Looking for a Chronological Play Order for the Fallout games? You are at the right place. Be it New Vegas, Fallout 3, Fallout 4, or maybe even Tactics. There are many games in the series that fans love. But with these many to pick from it can be a bit confusing as to where to start. So below is the timeline for all the mainline games. You can also find the release date order of all games including spinoffs after it.
Table of Contents
Every Fallout Game in Chronological Timeline Order
Before checking the exact timeline, it is important to know that you can effectively start from any game in the series. These games are connected to each other in terms of lore, but they are also very standalone for the most part. And if you haven’t played the others you won’t miss out on any things as such. But playing them in order can make you enjoy them more.
Note that the below numbers are not their ranks but where the games fall in the timeline chronologically.
1 – Fallout 76
The latest game at the time of writing this guide ironically happens to be the oldest and the first game in the timeline. At least for now. The events in this game happen after the Great War of 2077. And this game takes place in the year 2102.
- Platforms: Windows, PS4, Xbox One
2 – Fallout
Next, we have the first-ever game in the series. It takes place in the year 2161, in the wastes of Southern California. The story revolves around your character being sent to retrieve a water chip. You need this chip to recycle water. While it may not be the prettiest game when it comes to its looks. You have to thank it for setting up the groundwork for the series.
- Platforms: Windows, macOS
3 – Fallout 2
The next game takes quite a big jump and happens 80 years after the first game (chronologically second). Fallout 2 takes place in the year 2241. You start the game in the village of Arroyo. The story here needs you to get the terraforming tool G.E.C.K (Garden of Eden Creation Kit), to save your village from drought.
- Platforms: Windows, macOS
4 – Fallout 3
If the above two games took place on the West Coast. Fallout 3 takes place in the East. Set in the year 2277, it is the first 3D game of the series. Our character wasn’t just born in Vault 101 but was also raised and stayed there for the longest time. But the story is about him going on a search for his father. And there is a lot more to the game than I just explained in this very quick summary.
- Platforms: Windows, PS3, Xbox 360, Xbox One
5- Fallout New Vegas (NV)
The game takes place after Fallout 3, with a 4-year gap and is set in the year 2281. It takes you back to California, where the New California Republic is now not only operational and in control, but is also has grown its territory quite a lot. Things are different in this game because you start as a Courier. While on your way to deliver a package to the city of New Vegas, you are attacked and buried assuming you died. And this is the story of you finding your killer.
- Platforms: Windows, PS3, Xbox 360, Xbox One
6- Fallout 4
6 years after the events of New Vegas the game takes you back to the East Coast in the year 2287. Your character was cryogenically frozen in the year 2077. You go out into the Commonwealth in search of their missing child.
- Platforms: Windows, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S
What about Fallout Tactics?
Fallout Tactics is considered a Semi-canon game. Without getting into the spoilers while some sections of the game are canon, most of the game isn’t. If you were to fit this game in the above chronological timeline, then it would fall between Fallout 1 and Fallout 2.
Which Fallout Game to Play First?
As mentioned above, these games are standalone for the most part, so you can start with any of them as available to your preferred platform. But as a recommendation, you should either start with Fallout 3 or Fallout New Vegas.
Fallout Games as per their Release Date
Below is every fallout game from the mainline and the spinoffs based on their release date.
- Fallout – 1997, developed by Interplay Entertainment
- Fallout 2 – 1998, developed by Black Isle Studios
- Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood Of Steel – 2001, developed by Micro Forté
- Fallout: Brotherhood Of Steel – 2004, developed by Interplay Entertainment
- Fallout 3 – 2008, developed by Bethesda Game Studios
- Fallout New Vegas – 2010, developed by Obsidian Entertainment
- Fallout Shelter – 2015, developed by Bethesda Game Studios
- Fallout 4 – 2015, developed by Bethesda Game Studios
- Fallout Pinball – 2016, developed by Zen Studios
- Fallout 76 – 2018, developed by Bethesda Game Studios
That’s it for the chronological play order for all Fallout games in the series. You should check out our Fallout 76 section to get help with it. And for guides on other games in the series check out Gamer Tweak.