Ella Purnell as a vault hunter in Prime Video' Fallout series with stills from the games behind | Agents of Fandom

A Complete ‘Fallout’ Timeline Including All Games and Prime Video’s Newest Series

What does a full timeline from the first game to Prime Video’s latest series look like?

04/11/2024

Now six games strong and a new TV series, the Fallout timeline continues to grow with over 200 years of rich history and lore. Each Fallout game takes place in the same universe, but they’re all self-contained and only feature minor references to one another. This means it’s possible to pick up any game in the Fallout franchise and enjoy it without being out of the loop.

The Fallout timeline technically begins with the most recent game in the franchise, Fallout 76. The fan base much maligned this multiplayer online RPG upon release due to the many bugs, outdated graphics, and absence of any story. In the chronological order of the Fallout franchise, it is the first game, taking place not all that long after the Great War. On the other end, the most recent entry to date is the Fallout show

The Official ‘Fallout’ Timeline in Chronological Order From ‘Fallout 76’ to ‘Fallout 4’

Project Title/Event	Year
The Great War	2077
Fallout 76	2102
Fallout	2161
Fallout 2	2241
Fallout 3	2277
Fallout: New Vegas	2281
Fallout 4	2287
Fallout TV Series	2296

Further details on each game can be found below.

‘Fallout 76’ Takes Place in 2102

A player shooting a plasma rifle with power armor behind them in Fallout 76 | Agents of Fandom — There was much anticipation for *Fallout 76* leading up to its release, all of which quickly floundered. Image Credit: Bethesda.

Fallout 76 is the most recent game in the franchise, releasing in 2018, but taking place in 2102. The only preceding event to compare Fallout 76 to is the Great War, which destroyed most of the world in 2077. This 25-year interval between the Great War and Fallout 76 is standard compared to the much larger and smaller gaps. With no plot, the only objective in Fallout 76 is to just run around and do insignificant tasks on repeat. It is undoubtedly the franchise’s ugly duckling.

The Original ‘Fallout’ Takes Place in 2161

A base with a fence around it in Fallout | Agents of Fandom — The first *Fallout* looks nothing like what the franchise has become in the modern era. Image Credit: Interplay Productions.

The first Fallout game doesn’t resemble Fallout 4 in the slightest, but there are still plenty of similarities between the two such as the story and seven primary statistics. On the Fallout timeline, Fallout is set in 2161, almost 60 years after the events of Fallout 76. Even in such an early stage in gaming, the original Fallout was ahead of its time and received glowing reviews across the board for its RPG elements.

‘Fallout 2’ Takes Place in 2241

A player standing in a cavern in front of a pillar in Fallout 2 | Agents of Fandom — *Fallout 2* was an excellent sequel that kept the same structure but improved on the original. Image Credit: Interplay Productions.

Released in 1998 only one year after Fallout, Fallout 2 was viewed as a commendable sequel that was slightly held back by performance issues. The game takes place in 2241 and has the largest gap between its predecessor, despite releasing only one year later. On the Fallout timeline, the events of Fallout 2 happened 80 years after the original. It was the last game under Interplay Productions before Bethesda took over.

‘Fallout 3’ Takes Place in 2277

A Vault-Dweller looking out over the wasteland in Fallout 3 | Agents of Fandom — *Fallout 3* is considered by some to be the best game in the franchise and one of the best RPGs of all time. Image Credit: Bethesda.

Where Fallout 1 and 2 only had a one-year gap between releases, Fallout 2 and 3 experienced a 10-year gap. This is largely because Bethesda took over as the developer and the game took on a new form and life. As the fourth game in chronological order on the Fallout timeline, Fallout 3 takes place in 2277, exactly 200 years after the Great War. It won multiple Game of the Year awards and received nearly perfect reviews upon release.

‘Fallout: New Vegas’ Takes Place in 2281

A soldier holding a revolver standing next to a New Vegas sign | Agents of Fandom — Bethesda released followed up a classic with an all-time great in *Fallout: New Vegas*. Image Credit: Bethesda.

Fully entrenched in a new era of Fallout by this point, Fallout: New Vegas follows the Courier through a gritty adventure in the Mojave Wasteland. New Vegas was released in 2010 and takes place in 2281 on the official Fallout timeline. The gap between Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas is the shortest in the franchise, coming in at only four years. It seemed by this point that the Fallout franchise could do no wrong.

‘Fallout 4’ Takes Place in 2287

The main character kneeling and petting a dog in the wasteland | Agents of Fandom — Still lacking a next-generation update, *Fallout 4* is a classic that feels obsolete on the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. Image Credit: Bethesda.

Fallout 4 shaped a new generation of Fallout fans with one of the most gripping stories in gaming history. The game takes place in 2287, just a measly six years after the events of Fallout: New Vegas. While some players critiqued the visuals, which even at the time felt slightly outdated, the storytelling is exceptional. Fallout 4 is in desperate need of a comprehensive next-generation update to give the game a platform for modern audiences.

The ‘Fallout’ TV Series Takes Place in 2296

Walton Goggins as The Ghoul standing in a deserted town in Fallout | Agents of Fandom — Walton Goggins’ performance as The Ghoul elevates the *Fallout* series into the stratosphere. Image Credit: Prime Video.

Similar to the games, the Fallout TV show is not a continuation or adaptation. These are entirely new characters in a world Fallout fans know all too well. The most recent entry on the Fallout timeline, the series is set in 2296, nine years after Fallout 4. This is a faithful adaptation on par with HBO’s The Last of Us, and deserves all the praise it’s been getting from fans and critics alike. The actors in this series did their research to deliver genuine characters.

The ‘Fallout’ Series Is the Newest Addition to the ‘Fallout’ Timeline

Michael Cristofer as Elder Cleric Quintis commanding his Brotherhood of Steel Knights in Fallout | Agents of Fandom — The Brotherhood of Steel is a dangerous cult that has amassed far too much power. Image Credit: Prime Video.

It was a brilliant choice to treat the Fallout series as a new entry in the franchise instead of trying to recreate the magic from one of the games. Despite introducing many new characters and locations, the show feels just as authentic as any of the games that precede it. Things were rough following Fallout 76, but there’s truly never been a better time to be a Fallout fan.

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Author

Adam Blevins

Hey everyone! My name is Adam Blevins, I'm the Senior Editor and Co-Owner of Agents of Fandom. I grew up in North Carolina and am an avid fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Star Wars, and prestige television. I enjoy spending my spare time with my dog, a German Shorthaired Pointer named Lacey, and also sharing in my love for all things related to movies and television with awesome people. My favorite movies of all time are Forrest Gump, Shawshank Redemption, and Avengers: Infinity War, and my favorite TV shows are Succession and Andor. I'm also super passionate about video games, particularly story driven games! Some of my favorites are Red Dead Redemption 2, Ghost of Tsushima, and all games in the Marvel's Spider-Man series on PS5! I'm always striving to be the best version of myself, and right now that means pushing to become a better writer, editor, and leader. Thanks for stopping by!