Prime Video and Bethesda Softworks have opened their vault to finally give us a handful of images from its upcoming Fallout TV series, and fans seem pretty pleased with the first glimpse.
While we're still awaiting an official trailer, the drop of new images has been met with largley positive reactions, a lot of whom are mostly just impressed that the weapon and outfit designs seem to be ripped straight out of the games the show is based on. Even Walton Goggins’ Ghoul character looks like a one-to-one copy of the kinds of characters one might have met in an entry like Fallout 4, for example.
“Wow, they really pulled out all the stops,” Reddit user superanth said. “They're using the (Fallout 4) Vault Suits with the radiation meter (which is the best version IMHO), (they) have Goggins made up as a ghoul perfectly, the power armor is gloriously accurate (there's no mini-gun, but they did use a jacketed machine gun, which is canon), and the fracking Prydwen is there!! This show is going to be awesome!”
"The Brotherhood looks glorious in the show," wrote u/GutBeer101. "Can't wait"
"I COLLAPSED at my front door step," added u/DancingChromosome. "I haven’t gotten this excited about a new show in fucking years."
The Prydwen is one of the airship bases for the Brotherhood of Steel, the Fallout franchise’s iconic metal-suited organization. The airship shown in today’s images, however, is known as the Caswennan, as reported by Vanity Fair.
It seems recent video game adaptations have focused on delivering fully recreated assets from the properties they are based on. It’s worked for projects like the Five Nights at Freddy’s movie and The Last of Us series, and now, it seems to be working for Fallout, at least in the initial reacton.
"As someone who worked hard on Fallout 3 and 4, I’m desperately hoping that this will be good. And I believe it just might be!!" wrote dev Jonah Lobe on X/Twitter. "Even 10 years ago, when I left Bethesda, there were offers on the table for Fallout shows/movies. Todd kept pushing them off, because he wanted a NOLAN!"
Lobe is, of course, referring to Jonathan Nolan, who co-developed the series alongside his Westworld partner Lisa Joy.
Goggins is such a perfect casting for a Fallout Ghoul. Even if this show ends up sucking, I can’t wait to see him chop it up https://t.co/Tn3ja2h2EA pic.twitter.com/BKpcz116yV
— Kenjac (@JackKennedy) November 28, 2023
As someone who worked hard on Fallout 3 and 4, I’m desperately hoping that this will be good. And I believe it just might be!!
— Jonah Lobe - Illustrating "Quiet: Level One" (@Jonahlobe) November 28, 2023
Even 10 years ago, when I left Bethesda, there were offers on the table for Fallout shows/movies. Todd kept pushing them off, because he wanted a NOLAN! https://t.co/0MJKnSJWuH
Alright ya, I am fully on board the Fallout TV Show hype train pic.twitter.com/wQ67Z2bUlt
— JuiceHead (@JuiceHead33) November 28, 2023
the fallout series looks so beautiful oh my god we won pic.twitter.com/CQPYSVK6wi
— swirly ☥ (@swirlingthings) November 28, 2023
Amazon’s Fallout show is looking to tell an original story, and according to a recent interview Vanity Fair conducted with Bethesda’s Todd Howard, that story will take place within the franchise’s established canon. That’s the perfect mix to send fans spiraling with theories about the series’ plot and characters despite the fact that we won’t actually get to meet them for months.
Seeing as the show is set Los Angeles and takes place 219 years after the bombs drop, many are wondering how it might incorporate the New California Republic, a group heavily featured in Fallout: New Vegas. Its role in the show hasn’t been quite clear, leading many to fear that the NCR might take a backseat so Amazon can prominently feature the more recognizable Brotherhood of Steel.
Reddit user Thewaffleofoz was one of a few to call attention to these concerns, reminding others that the Brotherhood has a notoriously lackluster presence on the west coast: “The show visually looks fantastic but I’m afraid they’re gonna make the BoS the tough boys who kick ass and chew bubblegum when that wasn’t really their role in Fallout 1, 2, or (New Vegas).”
However, as some have already pointed out, the Fallout show has room to introduce small changes to the canon seeing as it takes place 15 years after the events of New Vegas and nine years after Fallout 4. For all we know, the Brotherhood might have grown in prominence over the years.
Amazon has delivered a solid batch of images to tide viewers over until the Fallout show premieres this spring. This is no doubt our best look at the events to come, but it’s not quite the first time we’ve gotten a peak behind the curtain.
In October of last year, Prime Video celebrated the 25-year anniversary of the Fallout franchise with a look inside the mysterious Vault 33. Specifically, the image revealed what seems to be the series’ version of a vault exit, complete with blinding lights, blue-and-yellow jumpsuits, and even a cartoonishly big door.
Then, during gamescom 2023, attendees got an early look at video footage. We were there, too, and were happy to report that Amazon teased a story that includes plenty of Brotherhood of Steel members, Vertibirds, high production values, and of course, lots of nuclear explosions. That teaser never made its way to the public, sadly, but with the show’s release date only a few months away, we hopefully won’t have to wait too long to see some official footage.
Amazon Prime video’s Fallout TV show premieres on April 12, 2024.
Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He started writing in the industry in 2017 and is best known for his work at outlets such as The Pitch, The Escapist, OnlySP, and Gameranx.
Be sure to give him a follow on Twitter @MikeCripe.
