The following article contains spoilers for Amazon Prime Video’s Fallout series and Fallout: New Vegas.
In the short time since theFalloutShow’s release, fans have been debating whether the show has retconned parts of the mainlineFalloutgames. The popularity of this debate has caught the attention of all sorts of firsthand sources ofFalloutlore, including former developers from Interplay who worked on the originalFalloutgames, members of theFalloutShow’s production, and even Bethesda Studios’ Director, Todd Howard.
However, after being clarified by official sources,the timeline of theFalloutgamesnow faces yet another tough situation. This time around, concerning the implications of establishing canon endings for theFalloutfranchise games, withNew Vegasin particular being something to consider.
The Fallout Show’s Retcon Controversy Explained
The alleged retcon that has fans riled up is how a particular event in theFalloutShow seemingly conflicts with other known events in theFalloutfranchise games. Specifically, in theFalloutShow in Season One, Episode Six:The Trap, a timeline can be seen depicting the fall of Shady Sands and the end of the NCR in 2277. However, the NCR was still a prominent faction in 2281 during the events ofFallout: New Vegas’ main storyline, so these two dates don’t quite line up.
Where the confusion of this being a retcon comes from is how the show implies that the fall of Shady Sands was a sudden event that occurred in 2277. However,in an interview with IGN, Todd Howard clarified the Shady Sands retcon controversy. Evidently, the demise of Shady Sands was a gradual event, with 2277 marking the beginning of this downfall, whereas the city and the NCR’s destruction didn’t occur until a few years afterward.
Which Endings for Fallout: New Vegas’ Base Game and DLCs are Considered Canon?
While this clarification resolves the heated retcon debate, theFalloutShow’s representation ofFallout: New Vegasstill faces another unresolved issue concerning the timeline. Specifically, there are concerns that theFalloutShow is establishing canon endings for the games and what this means for the franchise.
With theFalloutShow’s Season One finalesetting up New Vegas to be a central location in Season Two, the true canon endings forFallout: New Vegas’ base game and its DLCs are expected to be revealed in due time, though signs currently point toward a handful of likely possibilities.
Fallout: New Vegas (Base Game)
In order for the NCR faction to have had the strength to develop Shady Sands into the largest post-war civilization, they would have needed to survivethe events ofFallout: New Vegas’ storyand remain on the West Coast. This ultimately means that either one of the NCR, Mr. House, or Yes Man endings could be the canon ending.
Because this DLC takes place before the otherDLCs forFallout: New Vegas, there’s only one possible ending that would allow the events of the future DLCs to happen. Specifically, the ending where the player character betrays Elijah and escapes the Sierra Madre is the canon ending of this DLC.
Seeing as how the endings for this particular DLC forFallout: New Vegascan directly impact the NCR, thisFalloutfranchise timeline suggests that the canon ending for the Lonesome Road DLC is between one of two endings. This DLC would either have to be ended by Ed-E disarming the missiles, or the player-character using the missiles to target Ceasar’s Legion.
With theFalloutfranchise being as big as it is, it was only a matter of time until a sequel came along and established which of the past games’ endings are canon. Yet, while this clarifies the timeline, there are concerns that establishing canon endings undermines the player’sfreedom of choice in theFalloutgames. This has been a growing concern with the modernFalloutgames, so theFalloutShow establishing canon endings could be quite a double-edged sword.
Fallout
Fallout is a franchise built around a series of RPGs set in a post-nuclear world, in which great vaults have been built to shelter parts of humankind. There are six main games, various spin-offs, tabletop games, and a TV series from Amazon Studios.
