Fallout Season 2 Heads to New Vegas Without Picking Sides
Fallout’s second season is set in New Vegas, but the showrunners are steering clear of picking a definitive ending from the game, aiming to respect every fan’s unique journey.
When Bethesda set out to bring Fallout to the small screen, they weren’t interested in just any old adaptation. Emil Pagliarulo, a senior developer at Bethesda, shared that the team was after top-tier talent, not just anyone with a background in game-to-film projects.
“Hollywood, at the time, they wanted to throw the 'video game directors' at us,”
Pagliarulo recalled.
“We don't want the guy who makes video game movies. We want the best director, the best showrunner possible. And it wasn't until Jonathan Nolan and his company had their pitch. This is the guy who wrote the Batman movies. This is the guy who made Westworld. This is the guy we want. A lot of it was waiting to find the right partner, and not just doing it because you could.”
Interest in a live-action Fallout has been bubbling away since 2008, but there was plenty of hesitation. Bethesda’s then-marketing boss, Phil Hines, was wary, pointing to the 2005 Doom film as a cautionary tale. The same year, Alone in the Dark’s adaptation didn’t exactly win hearts either.
From Hesitation to Record-Breaking Success
Things finally kicked off in 2020 when Prime Video announced they were working on a Fallout series. Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, the creative minds behind Westworld, pitched their vision to Bethesda, and the rest fell into place. The series, which landed in 2024, smashed streaming records for Prime and picked up three Emmy nods, including Outstanding Drama and a nomination for Walton Goggins as Cooper Howard, better known as the Ghoul.
The much-anticipated second season is set to drop on Prime Video on December 17, and fans are already buzzing about what’s next.
New Vegas Beckons, But No Canonical Ending
Todd Howard, the bloke steering the Fallout ship, says the new season is all about finding a balance between a fresh start in New Vegas and giving a nod to the journeys players have taken in the games. He’s keen to reassure fans that the production team has gone all out, building an “incredible” set for the new season.
“Their ability to pull it off on the scale, so much of it practical, it was incredible.”
Howard also made sure to tip his hat to Obsidian, the studio behind Fallout: New Vegas, even inviting their developers to the set to soak up the atmosphere of the iconic location.
Respecting Every Player’s Story
The show’s producers have made it clear they won’t be locking in any one ending from New Vegas as the official story.
“We didn't want to contradict anyone's experiences playing the games,”
they explained. This approach is all about letting every fan’s playthrough remain valid, no matter which path they chose.
While some familiar faces, creatures, and factions from the games are being kept in reserve for now, one producer has promised,
“we’ll get there eventually.”
For now, the focus is on building a world that feels true to the spirit of the games, while leaving the door open for plenty more surprises down the track.