Fallout: see chronological order of the franchise’s games and where to play

With the adaptation of the series Fallout arriving soon at Prime Video, it’s the perfect time to revisit this franchise that is one of the most successful in the video game industry. And to help you, Voxel delved into the narrative and chronological depths of the series, from the first title in 1997 to the controversial Fallout 76, from 2018.

Remembering, the Fallout saga unfolds after the Great War of 2077, a nuclear conflict that devastated the world and decimated half the human population. The games explore how humanity fights for survival and rebuilds the world while taking refuge in underground Vaults. Facing threats such as mutants, out-of-control machines and dangerous creatures, the games offer a dark vision of this post-apocalyptic universe.

See chronological order of the franchise

Below is a summary of the chronological order of events in the Fallout franchise:

• Fallout 76: 2102
• Fallout 1: 2161
• Fallout Tactics: 2197
• Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel: 2208
• Fallout 2: 2241
• Fallout 3: 2258
• Fallout New Vegas: 2281
• Fallout Shelter Online: Circa 2286-2287
• Fallout 4: 2287

It is worth remembering that it is not necessary to play all the titles to understand the franchise’s narrative, as each game presents a new protagonist and a new perspective, allowing you to explore the Fallout universe through different stories and points of view. Check out more details about each title below, including where to play Fallout in 2024:

Fallout 76 (2018): 2101

• Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One
• Launch: November 14, 2018

The franchise’s influences include the films Mad Max, A Boy and His Dog, and the novel A Canticle for Leibowitz.Fonte:  Besthesda

Fallout 76, released in 2018, is set in 2102, making it the oldest chronologically in the franchise. The game covers events that serve as prologues to the main games, taking place 25 years after the nuclear war. Despite being an online multiplayer, it had problems at launch, such as bugs and unstable servers.

The player is a survivor of the explosions who found a place in Vault 76, aiming to rebuild the world. Despite the initial problems, the game has evolved over the years into a more enjoyable experience, although it took some time to reach its potential.

Fallout (1997): 2161

• Platform: PC
• Launch: October 10, 1997

Originally, Fallout was going to use the GURPS system, but switched to the SPECIAL systemFonte:  Bethesda

The Fallout franchise began in 1997 with the game Fallout, inspired by Wasteland, released in 1988. Set in post-apocalyptic California in 2161, the game featured RPG elements and immersive gameplay with an isometric view. Features such as character evolution through the acquisition of XP, open-world interaction and equipment collection were important legacies.

The first game follows the saga of a Vault 13 survivor who is sent to the surface to repair a water recycling device. In the end, the protagonist chooses to remain on the surface, helping in the development of the devastated world. With an atompunk and retrofuturistic style, the game introduced new elements such as Super Mutants, Deathclaws and Ghouls. Considered a spiritual successor to the Wasteland franchise, Fallout became a success, winning fans for its post-apocalyptic RPG.

Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel (2001): 2197

• Platform: PC
• Launch: March 15, 2001

Fallout Tactics was an influential title throughout the series, with many of its concepts being reused and revitalized in subsequent games.Font: HumbleBundle/Bethesda

Fallout Tactics is a peculiar game within the franchise, being the first to introduce the turn-based system and combining RPG elements with FPS. Set in Chicago in 2197, the game is a significant improvement over the original game, with a more linear and focused story. Here, players must keep their squad alive while facing missions, similar to the old X-COM games, but with new challenges thanks to RNG.

Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel (2004): 2208

• Platforms: PS2, Xbox (Original)
• Launch: January 13, 2004

One of the game’s most notorious characters, Arthur Maxson, the leader of the Brotherhood, also appears in Fallout 3 and 4.Source: FalloutWiki

Forgotten by many fans, “Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel” was the first game in the franchise released on consoles, allowing players to control members of the Brotherhood of Steel, a techno-military faction of the American armed forces. Set in 2208 and contrasting from the other titles – which begin with the survivor emerging from a vault – the game presents the Brotherhood, when it was not yet a military and technological power.

Although it offers a unique experience with a cast of eccentric protagonists, the game was criticized for its linear exploration, which tended to be exhaustive, with more than 50 sectors with individual subquests. Somewhat tiring!

