Editing Fallout (franchise) (section)

=== Main series ===
==== ''Fallout'' (1997) ====
{{Main|Fallout (video game)}}

Released in October 1997, ''Fallout'' takes place in a post-apocalyptic [[Southern California]], beginning in the year 2161. The protagonist, referred to as ''the Vault Dweller'', is tasked with recovering a water chip in the Wasteland to replace the broken one in their underground shelter home, Vault 13. Afterwards, the Vault Dweller must thwart the plans of a group of [[mutants]], led by a grotesque entity named ''the Master''. ''Fallout'' was originally intended to run under the ''[[GURPS]]'' [[role-playing game system]]. However, a disagreement with the creator of ''GURPS'', [[Steve Jackson (US game designer)|Steve Jackson]], over the game's violent content required [[Black Isle Studios]] to develop the new SPECIAL system.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/07/21/ign-presents-the-history-of-fallout |title=IGN Presents the History of Fallout |date=June 4, 2020 |work=[[IGN]] |access-date=August 6, 2021}}</ref> ''Fallout''{{'}}s atmosphere and artwork are reminiscent of post–[[World War II]] United States during the [[Cold War|Cold War era]] and the fear that the country was headed for [[Nuclear warfare|nuclear war]] in the real world.<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 21, 1997 |title=Fallout Review |url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/fallout-review/1900-2535953/ |access-date=October 25, 2022 |website=GameSpot |language=en-US}}</ref>

==== ''Fallout 2'' (1998) ====
{{Main|Fallout 2}}

''Fallout 2'' was released in October 1998, with several improvements over the first game, including an improved [[Game engine|engine]], the ability to set attitudes of [[non-player characters]] (NPC) party members and the ability to push people who are blocking doors. Additional features included several changes, including significantly more pop culture jokes and parodies, such as multiple special random encounters referencing [[Monty Python]] and ''[[The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy]]'', and self-parodying dialogue that broke the [[fourth wall]] to mention [[game mechanics]]. ''Fallout 2'' takes place eighty years after ''Fallout'', and centers around a descendant of the Vault Dweller, the protagonist of ''Fallout''. The player assumes the role of ''the Chosen One'' (Vault Dweller's actual grandchild) as they try to save their village, Arroyo, from famine and droughts. After saving the village, the Chosen One must fight the Enclave, the remnants of the pre-war United States government (as well as the shadow government in charge of the vault project).

==== ''Fallout 3'' (2008) ====
{{Main|Fallout 3}}
[[File:Fallout 3 Banner Ad 2.jpg|thumb|left|"Prepare for the Future" promotional campaign at the [[Metro Center (WMATA station)|Metro Center]] station in Washington, D.C.]]

