The sequence of Fallout games follows a lengthy and intricate timeline, making it challenging for new players to determine the best entry point. Since its initial release in 1997, the Fallout series has experienced significant changes while maintaining its distinct charm, which has contributed to its enduring popularity.
The game’s setting presents a blend of the harsh realities of a post-apocalyptic world filled with radiation and a unique and often amusing personality. The sheer range of activities available in the game ensures constant entertainment for players.
When it comes to playing the Fallout games, there isn’t really a right or wrong way to start. Any entry in the series that catches your interest is likely to be a good introduction. However, some games may be more challenging to get into than others, especially if they have significant changes in gameplay.
While there are several options for the best order to play the games, there is one that stands out as the most straightforward choice to recommend.
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How Many Fallout Games and Expansions Are There?
There are a total of nine primary Fallout games available, with eight being designed for home consoles and one specifically for mobile devices.
Additionally, there are thirteen significant expansions that are included in Fallout 3, Fallout: New Vegas, and Fallout 4.
The Fallout series is an essential part of Bethesda’s gaming lineup and is expected to continue receiving updates and support in the future.
Which Fallout Game Should You Play First?
If you are new to the Fallout franchise, a good choice to start with would be Fallout 4. However, Fallout 3 and New Vegas are also excellent options for getting into the series. Fallout 4 is the latest installment in the single-player series and offers a more contemporary experience.
It is worth noting that it is the only mainline single-player Fallout game that can be easily played on current generation consoles, excluding the Nintendo Switch.
If you’re concerned about being out of the loop on the storyline, each installment of the Fallout game series introduces a new protagonist and setting, and Fallout 4 follows suit.
While there may be some allusions to past events, it’s not necessary to have prior knowledge of the lore in order to jump right in and enjoy the game.
Fallout games by release date
As the Fallout series approaches its 30th anniversary, it is worth noting that there are more games in the franchise than commonly perceived. While the mainline games receive significant recognition, there are also a few unconventional spinoffs to consider.
- Fallout (1997)
- Fallout 2 (1998)
- Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel (2001)
- Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel (2004)
- Fallout 3 (2008)
- Fallout: New Vegas (2010)
- Fallout 4 (2015)
- Fallout Shelter (2015)
- Fallout Pinball (2016)
- Fallout 76 (2018)
- Fallout Shelter Online (2019)
Fallout games in chronological order
The Fallout games are set in a post-apocalyptic world known as the aftermath of the Great War. This war was a massive thermonuclear conflict that occurred on October 23, 2077, resulting in the destruction of civilization within a mere two hours.
It’s important to note that the games in the series do not follow a strictly linear timeline. To experience the events in chronological order, players will have to navigate between different periods.
1. Fallout 76
The newest installment in the Fallout series by Bethesda is Fallout 76, which is the earliest in terms of the game’s timeline.
This game offers an online multiplayer experience and takes players on a journey with the first vault dwellers who venture into the post-apocalyptic wasteland 25 years after a devastating nuclear war.
Starting as one of the original settlers, players start their adventure by leaving Vault 76 and exploring Appalachia to find their overseer who has gone missing.
During their journey, they come across a post-apocalyptic world filled with mutated creatures, deadly robots, and irradiated humans called Ghouls.
To stay alive, players have the option to join forces with other survivors, construct bases, complete missions, and rebuild a community in the remains of the devastated world.
2. Fallout
After almost six decades, we come to the story of the initial installment in the Fallout game series. Created by Interplay Productions, Fallout revolves around a resident of Vault 13, a protective underground shelter.
The main character, known as a vault dweller, resides in this shelter to escape the devastating post-apocalyptic world outside. However, their peaceful existence is disrupted when the water systems in the vault malfunction, posing a significant threat to the survival of all the inhabitants in Vault 13.
In the Fallout games, players are given a seemingly straightforward objective: explore the post-apocalyptic wasteland, retrieve a vital water chip, and bring it back to their fellow survivors in the vault.
However, the mission of the protagonist becomes much more significant when they come across a formidable force called the Super Mutants, mutant creatures led by the powerful Master. These monstrous beings not only put Vault 13 in danger, but also pose a serious threat to the entire wasteland.
