The runaway success of Prime Video's live-action Fallout adaptation has ignited fresh curiosity about the iconic video game franchise that inspired it. As viewers scour season two for hidden references and familiar storylines, many are asking: just how extensive is the game series that started it all?
The Complete Fallout Gaming Universe
Since its debut in the late 1990s, the Fallout franchise has expanded across multiple platforms and developers, resulting in at least nine distinct titles. These encompass mainline entries, spin-offs, and even a mobile management sim, creating a rich, if sometimes contradictory, post-apocalyptic tapestry.
The Original Classics: Fallout 1 & 2
The saga began with Fallout in 1997, developed by Interplay. This seminal turn-based RPG introduced players to the Vault Dweller, tasked with finding a replacement water chip for their home, Vault 13. Its sequel, Fallout 2 released in 1998, advanced the timeline by 80 years, casting players as the Chosen One, a descendant of the original hero. Both games featured isometric 2D graphics and were set in a ravaged California.
Spin-offs and Experimental Entries
The early 2000s saw the franchise branch out. Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel (2001) shifted focus to squad-based tactical combat, following a Brotherhood of Steel chapter. Notably, Bethesda has since stated this PC-only title is not considered official canon. In 2004, Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel arrived on PlayStation 2 and Xbox, controversially abandoning turn-based combat for a top-down action approach and a heavy metal soundtrack, much to some fans' dismay.
The Bethesda Era and Modern Hits
Bethesda Softworks revived the series with Fallout 3 in 2008, transforming it into a first/third-person open-world action RPG. Set in the Capital Wasteland around Washington D.C., players become the Lone Wanderer searching for their father, voiced by Liam Neeson—a plotline echoed in the Prime series.
Obsidian Entertainment, formed by original Fallout developers, then created the beloved Fallout: New Vegas in 2010. Set in the Mojave Wasteland, it introduced deep faction politics where player choices directly shaped the game's outcome.
Fallout 4 (2015) brought a voiced protagonist and a story of a parent searching for their kidnapped son in The Commonwealth, mirroring another key theme from the TV adaptation. The online multiplayer Fallout 76 launched in 2018, set in West Virginia and later updated to include NPCs and even a quest-giver based on Walton Goggins' Ghoul character from the show.
Rounding out the list is Fallout Shelter (2015), a vault-management simulation game for mobile and consoles.
What's Next for Fallout?
Bethesda's Game Director, Todd Howard, has confirmed that Fallout 5 has been 'fully greenlit'. However, with the studio focused on *The Elder Scrolls VI* and supporting *Starfield*, fans are likely in for a substantial wait. No details on its setting or release window have been revealed.
The enduring legacy of these games is now being celebrated in a new medium, with the Prime Video series weaving their iconography into its narrative. For both new fans and seasoned vault dwellers, the Wasteland's story is far from over.