''Fallout 3'' was developed by [[Bethesda Game Studios]] and released on October 28, 2008. The story picks up thirty years after the setting of ''Fallout 2'' and 200 years after the nuclear war that devastated the game's world.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://fallout.bethsoft.com/eng/info/faq.html |title=FAQ |publisher=[[Bethesda Softworks]] |date=May 5, 2008 |access-date=September 8, 2013}}</ref> The player-character is a Vault dweller in [[Vault 101]] who is forced to flee when the Overseer tries to arrest them in response to their father leaving the Vault. Once out, the player is dubbed the Lone Wanderer and ventures into the Wasteland in and around [[Washington, D.C.]], known as the Capital Wasteland, to find their father. It differs from previous games in the series by utilizing [[3D computer graphics|3D graphics]], a free-roam gaming world, and real-time combat, in contrast to previous games' [[2D computer graphics|2D]] [[isometric projection|isometric]] graphics and [[Turn-based game|turn-based]] combat. It was developed for the [[Personal computer|PC]], [[Xbox 360]] and [[PlayStation 3]] using the [[Gamebryo]] [[Game engine|engine]]. It received highly positive reviews, garnering 94 out of 100,<ref name="metacritic-fo3">{{cite web |url=http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/fallout3 |title=Fallout 3 PC Reviews at Metacritic |access-date=November 7, 2008 |website=Metacritic}}</ref> 92 out of 100,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/ps3/fallout3 |title=Fallout 3 PS3 Reviews at Metacritic |access-date=November 7, 2008 |website=Metacritic |archive-date=September 13, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130913023712/http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-3/fallout-3 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and 93 out of 100<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/xbox360/fallout3 |title=Fallout 3 Xbox 360 Reviews at Metacritic |access-date=November 7, 2008 |website=Metacritic |archive-date=May 23, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130523222640/http://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-360/fallout-3 |url-status=dead }}</ref> averages scores on [[Metacritic]] for the PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of the game, respectively. It won [[IGN]]'s 2008 Overall Game of the Year Award, Xbox 360 Game of the Year, Best RPG, and Best Use of Sound, as well as [[Electronic Entertainment Expo|E3]]'s Best of the Show and Best Role Playing Game.
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==== ''Fallout: New Vegas'' (2010) ====
{{Main|Fallout: New Vegas}}
[[File:E3 2010 Bathesda games Fallout New Vegas booth.jpg|thumb|Exposition for ''Fallout: New Vegas'' at [[E3 2010]]]]

'''Fallout: New Vegas''' is a 2010 action [[role-playing game]] developed by Obsidian Entertainment and published by [[Bethesda Softworks]]. Set in the post-apocalyptic [[Mojave Desert|Mojave]] Wasteland in the year [[2281]], the game follows the story of the Courier, a mysterious [[protagonist]] left for dead after being ambushed while delivering a valuable package. Unlike previous [[Fallout (video game)|Fallout]] entries, [[Fallout: New Vegas|New Vegas]] introduces multiple factions vying for control over the region, with the [[New California Republic]] (NCR), [[Caesar's Legion|Caesar’s Legion]], and the enigmatic [[Mr. House]] serving as key power players. The game is renowned for its deep branching narrative, player choice, and freedom in shaping the story. Gameplay is built on the same engine as [[Fallout 3]], featuring first- and third-person combat, [[Open world|open-world]] exploration, and a robust dialogue system that significantly impacts the game’s progression. The inclusion of [[Permadeath|Hardcore Mode]], which requires players to manage hunger, thirst, and sleep, adds an extra layer of survival realism. The game’s setting, inspired by real-world [[Las Vegas]], features recognizable landmarks such as the New Vegas Strip, [[Hoover Dam]], and the surrounding desert landscape filled with mutated creatures, raiders, and vaults containing hidden secrets. Players can choose to side with one of the major factions, forge their own independent path, or manipulate events to suit their personal goals. The game also features an extensive [[modding]] community that has kept it alive for years, with numerous fan-made expansions and graphical enhancements. Despite a rocky launch plagued with bugs, [[Fallout: New Vegas]] has since become a cult classic, often praised for its writing, dark humor, and deep role-playing mechanics. The game's DLC expansions—Dead Money, Honest Hearts, Old World Blues, and Lonesome Road—further expand on the [[lore]], introducing new characters, environments, and moral dilemmas. Over a decade after its release, [[Fallout: New Vegas|New Vegas]] remains a [[Benchmark (computing)|benchmark]] for storytelling in [[Open world|open-world]] [[Role-playing game|RPGs]], often considered the pinnacle of the Fallout series due to its player agency and world-building. Its legacy endures, with fans still hoping for a sequel or a modern remaster that could bring the game’s beloved wasteland back to life.

