The Fallout franchise has firmly established itself within the gaming industry over the course of many titles, which have released over the course of almost 25 years. The post-apocalyptic RPG games have historically captivated fans via the compelling, rich, and unforgiving social and physical landscapes that the games take place in.

As well as the physical settings of the Fallout games, the time in which the games take place is a fascinating aspect of the franchise's identity. Set in the not-so-distant future, the numerous titles that make up the Fallout franchise have built a complex chronology that help aid the overarching stories that the game's tell.

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Fallout 76

fallout-76

The earliest-set game within the expansive Fallout universe comes in the form of the shakily-launched Fallout 76. While being a comparatively unique game within the franchise due to its multiplayer focus, Fallout 76 was additionally bold in the time period in which it was set.

Fallout 76 was set in the year 2102 at its launch, making it the earliest setting for a Fallout title by about 60 years. Todd Howard himself has likened the title as a kind of spiritual prequel to the whole Fallout franchise, taking place only 25 years after the Great War, which transformed a large part of the Earth into a nuclear wasteland.

Fallout

A gameplay screenshot of the original Fallout

The next game in the chronological timeline of the franchise is the original Fallout, released in 1997. A top-down RPG that launched the storied franchise, the original Fallout was set in the year 2161, 59 years after Fallout 76.

Being set 84 years after the Great War, Fallout conveys a more established and populous wasteland, while being geographically set in Southern California. The original Fallout, like many of the other titles, showcases life within Vaults, which are microcosm societies that are formed and contained within expansive nuclear fallout shelters. Within the events of Fallout, the Vault Dweller protagonist is 20 years old, making them within the third generation of people who were born and lived entirely within the Vaults.

Fallout 2

fallout 2

The next mainline title within the chronology was Fallout 2. This title has quite a jump in time between the previous entry, with Fallout 2 being set in the year 2241, a full 80 years after its predecessor. This significant advancement of time was fantastic in fostering an insight as to how post-apocalyptic society was developing, both inside and outside the relative safety of the Vaults.

Fallout 2 establishes the formation of the New California Republic, a post-war federation made up of five contiguous states. This showcases the attempts to reestablish pre-war societal democracy and society, as well as civilizations outside the reclusion and isolation of the Vaults, which human life had been essentially confined to in the decades prior.

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Fallout 3

fallout 3 key art

Logically, the next chronological setting within Fallout is from another direct sequel, with the iconic Fallout 3 being set in the year 2277, exactly 200 years after the aforementioned Great War. Only being taking place 34 years after its predecessor, there is not much offered in how time has altered society within Fallout 3, but the geographical setting is very useful.

Fallout 3 was the first title within the franchise to be set within the USA's East Coast, more specifically an area known as the Capital Wasteland, consisting of Washington D.C. as well as parts of Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania. Also being the first Fallout title to be focused on 3D first-person gameplay, Fallout 3 offered a much more tangible insight into post-war society in a way never seen before. Being set within what was once the cornerstone location of American democracy, the remaining lawlessness and lethality of the outside world provided a testament to the lasting fallout of the Great War and its consequences.

Fallout: New Vegas

Image from Fallout: New Vegas showing the Courier in front of the titular Strip.

The next title in the Fallout timeline comes in the form of the fan-favorite game Fallout: New Vegas. While not a direct sequel to any other title within the franchise, New Vegas is considered as the fourth major installment within the series, and takes place in the year 2281.

This temporal setting puts the events of Fallout: New Vegas as occurring only four years after those of Fallout 3. However, this shift back away from the East Coast provides valuable information as to how the geopolitical landscape of the rest of America has changed since the events of Fallout 2, which occurred 40 years prior. New Vegas showcases a power struggle between the greatly expanding New California Republic, Vegas' Mr. House, and Caesar's Legion, with all three organizations vying for control over the area.

Fallout 4

Fallout 4 Synths Armed

The latest addition to the Fallout franchise within the established chronology is Fallout 4, which takes place in the year 2287, six years after Fallout: New Vegas. Fallout 4 goes back to the East Coast, this time within an area known as the Commonwealth, comprising primarily of what was once Massachusetts.

With Fallout 4 taking place 210 years after the Great War, human existence and societal values are essentially entirely built upon post-apocalyptic life. One of the most interesting factors of Fallout lore within this title comes with the existence of The Institute, a scientifically advanced organization located within the Commonwealth. The largest impact that The Institute arguably has had on Fallout lore is their production of synthetic humanoid robots, or "Synths." Certain models of Synths can be practically indistinguishable from humans, and add a fascinating facet to the societies within Fallout due to the controversy they carry. Synths are a direct result of post-war innovation within the timeline of the Fallout franchise, and a shining example of how progressing chronologically can foster new elements of gameplay and lore.

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