The Fallout TV show contains a huge number of Easter eggs and references to the video games upon which it is based, but this latest find is one of the most exciting for fans of the franchise’s expansive lore.
First, some background. In Fallout’s alternative history, the United States is divided into 13 Commonwealths (one of which, simply called The Commonwealth, is the setting for Fallout 4), rather than 50 states. But the games have never shown off a map that outlines the borders of these Commonwealths, leaving fans to speculate or reference a map built 20 years ago by former Fallout developer Josh Sawyer.
Now, eagle-eyed viewers of the TV show reckon it canonizes this map, and in the process gives Fallout lore fans their first official look at the 13 Commonwealths and where they sit across North America. The link is a brief look at a map of the United States during a weather report in episode one, called The End. This is the scene in which the reporter expresses concern about the impending nuclear destruction of the world, and wonders out loud about the pointlessness of predicting the weather under such dire circumstances.
looks like the @Fallout TV show finally canonized the (previously unofficial) borders of the Thirteen Commonwealths from @jesawyer's map pic.twitter.com/K8gDrYWMWL
— Ausir ? (@VaultAusir) April 18, 2024
As you can see, the borders in the background of the scene line up perfectly with those drawn on Sawyer's map. Brilliantly, Sawyer himself, who worked on the canceled Fallout 3 game, codenamed Van Buyren before working on Fallout New Vegas at Obsidian, commented on the find:
[me looking at this 20 years later] what fuckin dipshit drew this up
— Josh Sawyer (@jesawyer) April 18, 2024
The map of the 13 Commonwealths isn’t the only video game reference to get Fallout fans excited. For example, lore experts believe the Brotherhood of Steel airship seen in the show makes one of two Fallout 4 endings canon. There are plenty of unanswered questions following Fallout Season 1, too, including about the Snake Oil Salesman’s mysterious serum.
But we know for sure Fallout will get a second season, and that it will include one of Fallout’s iconic monsters. To keep you going until Season 2, be sure to check out IGN’s wide-ranging, spoiler-filled interview with Bethesda Game Studios executive Todd Howard and executive producer and director Jonathan Nolan.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
