Behind the Scenes of Fallout, the Gaming World’s Most Unexpected TV Hit

The Fallout TV series is back to Prime Video, and it's fair to say that fans were pleasantly surprised by the quality of its first season. By depicting the retro-futuristic, nuclear-ravaged United States through the perspectives of three separate characters, it managed to capture different facets of the player's experience.

There was vault-dweller Lucy, striving to do the right thing and discovering that the wasteland made that exceptionally challenging; Max, the militant faction new recruit, who begins to question his cult's authority and causes significant chaos in mechanized battle suit; and the Ghoul, a breakout character who has entirely abandoned any moral compass out in the irradiated badlands.

Building Anticipation for Season Two

The debut season's conclusion unveiled a major secret about who helped cause the nuclear war that condemned a population in subterranean shelters for an extended period. It also left several enigmas unanswered for the next installment – and, now, expectations are much greater.

“We’ll take ‘pretty good’ – let’s get that on a poster,” says the show's co-creator.

“Starting the initial season, people were like, ‘Just get it right’,” comments a key figure from the games. “We are thrilled with the feedback to the show, so this time people are coming in with more enthusiasm and altered expectations.”

The Mojave Beckons for the Next Installment

The upcoming season is taking place in New Vegas, the location of the 2010’s game Fallout: New Vegas, which is widely regarded for having the most compelling narratives and personalities in the franchise, despite the fact that it was technically flawed at launch.

“It embodies a arid atmosphere, a Mojave vibe, that’s so key to that game,” notes the co-creator. “That dusty, blasted-out Route 66 feeling of the game is so much enjoyable to translate into the show.”

In the show's timeline, a long time has elapsed since the events of the New Vegas game by the time the characters make their way there. Nevertheless, the creators hint that it does reference the fan's adventure.

Crafting a Tangible World

The Fallout TV series is notable for its tangible quality – its makers ensured authentic items and locations were fabricated, echoing the makeshift nature of the outposts in the games.

“As a sci-fi fan, so many productions I watch, I’m aware that they’re all standing in front of a blue screen,” comments co-creator Geneva Robertson-Dworet. “The primary goal of an translation, particularly of a video game, is to feel like it’s authentic.”

In fact, virtually each creature you see on-screen is physical, even the infamously terrifying mutated beasts known as Deathclaws. In the show, they are brought to life with animatronics, and were by all accounts quite terrifying up close.

Made by Fans, for Fans

The Fallout series works because it is made by accomplished storytellers who are also dedicated players, in collaboration with the original creators behind the video games. This mutual respect for the lore is apparent in the finished show.

The new batch of episodes is being released on a weekly basis rather than as a all-at-once release, representing a shift from the first season. This approach will create a new viewing experience, something the creators themselves are looking forward to engage with.

“It's richer, it’s larger in scale, it’s wittier, it has a lot of twists,” says the game director. “I am excited to seeing what people think.”