Fallout 2 (1998): 2241

• Platform: PC
• Launch: October 29, 1998

The original idea for Fallout ranged from fantasy to alien invasions, before becoming post-apocalyptic.Source: Steam

Fallout 2 maintained the structure of the first game, but with graphical improvements, new characters, weapons and items, resulting in different gameplay. This time in 2241, eighty years after the first Fallout, the game received critical acclaim and gained a legion of fans. Its protagonist is a descendant of the dweller from the first Fallout and is an inhabitant of the village of Arroya, founded by his predecessor.

For the first time in the series, there are clear signs of development in the new post-nuclear attack world, with the protagonist playing an important role in Arroya’s growth into a large city, part of the Republic of New California, one of the most important factions in the world. franchise. Even though the developers left it on the sidelines, the game has been revitalized over the years by mods thanks to fans.

Fallout 3 (2008): 2258

• Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360, PC
• Launch: October 28, 2008

Before Bethesda’s Fallout 3, Black Isle Studios was developing the unreleased Fallout 3: Van Buren.Fonte:  Bethesda

Fallout 3 is the first fully 3D game in the series, set in what’s left of Washington DC, with a vast open world to explore. The story continues the events of the previous games, seventeen years after its predecessor in 2258.

Vault 101, where the protagonist was born, was an experimental shelter where people would spend their entire lives without leaving the surface. The player has supreme power in command of the character’s life, with countless missions and paths that influence the campaign’s progress. Fallout 3 marked a change in the franchise, making it more accessible to new fans, although it suffered from flaws corrected by the modder community (always them).

Fallout: New Vegas (2010): 2281

• Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360, PC
• Launch: October 19, 2010

Fallout: New Vegas had an 18-month development cycle.Fonte:  PcGamer/Bethesda

Developed by Obsidian Entertainment, while Bethesda produced “The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim”, Fallout: New Vegas is one of the most beloved titles in the series. Set in a post-apocalyptic version of Las Vegas in 2281, the game inherited the success of its predecessor, maintaining graphics, gameplay and mission style.

Set in the Republic of New California, four years after the events of Fallout 3, the protagonist is no longer a Vault resident, but a messenger. For the first time, a main character is already inserted into the world.

The plot involves a brutal war between the local government and the group Caesar’s Legion. With a captivating story and lots of customization, Fallout: New Vegas is acclaimed as the RPG most faithful to the essence of the series. Have you played this one yet?

Fallout: Shelter (2015): between 2286 and 2287

• Platforms: PS4, Xbox, PC, Switch, iOS e Android
• Launch: June 14, 2015

The creators of Fallout stated that Vault Boy’s thumbs up, the games’ iconic symbol, is nothing more than an ironic expression.Fonte:  Bethesda

Fallout Shelter Online brought an innovative approach to the series, allowing players to manage a fallout shelter to ensure the well-being of its survivors. The game offers a variety of activities, from managing resources to organizing groups to face threats.

The game takes place a little before Fallout 4 (around 2286-2287) and expands on the experience already lived in the other game, although with a greater focus on microtransactions, which can affect gameplay. The dynamics of the game may be engaging, but the need to invest money to progress frustrated – and still frustrates, many players.

Fallout 4 (2015): 2287

• Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC
• Launch: November 10, 2015

Fallout 4 was named Game of the Year at the BAFTA and DICE Awards 2016.Fonte:  Bethesda

The last major single-player release in the franchise, Fallout 4 was an absolute success in offering a refined experience to fans of the series. The well-known post-apocalyptic adventure gained scenario building, item creation and resource searching. Additionally, Bethesda has introduced an improved character and weapon development system, with a variety of missions.

The story takes place in 2077, before the bombs fell, with the protagonist cryogenically frozen until 2287, making him the oldest human still alive. Set on the East Coast, Fallout 4 challenged players to find their missing son, while engaging in settlement building.

However, the game didn’t just receive praise from critics and fans. Its only negative points may be the rigidity of the dialogues and gameplay that vaguely resembles The Sims, but nothing that doesn’t cancel out the Game of the Year at the BAFTA and DICE Awards of 2016.

@voxeloficial Would you eat food from 50 years ago? She does, but for a different (and really cool) reason?? #Fallout #Fallout4 #GamesNoTikTok #Fallout76 #PrimeVideo #VaultBoy #Bethesda ? original sound – Voxeloficial

This was the chronology of the Fallout games, all ready to follow the adaptation that arrives in April on Prime Video? Have you already cleared your deductible? Which of the Fallout games was your favorite? Let us know in the comments and follow Voxel for more news! Take the opportunity to check out our daily videos with lists and curiosities about games on our YouTube and TikTok channels.