3. Fallout Tactics
After a span of thirty years, Fallout Tactics, a strategy spin-off created by Micro Fortรฉ, takes place. While Bethesda considers some of the lore in Fallout Tactics as non-canon and has retconned it, certain elements from its storyline have been mentioned in subsequent games, suggesting that it still holds some relevance in the overall timeline.
In this game, players take on the role of a member of the legendary Brotherhood of Steel, wearing their iconic power armor. As part of this faction, players will join the army and lead a team of soldiers to complete a range of missions throughout the Wasteland.
4. Fallout 2
Following the conclusion of Fallout Tactics, Fallout 2 takes place forty-four years later. Developed by Black Isle Studios, it serves as the first significant sequel in the Fallout series. The game follows the story of the Chosen One, a descendant of the Vault Dweller from the original game.
In the aftermath of a severe drought, the Chosen One is chosen to venture out from their settlement and find a device called a G.E.C.K. that can transform the barren land.
Their journey spans the expansive Wasteland and brings them face to face with a technologically advanced faction called the Enclave. As the Chosen One delves deeper into the faction’s objectives, they uncover a dark experiment being conducted by the group.
5. Fallout 3
Following their acquisition of the Fallout license in 2007, Bethesda took on the challenge of developing their first installment in the franchise, known as Fallout 3. This game is set thirty years after the events of Fallout 2 and introduces players to the Capital Wasteland as a new location.
Players assume the role of the Lone Wanderer, a vault dweller, as they embark on their journey within this post-apocalyptic world.
The Lone Wanderer, who lived a monotonous life confined within the protected confines of Vault 101, experiences a sudden upheaval when their father mysteriously vanishes. As a result, the protagonist is banished from their home and embarks on a quest through the Capitol Wasteland to find their missing father.
Along the way, they uncover clues suggesting that their father’s disappearance holds greater importance than initially perceived, and soon find themselves entangled in a nefarious scheme orchestrated by the Enclave.
6. Fallout 3 – Operation Anchorage
Operation Anchorage is the initial expansion pack for Fallout 3 that introduces players to a fresh set of missions that take place alongside the game’s main storyline. In this expansion, players assist the Brotherhood of Steel in gaining access to a sealed pre-war armory.
The only means of entry is by enduring a simulation of the well-known Battle of Anchorage, which occurred in Alaska before the devastating nuclear war that led to the post-apocalyptic world of Fallout.
In the course of the game, players enter a virtual world where they assume the persona of an American soldier engaged in battle against Chinese forces, providing an immersive experience of the Anchorage conflict.
This downloadable content (DLC) grants players an extensive opportunity to explore an untold chapter in the Fallout series, while also introducing numerous exciting combat scenarios.
7. Fallout 3 – The Pitt
The second major expansion for Fallout 3, known as The Pitt, is set within the same timeline as the main campaign. This expansion introduces a new location called The Pitt, which is a decaying city plagued by a ruthless epidemic, located in the remnants of Pittsburgh. Players can now venture into this infected city and explore its perils.
The journey begins for the Lone Wanderer as they encounter a runaway slave and embark on a mission to The Pitt in search of a remedy for a deadly illness that is turning people into savage creatures.
Throughout their expedition, they find themselves caught in the midst of a power struggle between the oppressed citizens and their ruthless raider leaders, forcing them to make difficult choices that will have lasting consequences for The Pitt and its people.
8. Fallout 3 – Point Lookout
Point Lookout, the fourth add-on for Fallout 3, is a DLC that immerses players in a brand new location during the main campaign. In this expansion, the Lone Wanderer embarks on a chilling adventure to the eerie swamps of Point Lookout, a coastal town.
The story kicks off with the Lone Wanderer volunteering to assist a distressed mother in locating her daughter, Nadine, who has recently ventured into Point Lookout.
When they reach the town, they soon realize that the reason behind Nadine’s vanishing is more complex than they initially thought. They decide to stay in the heart of a longstanding feud between the owner of a mansion in the area and a group of cultists.
