As Fallout follows an alternate world history starting around the 1950s, some major and minor events in the series line up with some real-life events. Due to the games all having different protagonists as well with different stories, events of the games don’t necessarily come in series order.
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The Great War and After the Bomb
October 23, 2077 - The Great War begins and ends, lasting only 2 hours. Most of the planet is razed to the ground from the nuclear weapons uses. The Sole Survivor of Fallout 4 and their family escape to Vault 111 before the bombs go off. All of the vaults are sealed. November 2077 - The Brotherhood of Steel is founded. November 2, 2077 - Psychoactive drugs are released to the residents of Vault 106. (Fallout 3) 2078 - The residents of Vault 87 are transformed into super mutants as part of an experiment by Vault-Tec. (Fallout 3) January 26, 2078 - Little Lamplight, the city of children is founded. (Fallout 3) April 23, 2078 - Vault 111 is allowed to be opened, but the overseer refuses to open it, causing a mutiny. (Fallout 4) November 20, 2078 - Ambassadors from Vault 94 leave the vault to find and help survivors. (Fallout 76) February 4, 2079 - Vault 77’s social experiment begins with its sole resident opening the crate of puppets. (Fallout 3) December 2079 - The resident of Vault 77 leaves into the wasteland. (Fallout 3) 2080 - Radiation effects become more prominent with the mutations of humans and animals. 2081 - Sierra Army Depot VI’s AI, Skynet, becomes self-aware. (Fallout 2) October 23, 2082 - Vault 95’s experiment by Vault-Tec begins. (Fallout 4) 2082 - The Brotherhood of Steel begins focusing on getting supplies from the neighboring factions. (Fallout 76) Summer of 2083 - The city of Necropolis is founded by ghoul survivors. (Fallout) Spring of 2084 - Set takes over control of Necropolis from the previous overseer. (Fallout) April to May 2088 - The Brotherhood of Steel creates an outpost at Big Bend Tunnel. (Fallout 76) 2090 - Vault 29 opens releasing Harold to become a trader. 2091 - Vault 8 opens and Vault City is founded. (Fallout 2) 2092 - The Los Angeles Vault opens and the Boneyard is founded. (Fallout) 2093 - The Hub is founded by Angus. (Fallout) February 2096 - The residents of Vault 22 leave the vault due to an outbreak of mutated spores. (Fallout: New Vegas) Spring 2097 - Vault 15 opens. (Fallout) Winter 2097 - Raiders form as well as the Khans and the Vipers. Spring 2098 - Shady Sands is founded. (Fallout) 2099 - Most of the human life outside of vaults in Appalachia has been killed or infected by the Scorched. (Fallout 76)
A New Century
July 2102 - Richard Grey wakes up and gets himself out of the Vats. (Fallout) July - November 2102 - Richard Grey continues to mutate while gaining more mental capacities. He begins to experiment and begins to form the Unity. (Fallout) October 23, 2102 - Fallout 76 begins. (Fallout 76) 2102 - Residents of Vault 76 defeat the scorchbeast queen, ending the scorched problem. (Fallout 76) December 2102 - Richard Grey continues his experiments on himself and other living things, connecting himself to the base’s computer. (Fallout)
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2103-2130 - Richard Grey begins taking human test subjects. (Fallout) January 2103 - Richard Grey creates and becomes the Master hive mind. (Fallout) June 2, 2103 - Reuben Gill escapes from Vault 51. (Fallout 76) October 23, 2103 - Fallout 76’s Wastelanders Expansion begins. (Fallout 76) 2103 - Vault 76’s final resident leaves the vault. (Fallout 76) 2110 - The Institute is founded. (Fallout 4) 2120 - Skynet is given final orders by the Enclave before being abandoned in the Sierra Army Depot. (Fallout 2) 2126-2128 - The Great Merchant Wars occur over the demand for water in the Hub. (Fallout) 2130 - The Great Winter hits the wastelands. 2137 - The Master Hivemind begins the mass creation of super mutants for an army. (Fallout) 2138 - Robert House wakes up from being cryogenically frozen. (Fallout: New Vegas) 2152 - The Master Hivemind continues to expand their influence throughout the wastelands. (Fallout) 2155 - The Gun Runners are formed in the Boneyard. (Fallout) 2155 - The Master Hivemind as the Unity takes over vault dwellers from the Boneyard. (Fallout) 2155 - Vault 17 is also invaded by the Unity for more subjects to turn into super mutants. (Fallout) 2156 - The Master Hivemind creates a cult to infiltrate settlements for information known as the Children of the Cathedral. (Fallout) 2157 - The Master Hivemind sends members of the Unity to take over Necropolis with little resistance able to be given by residents. (Fallout) 2159 - John Maxson becomes High Elder of the Brotherhood of Steel. (Fallout)
Events of the Original Fallout
