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Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Fallout is a post-nuclear science-fiction series about people trying to survive and shape society after a global war. Its retrofuturist world imagines an alternate future built on mid-century American visions of technology and prosperity, then set against the devastation of nuclear war. The games share a setting but follow different protagonists, places, and conflicts; player choices mean there is no single outcome for every story.
How the world of Fallout begins
The defining catastrophe is the Great War of 2077. In the aftermath, survivors live in a world of ruined cities, dangerous wastelands, and communities struggling to endure or rebuild. Bethesda describes the setting as a dark look at an “Atomic-era retro future” in its official timeline.
That contrast gives Fallout much of its distinctive tone: the promise and polished imagery of a mid-century future sit beside the consequences of nuclear destruction. A 2025 academic analysis discusses this imagined mid-century America and how Bethesda’s public retrospectives present the franchise’s varied history; that is interpretation of the series, rather than a ruling on its in-world canon. The original game also introduced recurring features such as the S.P.E.C.I.A.L. stats system, companions, the Brotherhood of Steel, ghouls, deathclaws, radscorpions, and Super Mutants, according to Bethesda’s timeline.
Fallout games in chronological order
The following is the in-world order and the story premise Bethesda gives for each game. It is not release order: Fallout 76 has the earliest setting in this list, even though the original Fallout game was released earlier.
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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
| In-world year | Game and region | Protagonist and central goal |
|---|---|---|
| 2102 | Fallout 76, Appalachia | Vault residents emerge into a dangerous new world, 25 years after the Great War. |
| 2161 | Fallout, Southern California | The Vault Dweller seeks a working water chip before the Vault’s supply runs out. |
| 2241 | Fallout 2, beginning in Arroyo | The Chosen One seeks a G.E.C.K., a terraforming tool, as drought threatens the village. The Enclave, a remnant of the pre-war American government, is a major threat. |
| 2277 | Fallout 3 | The Lone Wanderer leaves Vault 101 to search for their missing father. |
| 2281 | Fallout: New Vegas, the Mojave Wasteland | The Courier pursues the truth about a mysterious package after being shot and left for dead, amid a struggle for power. |
| 2287 | Fallout 4, the Boston region or Commonwealth | A pre-war person survives cryogenic stasis and searches for their missing family. |
The years and story premises in the table come from Bethesda’s timeline. They show how the series moves across regions and generations while revisiting the question of what people will do to survive, rebuild, or control the wasteland.
What is the Fallout TV series about?
Bethesda describes the Prime Video series as set in the same universe as its role-playing games. Its official overview introduces Lucy, a resident of Vault 33 who believes in rebuilding America and leaves home after it fails to protect her family. This is a new story with a new protagonist, not a television retelling of one named game in that overview.
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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
The cited official descriptions do not give a precise in-world year for the series or settle how its events align with every possible game ending. The games’ player-dependent choices also make it misleading to treat one ending as the definitive resolution of the entire franchise.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Do you need to play the games in chronological order?
No. Chronology helps explain how far the setting spans, but it is not a required play order. Bethesda says any Fallout game can be a first entry in its timeline overview. If you are choosing by story, pick the region or premise that interests you: the original centers on a water-chip search in Southern California, New Vegas on a courier’s pursuit of answers in the Mojave, and Fallout 4 on a family search in the Commonwealth.
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- Not even nuclear fallout could slow the hustle of Sin City. Explore the vast expanses of the desert wastelands
- Feuding Factions, Colorful Characters and a Host of Hostiles
- Enjoy new additions to Fallout: Special melee combat moves have been added to bring new meaning to the phrase "up close and personal"
- With double the amount of weapons found in Fallout 3
- In a huge, open world with unlimited options you can see the sights, choose sides, or go it alone
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![Fallout 4 | Anniversary Edition | Nintendo Switch 2 [Code in Box]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41nB7eUArSL._SL160_.jpg)
- ANNIVERSARY EDITION — Celebrate ten years of Fallout 4 with the complete post‑nuclear RPG experience, winner of over 200 Best Of awards including DICE and BAFTA Game of the Year.
- COMPLETE BASE GAME INCLUDED — Experience the full Fallout 4 main campaign as the Sole Survivor of Vault 111, shaping the fate of the Commonwealth through meaningful choices, factions, and exploration.
- ALL 6 OFFICIAL EXPANSIONS — Includes Automatron, Wasteland Workshop, Far Harbor, Contraptions Workshop, Vault‑Tec Workshop, and Nuka‑World for massive story, settlement, and gameplay additions.
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- OPEN‑WORLD FREEDOM — Explore hundreds of locations, craft weapons and armor, build and manage settlements, and customize your playstyle using the S.P.E.C.I.A.L. system and perk progression.
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- Fallout 3 Game of the Year Edition PS3
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