The Lone Wanderer is compelled to deal with the unsettling mutated creatures living in the swamp, uncover hidden truths, and even undergo unexpected brain surgery in order to stay alive.
9. Fallout 3 – Mothership Zeta
Mothership Zeta is the latest expansion released for Fallout 3. This expansion takes place during the main campaign and introduces a distinct B-movie science fiction twist to the Fallout franchise.
In the Fallout game series, the story begins with the protagonist, known as the Lone Wanderer, receiving a distress signal on their radio while exploring the post-apocalyptic wasteland.
Curiosity leads them to investigate the source of the signal, only to be unexpectedly abducted by a UFO. The Lone Wanderer becomes a subject of alien experimentation and is held captive on the UFO. However, they manage to break free from their cell and join forces
10. Fallout 3 – Broken Steel
Broken Steel is the third expansion for Fallout 3. It is unique because it is the only add-on that occurs after the main story. Serving as an epilogue, Broken Steel provides players with a new ending.
Previously, players were unable to continue their Fallout 3 save after completing the game. However, with the addition of Broken Steel, players can now resume their adventure and engage in a series of new missions.
After successfully facing Colonel Autumn in the control room of the Purity Project, the Lone Wanderer joins forces once more with the Brotherhood of Steel in the expansion. Their objective is to help the Brotherhood eliminate the Enclave from the Capitol Wasteland permanently.
11. Fallout: New Vegas
After the release of Fallout 3, Obsidian Entertainment had the opportunity to create their own game within the Fallout franchise called Fallout: New Vegas. This spin-off takes place four years after the events of Fallout 3 and follows the journey of a courier.
The courier is attacked, shot, and left for dead in the Mojave Wasteland while on a mission to deliver a valuable package to the revived city of Las Vegas.
Rescued and repaired by a community of nearby residents, the protagonist emerges from death and embarks on a mission to seek revenge against the person who tried to murder them. Little do they know, their quest thrusts them into a fierce battle for dominance over the New Vegas strip, as multiple factions compete for power.
While unraveling the secrets of the package they were carrying and the thief who took it, the protagonist comes to understand that their choices hold immense power to shape the future of the Mojave Wasteland.
12. Fallout: New Vegas – Dead Money
Dead Money is the initial DLC for Fallout: New Vegas and it takes place within the same timeline as the main game. It introduces a fresh setting called Sierra Madre for players to explore. In this expansion, the protagonist, known as the Courier, gets abducted and has an explosive collar placed around their neck.
They are then coerced into participating in a heist at a pre-war casino, which appears to be impenetrable, alongside three unexpected companions.
Undoubtedly, the mission at hand is extremely dangerous. The casino is encircled by a hazardous gas cloud, and a group of merciless survivors called the Ghost People roam the streets, eliminating anyone searching for treasure.
The responsibility of planning a bold robbery to surpass the casino’s defenses and reach the fabled loot hidden within its walls lies with the Courier, who will receive assistance from their allies.
13. Fallout: New Vegas – Honest Hearts
Honest Hearts is the second expansion pack for Fallout: New Vegas. It takes place during the main campaign and follows the Courier as they journey to Zion National Park.
During their exploration, they encounter Joshua Graham, also known as the “Burned Man,” who has gained a fearsome reputation among Caesar’s Legion for surviving a deadly encounter with their leader.
In the world of Fallout, players are thrust into the midst of a conflict between the forces led by the Burned Man and a rival group called the White Legs. To protect the land of Zion and its inhabitants, the player must join forces with Graham and work together to ensure their survival.
14. Fallout: New Vegas – Old World Blues
In the game series Fallout, the third expansion called Old World Blues is set in the same timeframe as the main campaign. The story starts with the player, known as the Courier, searching for a crashed satellite that is transmitting a mysterious message.
Upon investigating the satellite, the Courier gets incapacitated and wakes up in a scientific facility located in Big Mountain. It is here that they uncover that they have been subjected to an unknown surgical procedure.
While exploring the facility, the characters encounter a group of illogical AI scientists who reveal that their brain has been taken by an evil robot named Doctor Morbius.
