🔗 Share this article Behind the Scenes of the Fallout Universe, Gaming’s Most Surprising Television Success The post-apocalyptic TV show is back to its platform, and it's fair to say that audiences were pleasantly surprised by the quality of its first season. By portraying the atomic-age, nuclear-ravaged United States through the perspectives of three different characters, it succeeded in capturing different facets of the gamer's experience. We followed vault-dweller Lucy, trying to act with integrity and learning that the barren landscape made that incredibly hard; Brotherhood initiate Max, the militant faction initiate, who starts challenging his cult's leadership and unleashes a lot of havoc in mechanized battle suit; and Walton Goggins's character, a standout performance who has completely shed any ethical bearings out in the radioactive badlands. Building Anticipation for a New Chapter The show's first season conclusion unveiled crucial details about those responsible for the global annihilation that sealed a population in bomb-proof bunkers for hundreds of years. It also left plenty of questions open for the second season – and, on this occasion, hopes are significantly higher. “We'd gladly accept ‘not terrible’ – we should print that on merchandise,” quips Jonah Nolan. “Going into the first season, people were like, ‘Just get it right’,” states the game director. “We are thrilled with the feedback to the show, so now people are coming in with more enthusiasm and new expectations.” The Mojave Beckons for Season Two The second season is taking place in New Vegas, the location of the beloved game Fallout: New Vegas, which is frequently celebrated for having the sharpest dialogue and personalities in the franchise, despite the fact that it was a bit broken at launch. “It embodies a sun-baked feel, a Mojave vibe, that’s so integral to that game,” notes Nolan. “That dusty, blasted-out Route 66 feeling of the game is so much fun to translate into the show.” In the series narrative, a considerable period has passed since the story of the New Vegas game by the time the protagonists make their way there. Yet, the creators suggest that it will honor the player’s journey. Crafting a Tangible World The Fallout TV series is notable for its physical authenticity – its creators prioritized authentic items and locations were built, echoing the improvised nature of the towns in the games. “Being a genre enthusiast, so many productions I watch, I’m aware that they’re all standing in front of a blue screen,” observes co-creator Geneva Robertson-Dworet. “The whole point of an adaptation, particularly of a video game, is to appear as if it’s tangible.” Indeed, virtually everything you see on-screen is practical, even the legendarily scary radioactive creatures known as Deathclaws. In the show, they are created using animatronics, and were apparently pretty frightening up close. A Labor of Love The Fallout series resonates because it is developed by accomplished storytellers who are also dedicated players, with the help of the visionaries behind the source material. This common understanding for the world is clear in the finished show. The new batch of episodes is being released on a episode-by-episode basis rather than as a full-season drop, marking a change from the first season. This format will foster a different viewing experience, a dynamic the showrunners themselves are looking forward to witness. “It's richer, it’s more expansive, it’s funnier, it has a lot of revelations,” says the game director. “I’m looking forward to seeing what people think.”