great War | The nuclear war after which the post-apocalyptic settings unfold. |
| 2102 | Fallout 76 | The earliest game setting listed on Bethesda’s timeline. |
| 2161 | Fallout | The original game’s setting. |
| 2241 | Fallout 2 | The second game’s setting. |
| 2277 | Fallout 3 | The game’s setting; this is also the year attached to “The Fall of Shady Sands” on the show’s blackboard. |
| 2281 | Fallout: New Vegas | The game’s setting, before Fallout 4. |
| 2287 | Fallout 4 | The latest game setting listed on Bethesda’s timeline. |
| 2296 | Fallout television series | The show’s main story, according to creator interview coverage. |
This is a chronology of distinct stories and settings, not one continuous protagonist’s journey. The entries move across different eras and places in the franchise world.
Is the Fallout show after Fallout 4?
Yes. The show’s main story is placed in 2296, while Bethesda dates Fallout 4 to 2287. In timeline terms, the series comes after the game settings listed on Bethesda’s page, including Fallout: New Vegas in 2281.
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Why did the creators set the show after the games?
The creators wanted to tell a new story while respecting the games’ mythology. In an interview with The Direct, co-showrunner Geneva Robertson-Dworet said the team wanted to account for the fact that each game can have multiple endings. Choosing one outcome, she explained, could imply that some players’ experiences were not valid. The team therefore tried to allow for all the possible endings while placing the show’s timeline afterward.
Robertson-Dworet also said in an Amazon feature about the cast and creators: “We knew right from the start that we didn’t want to copy exactly one of the stories from the video games.” She added that the team intended to craft its own story.
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- Freedom and Liberty Do whatever you want in a massive open world with hundreds of locations, characters, and quests. Join multiple factions vying for power or go it alone, the choices are all yours
- Be whoever you want with the special character system. From a power Armored soldier to the charismatic smooth talker, you can choose from hundreds of perks and develop your own playstyle
- New next generation graphics and lighting engine brings to life the world of fallout. From the blasted forests of the common wealth to the ruins of Boston, every location is packed with dynamic detail
- Intense first or third person combat can also be slowed down with the new dynamic Vault Tec Assisted Targeting System (V.A.T.S) that lets you choose your attacks and enjoy cinematic carnage
Jonathan Nolan characterized the adaptation as an original story within the games’ world. As reported by Den of Geek, Bethesda Game Studios executive producer Todd Howard described it as “not the translation of an existing story,” but an attempt to ask “what would the next thing be?”
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Did Shady Sands get nuked in 2277?
The show’s blackboard places “The Fall of Shady Sands” at 2277 and depicts an explosion later in the sequence. Those are separate markers; the year beside the city’s fall should not automatically be treated as the exact date of the explosion. Windows Central explains that conflating the date and explosion led viewers to question how New Vegas fits.
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That reading is not evidence that New Vegas has been removed from continuity. Windows Central reports that Bethesda design director Emil Pagliarulo answered a direct canon question about the game: “Of course it is. We’ve never suggested otherwise.” The blackboard establishes a sequence, but the cited explanation does not settle every detail about when Shady Sands was destroyed or reconcile every possible game ending with later show events.
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- Not even nuclear fallout could slow the hustle of Sin City. Explore the vast expanses of the desert wastelands
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How to compare the show with a particular game
- Check the in-universe year. Bethesda’s listed game dates provide a clear reference point; the show’s 2296 placement is attributed to creator interview coverage.
- Keep location and region in view. A later date does not mean every story follows the same characters or unfolds in the same place.
- Distinguish the format. The series is an original television story in the franchise world, rather than a direct adaptation of one game’s plot.
- Separate explicit dates from event interpretations. In particular, the blackboard’s 2277 label for “The Fall of Shady Sands” is not itself an explicit date for the later explosion.
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