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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFallout is a post-nuclear role-playing franchise set in a shared universe, and its television series takes place in that same universe. You do not need to play the games before watching: the stories feature different people, places, and eras, so you can start with the show or choose a game based on the setting and style of play that interest you.
What is Fallout?
Fallout is a role-playing series set in a retro-futuristic world reshaped by nuclear war. The Great War began in 2077; in the aftermath, survivors live among the ruins, while others emerge from underground Vaults built by Vault-Tec. The games explore different versions of this wasteland across several centuries rather than following one protagonist through a single continuous story.
The television series shares the games’ universe and is set more than 200 years after the world as we know it ends, according to Bethesda’s 2024 series announcement. That connection means familiar ideas and factions recur, but it does not mean the show is a direct adaptation of one game’s plot.
Do you need to play the games before watching the show?
No. Bethesda says any Fallout game can be a first entry point, and the games are not chapters that must be completed in release order. The show introduces its own characters and situation in the shared setting; prior knowledge is optional, not a prerequisite.
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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
Season 1 features Vault 33, the Brotherhood of Steel, and the New California Republic, among other elements of the setting. Bethesda’s Season 1 retrospective presents the series as an introduction to the wasteland, while the games let players explore other regions and periods. The official material describes a shared universe, not a one-to-one mapping between game events and television episodes.
How the main games differ
Each game offers a different region, point in the post-war timeline, and way to play. These are options, not a required order.
Rank #2
- 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
| Game | Setting and year | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Fallout 76 | Appalachia; Reclamation Day is 2102, 25 years after the Great War | Online multiplayer exploration and rebuilding. It is the earliest setting in this selection. |
| Fallout (the original) | Southern California; 2161 | The first game in the series, introducing conventions and recurring elements such as S.P.E.C.I.A.L. attributes, companions, the Brotherhood of Steel, ghouls, and Super Mutants. |
| Fallout: New Vegas | The Mojave; 2281 | A regional conflict involving rival factions. The Mojave is also the setting Bethesda connects to Season 2 of the television series. |
| Fallout 4 | Boston and the Commonwealth; 2287 | A single-player story about the Sole Survivor’s search for family, with exploration and settlement building. |
The dates and settings in this table follow Bethesda’s 2022 franchise timeline and its game descriptions. They locate the stories; they do not establish that you must play them chronologically.
Which game should a viewer try first?
For the show’s Mojave connection: Fallout: New Vegas
Choose New Vegas if you want to explore the desert setting associated with the show’s second season. Bethesda specifically points viewers toward the game to walk the same Mojave sands as Lucy and The Ghoul. Its story centers on competing factions, rather than the show’s characters.
Rank #3
- Fallout 3 Game of the Year Edition PS3
- console-video-games
For a broad single-player introduction: Fallout 4
Fallout 4 is a good fit if you want to explore a large wasteland, follow a personal search, and build settlements. Bethesda’s Anniversary Edition description lists the base game, six official expansions, and more than 150 Creation Club items. Those are the contents Bethesda lists for that edition; check the current platform storefront for availability and compatibility.
For online exploration with other players: Fallout 76
Fallout 76 is the series’ online multiplayer option, set in Appalachia much earlier than the other games in this table. Pick it if shared exploration and rebuilding appeal more than a self-contained single-player story.
Rank #4
![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.
- 150+ CREATION CLUB ITEMS — Expand your adventure with curated Creation Club content featuring unique weapons, power armor sets, building packs, paint jobs, player homes, and Dogmeat cosmetic variants.
- 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.
For the origins of the series: Fallout
The original game is the place to start if you want to see where the franchise began and encounter early versions of its recurring ideas. It is not necessary background for the show, and its 1990s-era design differs from the later games.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What carries across the games and show?
The connective tissue is the setting and its recurring institutions, people, and dangers—not one required sequence of plot events. Vaults and Vault-Tec, the Brotherhood of Steel, ghouls, and other post-war factions and creatures help make different stories recognizably Fallout. Each region and era gives those elements a different context, so the show can stand on its own while still rewarding viewers who recognize the world.
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Best Value
- 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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