December 5, 2161 - Fallout begins. (Fallout) December 15, 2161 - The Vault Dweller finds Shady Sands and finds companions, Ian and Tandi, joining them on the quest to find a replacement for the Vault 13 water chip. (Fallout) December 30, 2161 - The Vault Dweller takes Dogmeat with them after finding him in Junktown. (Fallout) December 2161 - Killian Darkwater takes over Junktown. (Fallout) December 2161 - The Khans are completely destroyed thanks to the Vault Dweller. (Fallout) January 2162 - Ghouls are given equal rights to humans in the Hub. (Fallout) January 17, 2162 - The Vault Dweller is able to work out negotiations with Water Merchants in the Hub to deliver watch to Vault 13. (Fallout) February 13, 2162 - The Vault Dweller gets a water chip in Necropolis while Ian is burnt to ash by a super mutant. (Fallout) February 23, 2162 - The Children of the Cathedral create a medical clinic in Junktown. (Fallout) March 3, 2162 - The Vault Dweller kills the Master Hivemind. (Fallout) March 24, 2162 - The Unity army attacks Necropolis and killing all who didn’t flee. (Fallout) April 20, 2162 - The Vault Dweller destroys the Mariposa Military Base with Dogmeat dying to protect the Vault Dweller. (Fallout) May 10, 2162 - Fallout ends. (Fallout) Post May 10, 2162 - The Brotherhood of Steel helps drive away the remains of the Unity army from the wastelands. (Fallout) 2186 - A government for the New California Republic is formed. (Fallout) October 2, 2188 - The Vault Dweller has a daughter. (Fallout)
Post-Fallout
2189 - The Followers of the Apocalypse become a major influence and take control of the Boneyard. (Fallout) 2196 - Tandi is elected president of the N. C. R. 2205 - The New California Republic issues protection laws for mutants and ghouls within it. (Fallout: New Vegas) January 16, 2208 - The Vault Dweller vanishes and is never seen again, only leaving a folded vault suit behind. 2208 - Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel begins with the Initiate as the protagonist. (Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel) 2209 - Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel ends with the destruction of the Attis Army, Los, and the Secret Vault. (Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel) February 2, 2210 - The Vault Dweller’s daughter becomes elder of Arroyo. 2227 - Residents that were cryogenically frozen in Vault 111 were temporarily unfrozen while agents from the Institute kidnapped the son of the Sole Survivor and murdered their spouse. The Sole Survivor is refrozen while the rest of the residents are left to die without life support. (Fallout 4) 2228 - Ghouls that were driven underground by hostiles form the Underworld. (Fallout 3) 2231 - Edward Sallow is given over to the Followers of the Apocalypse for care. (Fallout: New Vegas) 2231 - The Boomers Tribe settle in the Nellis Air Force Base. (Fallout: New Vegas) July - August 2236 - Enclave scientists hunt for slaves while exploring the ruins in the Mariposa Military Base. August 2236 - Melchior is captured and becomes an Enclave slave. October 2236 - Melchior begins to mutate. January 2237 - The Enclave’s research and actions cause a second wave of super mutants that take out the remaining Enclave at the military base. The super mutants create their own community at the site. 2240 - Goodneighbor is founded in Boston. (Fallout 4)
Fallout 2’s Events
May 15, 2241 - Fallout 2’s intro begins with the Enclave sending a coded message to the residents of Vault 13 demanding that all remaining residents leave the vault. (Fallout 2) May 16, 2241 - Two Enclave assault squads invade Vault 13 after it is opened and kidnap all residents after killing three of them. (Fallout 2) May 17, 2241 - The Enclave leave a Deathclaw unit in Vault 13 to kill anyone who attempts to investigate it. (Fallout 2) July 25, 2241 - Fallout 2 begins with the Chosen One as the protagonist. (Fallout 2) July 27, 2241 - The Chosen One leaves his home of Arroyo to find the Garden of Eden Creation Kit to save his community. (Fallout 2) August 30, 2241 - The Chosen One witnesses an Enclave squad execute civilians. (Fallout 2) July 20, 2242 - Arroyo is attacked by Enclave soldiers and the residents are all enslaved. (Fallout 2) Fall 2242 - The Chosen One kills the President of the United States and ends the Enclave’s plans for world domination. Fallout 2 ends. (Fallout 2)
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2242 - Sometime after the end of Fallout 2, the residents of Vault 13 and Arroyo create a new community thanks to the Garden of Eden Creation Kit, with the Chosen One becoming the Elder. (Fallout 2) 2242 - ??? -In the years following, Vault City is absorbed by the NCR. (Fallout 2)
A Continuous Changing Wasteland