With the help of their newfound AI companions, they embark on a journey throughout the research facility to defeat Morbius, recover their brain, and uncover the hidden truths of Big Mountain.
15. Fallout: New Vegas – Lonesome Road
Lonesome Road, the last expansion for Fallout: New Vegas, is set before the main campaign’s ending. It ties up loose ends from the main game and previous downloadable content (DLC), providing closure to various storylines.
In the Fallout game called “The Divide,” players take on the role of the Courier as they explore a new region in search of a character named Ulysses. Ulysses was originally tasked with delivering the platinum chip, which plays a crucial role in the game’s storyline.
Ulysses promises to reveal information about the Courier’s true identity, leading to a final showdown between the two characters and revealing their mysterious and troubling histories.
16. Fallout 4
After an absence of seven years, Bethesda unveiled Fallout 4 in 2015, marking their return to the popular gaming franchise. Set in a post-apocalyptic world, the game starts on the day when nuclear bombs devastated the Earth.
Players assume the identity of the Sole Survivor, a regular person seeking shelter in Vault 111 alongside their spouse and child. However, they are cryogenically preserved and awaken two centuries later to a grim reality: their spouse is deceased, their child is nowhere to be found, and the world lies in ruins.
Stepping into the post-apocalyptic version of the Greater Boston area known as the Commonwealth, players embark on a relentless quest to find their missing child in Bethesda’s Fallout game.
Throughout their journey, they find themselves entangled with the enigmatic Institute, a highly advanced faction that abducts survivors and substitutes them with sentient robots named synths.
17. Fallout 4 – Automatron
Automatron, the initial story expansion for Fallout 4, occurs within the timeline of the main storyline. In this expansion, the Sole Survivor confronts a foe called the Mechanist.
The expansion includes a series of fresh missions where the protagonist, known as the Sole Survivor, engages in combat with the Mechanist’s robots and ultimately discovers their hideout.
While the primary focus of this add-on is to provide players with the opportunity to construct and customize robots that can accompany them throughout the post-apocalyptic wasteland.
18. Fallout 4 – Far Harbour
Far Harbour is the second story expansion for Fallout 4. It takes place at the same time as Fallout 4’s main campaign and follows the Sole Survivor’s journey to a mysterious island called Far Harbour. The main objective is to locate a girl who has gone missing.
During the search, the protagonist discovers a hidden society of independent synths, led by an advanced AI named DiMA.
In the course of the game, DiMA discloses fresh details about the community and Far Harbour, shedding light on the ongoing conflict between the island’s inhabitants and a cult called the Children of Atom.
This cult worships radiation and is determined to envelop the island in a fog of radioactivity. The protagonist, known as the Sole Survivor, quickly becomes entangled in this clash, gaining the ability to make decisions that will have permanent consequences for the eerie setting and its residents.
19. Fallout 4 – Vault-Tec Workshop
Following the release of Far Harbour, a new expansion called Vault-Tec Workshop is introduced in the Fallout game series. This expansion takes place within the main campaign and presents the Sole Survivor with the opportunity to construct their own vault.
After successfully freeing Vault 88 from raiders, the Sole Survivor encounters an overseer who has been trapped within the ruins. This overseer has the goal of revitalizing the abandoned bomb shelter, and with the player’s assistance, they can work together to build a customized vault, recruit dwellers to inhabit it, and optimize its functionality to the fullest extent possible.
20. Fallout 4 – Nuka World
Nuka World, the last story expansion for Fallout 4, takes place within the same timeline as the main campaign. In this expansion, the Sole Survivor is given control over a brand new region that is home to a sprawling amusement park, inspired by the iconic Nuka-Cola brand.
Upon arrival, the player is thrust into a challenging environment filled with merciless raiders, dangerous trap rooms, and robotic adversaries. As a result, they are bestowed with the prestigious title of Nuka-World overboss.
However, this position is far from an ideal dream job. The player must confront the daunting task of managing three raider factions residing within the park. They are faced with the difficult decision of either appeasing these factions and expanding their territory or eliminating them entirely.
FelixJune 20, 2024
