Join The Rich Culture of Fallout Games
The Fallout games, with their alternate-universe, retro-futuristic apocalypse, have enthralled gamers for over two decades. With the upcoming release of the first-ever live-action Fallout TV show on Prime Video, the franchise is poised to introduce its desolate wasteland to a wider audience. If you’re itching to dive into this captivating world or want to revisit it before the TV show airs, let’s explore the chronological order of the Fallout games, offering you insights into their narratives and guiding you on where to start.
Unveiling the Fallout Universe: An Overview
Before we jump into the chronological order, let’s grasp the scope of the Fallout universe. The franchise consists of nine main Fallout games, eight for home consoles and one for mobile devices. Additionally, there are thirteen major expansions spread across Fallout 3, Fallout: New Vegas, and Fallout 4. Bethesda, the core developer of the series, continues to support the Fallout franchise, ensuring a promising future for fans.
Choosing Your Entry Point: Which Fallout Game Should You Play First?
For those new to the Fallout universe, deciding where to start might seem daunting. While Fallout 4 is a compelling entry point due to its modern feel and accessibility on various consoles, Fallout 3 and New Vegas also offer fantastic introductions. Each mainline game presents a fresh narrative with a new lead character and setting, allowing you to jump in without extensive knowledge of the lore. Fallout 4, with its recent release and widespread availability, is a great starting point for its immersive take on the universe.
Navigating the Fallout Timeline: Playing in Chronological Order
Let’s delve into the chronological order of the Fallout games, providing a brief overview of each installment and its place in the overarching narrative. Note that we’ll exclude Fallout Shelter, a mobile vault management simulator, and Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel, as they diverge from the main timeline.
1. Fallout 76 (2018)
Embark on the Fallout timeline with Fallout 76, the most recent addition. This online experience follows the first vault dwellers as they emerge 25 years after nuclear war. Despite a rocky start, subsequent updates like Wastelanders and Steel Reign have enhanced the game, offering players a chance to explore the wasteland with friends.
2. Fallout (1997)
Fast forward 59 years to the original Fallout. Developed by Interplay Productions, this classic CRPG follows a vault dweller on a mission to save their shelter, Vault 13, threatened by water system failure and the emergence of Super Mutants led by the sinister Master.
3. Fallout Tactics (2001)
Set three decades later, Fallout Tactics provides a strategic spin-off experience developed by Micro Forté. While its canonicity is debated, certain events from its story are referenced in future games, adding depth to the Fallout lore.
4. Fallout 2 (1998)
Jump ahead 44 years to Fallout 2, where you follow the Chosen One, a descendant of the Vault Dweller, on a quest for a G.E.C.K. to save their drought-stricken settlement. The Enclave, a highly advanced faction, adds complexity to the narrative.
5. Fallout 3 (2008)
Bethesda’s first take on the series, Fallout 3, unfolds 30 years after Fallout 2. As the Lone Wanderer, you navigate the Capital Wasteland, uncovering the mystery behind your missing father and confronting the Enclave’s sinister plot.
6. Fallout 3 – Operation Anchorage (2009)
This expansion for Fallout 3 offers new quests during the main campaign, immersing players in a simulation of the Battle of Anchorage before the nuclear war.
7. Fallout 3 – The Pitt (2009)
Set during the main campaign, The Pitt introduces a new locale, a plague-infested Pittsburgh, as players seek a cure while navigating the conflict between enslaved citizens and raiders.
8. Fallout 3 – Broken Steel (2009)
Acting as an epilogue, Broken Steel allows players to continue their Fallout 3 adventure after the main story, assisting the Brotherhood of Steel in eradicating the Enclave.
9. Fallout 3 – Point Lookout (2009)
Journey to Point Lookout during the main campaign, where the Lone Wanderer helps a mother find her missing daughter, unraveling secrets, and confronting eerie mutated inhabitants.