2242 - Broken Hills slowly disperses after losing uranium. (Fallout 2) 2242 - NCR gains a foothold in more territory to the north. (Fallout 2) 2242 - President Richardson is erased from history with his death and has become a ghost story for children. (Fallout 2) 2247 - Edward Sallow and other members of the Followers of the Apocalypse are captured by the Blackfoot tribe, but Sallow uses his warfare knowledge to impress the tribe and become their leader. (Fallout: New Vegas) 2247 - Sallow changes his name to Caesar and decides to great an empire modeled after the Roman Empire. (Fallout: New Vegas) 2248 - Caesar begins taking over tribes all over the mid-west and western states of the United States. (Fallout: New Vegas) 2250 - Caesar claims to his followers that he is the son of the god of war, Mars. (Fallout: New Vegas) 2254 - A squad sent by the Brotherhood of Steel is sent to scour the East Coast in search for technology. (Fallout 3) 2255 - Caesar establishes a capital in the ruins of Flagstaff, Arizona. (Fallout: New Vegas) 2256 - The child of the Chosen One takes control of the Bishop family and leads them to victory at the age of thirteen. (Fallout 2) 2257 - Project Purity is established. (Fallout 3)
Leaving the Vault Once More
July 13, 2258 - The Prologue for Fallout 3 begins with the player, the Lone Wanderer, being born to Catherine who dies during childbirth. James proceeds to raise the Lone Wanderer as a single father. (Fallout 3) 2258 - At some point, James travels to Vault 101 with his child and abandoning Project Purity. (Fallout 3) 2259 - James becomes Vault 101’s physician and the Lone Wander’s first birthday is celebrated. (Fallout 3) 2260 - Thanks to an error, Sawbones becomes self-aware and grows a dislike for his human masters. (Fallout 3) 2261 - Dennis Crocker becomes a local mayor in the New California Republic. (Fallout: New Vegas) 2267 - The Great Khans rise up in the Mojave Wastelands. (Fallout: New Vegas) July 13, 2268 - The Lone Wanderer celebrates their tenth birthday and gets a Pip-Boy 3000 among their presents. (Fallout 3) 2271 - The NCR begins to expand its territory into the Mojave. (Fallout: New Vegas) 2274 - The NCR Embassy is established in the New Vegas Strip. (Fallout: New Vegas) August 3, 2274 - The Lone Wanderer takes the G. O. A. T. . (Fallout 3) 2275 - The NCR begins to restart the Hoover Dam, bringing electrical power to the New Vegas Strip, causing Caesar to plan war against them. (Fallout: New Vegas) 2277 - Caesar’s Legions takes territory in the Mojave. (Fallout: New Vegas) 2277 - The Courier brings a package that contains the launch codes for a local missile base, resulting in the razing of the towns of Hopeville and Ashton. (Fallout: New Vegas) August 17, 2277 - The Lone Wander leaves Vault 101 to find James ending the Fallout 3 prologue and beginning the story of Fallout 3. (Fallout 3) 2277 - James sacrifices himself at Project Purity to stop the facility from being commandeered. (Fallout 3) 2277 - The Lone Wanderer begins looking for a Garden of Eden Creation Kit. (Fallout 3) 2278 - The base game of Fallout 3 ends with the Lone Wanderer activating Project Purity and causing the Enclave to lose all of their influence. (Fallout 3) 2278 - The Lone Wanderer saves the entirety of Earth from aliens. (Fallout 3)
The New Vegas Journey
October 11, 2281 - Fallout: New Vegas begins with the player, the Courier, being shot in the head by Benny twice before being left in a shallow grave. The Courier is saved by Doc Mitchell and Victor. (Fallout: New Vegas) October 19, 2281 - The Courier wakes up and ventures out to get revenge on Benny. (Fallout: New Vegas) 2281 - Caesar’s Legion attacks the small town of Nipton. (Fallout: New Vegas) 2281 - While investigating an old radio broadcast, the Courier is captured by Dog, but eventually escapes. (Fallout: New Vegas) 2281 - The Courier manages to prevent a war between the tribes in the Zion Canyon. (Fallout: New Vegas) 2281 - The Courier is transported to the ruins of Big Mountain and is lobotomized before eventually making their way back into the Mojave with new technology. (Fallout: New Vegas) 2281 - The Courier fights Ulysses at the Divide. (Fallout: New Vegas) 2282 - During the Second Battle of Hoover Dam, the Courier cheats death once more and Fallout: New Vegas ends. (Fallout: New Vegas)
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On the Hunt for a Baby Boy
October 23, 2287 - Fallout 4 begins and the player, the Sole Survivor, wakes up and ventures out of Vault 111 to find their son, Shaun. (Fallout 4) 2287 - The Sole Survivor rescues Nick Valentine from Vault 114. (Fallout 4) 2287 - The War of the Commonwealth begins. (Fallout 4) 2287 - The Sole Survivor gains information on how to enter the Institute from Brian Virgil. (Fallout 4) 2287 - The Sole Survivor creates a signal interceptor to teleport inside of the Institute where they find Shaun. (Fallout 4) 2287 - The Sole Survivor helps Valery Barstow expand Vault 88. (Fallout 4) 2287 - The Sole Survivor goes to Nuka-World and defeats the overboss while also being offered the role as new overboss. (Fallout 4)
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Source: Fallout Wiki
