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Entertainment • Video game

Fallout (video game)

Fallout, also known as Fallout: A Post Nuclear Role Playing Game and sometimes called Fallout 1, is a 1997 role-playing video game developed and published by Interplay Productions.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

Fallout, also known as Fallout: A Post Nuclear Role Playing Game and sometimes called Fallout 1, is a 1997 role-playing video game developed and published by Interplay Productions. Set in a retro-futuristic post-apocalyptic world in the year 2161, it follows the Vault Dweller in a world shaped by nuclear war. The game is the first entry in the Fallout series and has a long-standing player base in Canada.

Gameplay

Fallout is a computer role-playing game that uses turn-based combat and an isometric viewpoint. Players explore the world, interact with characters, and make choices that affect outcomes.

Setting and story

The game takes place in 2161, decades after a global nuclear exchange between the United States and China. The player character, the Vault Dweller, leaves Vault 13 to help their community and explore the wasteland.

Development and release

Fallout was developed and published by Interplay Productions and released in October 1997 for MS-DOS and Windows, with later Macintosh releases. It is the first game in the Fallout franchise.

Legacy

Fallout established many of the series' core themes and is often described as the original or first Fallout game. Later entries expanded the franchise into a larger media property.

Key facts

  • The game was released in 1997 and is the first entry in the Fallout series.
  • Its story is set in 2161, after a nuclear war known as the Great War devastated the United States.
  • Players control the Vault Dweller, a resident of Vault 13.
  • Gameplay is a computer role-playing game with turn-based combat and an isometric perspective.
  • The game is widely treated as the spiritual successor to Interplay's earlier game Wasteland.
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Canadian context

Fallout has a long-standing Canadian player base, and the franchise is widely known in Canada through PC gaming, later console releases, and the 2024 television adaptation that renewed interest in the original game.

Frequently asked questions

What is Fallout 1?
Fallout 1 is the first Fallout video game, formally titled Fallout: A Post Nuclear Role Playing Game.
Who developed Fallout?
It was developed and published by Interplay Productions.
When was Fallout released?
It was released on October 10, 1997.
What kind of game is Fallout?
It is a computer role-playing game with turn-based combat and an isometric perspective.
What is the game’s setting?
It is set in a post-apocalyptic, retro-futuristic version of the United States in the year 2161.

References

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fallout_(video_game)
    Supports: Title, developer, publisher, release date, platform, and general game description.
  2. Fallout Wiki — https://fallout.wiki/wiki/Fallout
    Supports: Setting, year 2161, Vault 13, Great War background, and turn-based/isometric gameplay.
  3. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fallout_(franchise)
    Supports: Fallout as the first entry in the franchise and first release date.
  4. The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction — https://sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/fallout
    Supports: 1997 videogame, designers, platforms, isometric perspective, and post-holocaust setting.
  5. Simple English Wikipedia — https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fallout_(video_game)
    Supports: First game in the series, 1997 release, and common name Fallout 1.
  6. Fallout Wiki (Fandom) — https://fallout.fandom.com/wiki/Fallout
    Supports: Direct sequel relation and publication details.