==== ''Fallout 4'' (2015) ====
{{Main|Fallout 4}}
''Fallout 4'', developed by Bethesda Game Studios, was released on November 10, 2015. The game was released for [[Microsoft Windows]], [[PlayStation 4]] and [[Xbox One]] and takes place in [[Boston]], Massachusetts, of the in-game New England Commonwealth and features voiced protagonists.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/fallout-4-officially-confirmed-for-pc-xbox-one-ps4/1100-6427776/ |title=Fallout 4 Officially Confirmed for PC, Xbox One, PS4 |last=Hussain |first=Tamoor |date=June 3, 2015 |access-date=June 3, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/06/03/fallout-4-officially-revealed-by-teaser-site |title=FALLOUT 4 OFFICIALLY REVEALED BY TEASER SITE |last=Karmali |first=Luke |date=June 3, 2015 |access-date=June 3, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GE2BkLqMef4 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150603141618/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GE2BkLqMef4&gl=US&hl=en |archive-date=June 3, 2015 |url-status=dead |title=Fallout 4 – Official Trailer |publisher=Bethseda Softworks |date=June 3, 2015 |access-date=June 3, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Why Fallout 4's Protagonists Have Voices – IGN |date=June 22, 2015 |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/06/22/why-fallout-4s-protagonists-have-voices |access-date=June 25, 2015}}</ref> The [[Xbox One]] version has been confirmed to have [[Mod (video gaming)|mods]] {{as of|2016|lc=y}}. Bethesda also confirmed mods for PlayStation 4, after lengthy negotiations with Sony.<ref>{{cite web |title=E3 2015: Fallout 4 to Support PC Mods on Xbox One – IGN |date=June 15, 2015 |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/06/15/e3-2015-fallout-4-to-support-mods-on-xbox-one |access-date=June 25, 2015}}</ref> A virtual reality version of the game was released on December 11, 2017, available on [[SteamVR]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vrheads.com/fallout-4-vr |title=VR |publisher=vrheads.com |access-date=May 12, 2018 |date=December 22, 2017 |archive-date=May 22, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180522112714/https://www.vrheads.com/fallout-4-vr |url-status=dead }}</ref> ''Fallout 4'' takes place in the year 2287, ten years after the events of ''Fallout 3''. ''Fallout 4''{{'}}s story begins on the day the bombs dropped: October 23, 2077. The player's character (voiced by either [[Brian T. Delaney]] or [[Courtenay Taylor]]), dubbed as the Sole Survivor, takes shelter in Vault 111, emerging 210 years later, after being subjected to [[suspended animation]]. The Sole Survivor goes on a search for their son who was taken away from the Vault.

==== {{Anchor|Fallout 76}}''Fallout 76'' (2018) ====
{{Main|Fallout 76}}
[[File:FANDOM-Gamescom-2018-Wednesday-040 (30350020708).jpg|thumb|"Our Future Begins" promotion for ''Fallout 76'' at [[Gamescom]] 2018]]

''Fallout 76'' is the first online [[Multiplayer video game|multiplayer game]] in the franchise. It is set in [[West Virginia]], with a majority of monsters and enemies based on regional folklore. When the game was originally released, there were no human [[non-player character]]s, although it received NPCs and character dialogue with the "Wastelanders" update. It was released for [[Microsoft Windows]], [[PlayStation 4]], and [[Xbox One]] on November 14, 2018.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.polygon.com/e3/2018/6/10/17405448/fallout-76-multiplayer-trailer-bethesda-e3-2018 |title=Fallout 76 is the first multiplayer game set in the Fallout universe |last=Hall |first=Charlie |date=June 10, 2018 |work=Polygon |access-date=June 10, 2018}}</ref>

==== ''Fallout 5'' (TBA) ====
In June 2022, [[Todd Howard]] stated in an interview that ''Fallout 5'' would begin development after the completion of ''[[The Elder Scrolls VI]]'', with an unspecified release window.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Skrebels |first=Joe |date=June 14, 2022 |title=Todd Howard Confirms Fallout 5 Is Coming After Elder Scrolls 6 |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/todd-howard-bethesda-fallout-5-elder-scrolls-6-starfield |access-date=June 14, 2022 |website=IGN |language=en}}</ref>