Season 2 of Fallout is set in New Vegas, but that doesn’t mean the show is a continuation of the game’s story. The TV adaptation is set 15 years after the events of New Vegas and is canon. All of the events in the games are historical events that took place before the show began.
Here’s a little recap of what happened in Fallout: New Vegas and how it influences Fallout the TV show.
What Fallout: New Vegas Was About
Fallout: New Vegas takes place in 2281, roughly 200 years after the Great War. In the Mojave Wasteland surrounding the ruins of Las Vegas, the city survives because it was protected by Robert House, a billionaire industrialist who was able to predict when the war would start.
The game begins with the Courier being shot by Benny, a Strip gangster working with the Great Khans. He steals the Platinum Chip (I’ll explain what that is later) and buried the Courier alive.
After a Securitron named Victor digs the Courier out and Doc Mitchell patches them up in Goodsprings, the story becomes a chase that devolves into a political war.
At its core, New Vegas is about power. Every faction wants control of the city and Hoover Dam. Whoever controls the Dam controls electricity, water, and the whole city.
The Factions That Defined the Mojave
There are four main factions in Fallout: New Vegas, each with their different vision for the city.
The New California Republic (NCR) is a sprawling democracy trying to annex the Mojave. It believes in law, stability, but it’s also too bureaucratic for its own good. Its military presence at Hoover Dam represents expansion more than protection.
Caesar’s Legion is the opposite. It’s a slave-based empire modeled on ancient Rome, ruled by its namesake Caesar. The Legion promises order through brutality and views the NCR as too weak to run New Vegas.
Mr. House rules the Strip through Securitron robots. He sees New Vegas as a city state that should remain efficient and protected by his advanced technology.
The Independent route, enabled by the reprogrammed robot Yes Man, allows the Courier to seize control themselves. It rejects all major factions and relies on autonomy backed by force.
Smaller factions like the Brotherhood of Steel, Boomers, Great Khans, and the Strip families tip the balance. Their survival or destruction shapes how stable or chaotic the Mojave becomes after the final battle.
What is the Platinum Chip and Why is it So Important?
The Platinum Chip is a sophisticated, high-density data storage device. It contains upgrades for Mr. House’s robots, like launchers and self-repair capabilities. The chip also has software updates for the Lucky 38 Casino’s security system. Particularly its missile defense grid.
The Platinum Chip is the key to unlocking the Securitron Vault, allowing Mr. House to unleash his upgraded robot army to secure New Vegas. This is why every major faction wants the chip. Whether the Courier sides with House, hands control to Yes Man, or undermines House for NCR or the Legion. The Platinum Chip determines who gets to be in charge of the city.
How the Show Treats New Vegas Canon
The TV series is careful not to declare any of the endgame options from Fallout: New Vegas as the definitive outcome.
Instead, the show borrows from all of them. The result is a New Vegas that feels familiar but unsettled. No faction is clearly in charge.
This approach lets the writers use New Vegas as a city influenced by past power struggles. It also mirrors the game’s theme that winning the war doesn’t guarantee any lasting peace.
Season 2 is about what New Vegas symbolizes in the Fallout universe. It’s a city that avoided total annihilation but never solved the problem of who deserves to be in charge.
Knowing the game adds context, but the story is about what happens after the dust settles.
