Todd Howard Discusses the Fallout TV Show’s Impact on Video Game Canon: “How Do We Honor What Came Before?”
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Fallout creator Todd Howard and showrunner Geneva Robertson-Dworet are keeping quiet on whether Fallout season 2 confirms which New Vegas ending is canon.
Warning: Major spoilers for Fallout season 2 episodes 7 and 8 and Fallout: New Vegas ahead!
“We discuss it frequently,” Howard shares. “Even when we create games, we consider what came before and how to honor it. Our goal is to tell the story from the perspective of the characters in the world, which can lead to conflicting narratives.”
The conclusion of Fallout season 2, episode 7 left fans pondering two key questions: Did the show just confirm that the Enclave was responsible for the bombs, and does it validate the ‘The House Always Wins’ ending of Fallout: New Vegas as canon?
In New Vegas, players can experience four different endings: Caesar’s Legion takes over, the New California Republic gains control, Mr. House seizes power, or the Yes Man ending, where the player teams up with a Securitron to become the rogue leader of the luckiest city on Earth. The ‘The House Always Wins’ ending sees House survive, albeit as a digital entity, and take control of New Vegas, effectively dismantling all rival factions.
For those who haven’t explored the franchise, it’s worth noting that the games never clarify who initiated the nuclear disaster that led to the apocalypse. House suggests that the creators of the Deathclaws are to blame for the Great War, and in the games, these terrifying creatures were engineered by the U.S. government.
The Enclave, a shadowy and powerful faction, consists of former politicians and U.S. presidents. In season 2, episode 7, Cooper hands over cold fusion technology to the last President of the United States (played by Clancy Brown). By the season finale, Cooper is arrested for this act, implying that the President is affiliated with the Enclave and that they utilized cold fusion to trigger the Great War.
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Since the TV series is considered canon within the video game universe, this significantly impacts the lore. However, Robertson-Dworet mentions that she “doesn’t see it that way,” aiming instead to “raise questions about their involvement and introduce [the Enclave] as a major force in this universe.”
“And often, we intentionally leave things open to interpretation,” Howard adds. “We have our own perspective, and this series is set to continue for a while. It’s beneficial to spark these discussions, as history can be complex, with varying accounts of events.”
Fallout season 2 is available for streaming in full on Prime Video.