10. Fallout 3 – Mothership Zeta (2009)
In this B-movie sci-fi expansion during the main campaign, the Lone Wanderer is abducted by aliens, adding a unique twist to the Fallout experience.
11. Fallout: New Vegas (2010)
Developed by Obsidian Entertainment, Fallout: New Vegas transpires four years after Fallout 3. As a courier left for dead in the Mojave Wasteland, you become entangled in a power struggle for control of the New Vegas strip.
12. Fallout: New Vegas – Dead Money (2010)
Set during the main campaign, Dead Money takes players to Sierra Madre, forcing the Courier into a suicidal mission to rob a pre-war casino surrounded by deadly toxic gas.
13. Fallout: New Vegas – Honest Hearts (2011)
Venture to Zion National Park during the main campaign, teaming up with the Burned Man, Joshua Graham, to navigate a war between his army and a rival tribe.
14. Fallout: New Vegas – Old World Blues (2011)
Set during the main campaign, Old World Blues begins with the Courier discovering their brain has been stolen, leading to a surreal adventure in the Big Mountain research facility.
15. Fallout: New Vegas – Lonesome Road (2011)
A prelude to the main campaign’s conclusion, Lonesome Road sees the Courier confront Ulysses in The Divide, unveiling dark pasts and tying up outstanding story beats.
16. Fallout 4 (2015)
Return to the franchise with Fallout 4, set on the day the bombs fell. As the Sole Survivor, emerge from Vault 111 to uncover the truth behind your spouse’s death, your son’s disappearance, and the machinations of the Institute.
17. Fallout 4 – Automatron (2016)
Set during the main story, Automatron introduces the Mechanist as an antagonist, offering players the ability to build and mod robots for wasteland exploration.
18. Fallout 4 – Far Harbour (2016)
Set during the main campaign, Far Harbour takes players to an eerie island, embroiling them in a conflict between locals and a radiation-worshipping cult, the Children of Atom.
19. Fallout 4 – Vault-Tec Workshop (2016)
During the main campaign, Vault-Tec Workshop tasks the Sole Survivor with building their own vault in Vault 88, recruiting dwellers, and maximizing shelter efficiency.
20. Fallout 4 – Nuka-World (2016)
Concluding Fallout 4’s story expansions, Nuka-World unfolds during the main campaign, placing the Sole Survivor in charge of a Nuka-Cola-themed amusement park with raider factions to deal with.
Fallout Games and Expansions: Release Chronology
To cap off our journey through the Fallout universe, let’s list all the games and expansions in chronological order of release:
- Fallout (1997)
- Fallout 2 (1998)
- Fallout Tactics (2001)
- Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel (2004)
- Fallout 3 (2008)
- Fallout 3 – Operation Anchorage (2009)
- Fallout 3 – The Pitt (2009)
- Fallout 3 – Broken Steel (2009)
- Fallout 3 – Point Lookout (2009)
- Fallout 3 – Mothership Zeta (2009)
- Fallout: New Vegas (2010)
- Fallout: New Vegas – Dead Money (2010)
- Fallout: New Vegas – Honest Hearts (2011)
- Fallout: New Vegas – Old World Blues (2011)
- Fallout: New Vegas – Lonesome Road (2011)
- Fallout Shelter (2015)
- Fallout 4 (2015)
- Fallout 4 – Automatron (2016)
- Fallout 4 – Far Harbour (2016)
- Fallout 4 – Vault-Tec Workshop (2016)
- Fallout 4 – Nuka-World (2016)
- Fallout 76 (2018)
Conclusion
As you prepare to navigate the post-apocalyptic landscapes of the Fallout universe, remember that each installment contributes to the rich tapestry of its lore. Whether you’re a seasoned wasteland wanderer or a newcomer strapping on your first Pip-Boy, the Fallout games offer an immersive experience filled with intriguing narratives and choices that shape the destiny of the wasteland. Now, armed with knowledge, embark on your chronological journey through the Fallout universe, and may your adventures be as epic as the nuclear wasteland itself.
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