Introduction
Fallout is a public chronicle of how societies endure after 2077. Read as history rather than legend, the timeline follows the events civilians, radio operators, and provisional governments record in real time: sirens over American cities, vault doors sealing and opening, caravan routes mapping new economies, and hard choices made at dams, rivers, and reactor sites. The calendar below focuses on what people can witness and verify—broadcasts, proclamations, muster rolls, and the steady paperwork of survival—while the private fates of individuals remain respectfully off the page.
Dates anchor this record. 2077 marks the Great War and the end of the old order. In 2102, vault populations rejoin the surface and restart local institutions under watchful skies. By the late 2200s, settlements, militias, and merchants knit regions together; disputes over water, power, and territory force new laws and alliances. Some years turn on a single day at a single location—a radio message answered, a reactor stabilized, a checkpoint held. Others unfold slowly as systems are rebuilt and communities learn to trust across barbed wire and broken highways.
The entries are written in present tense to preserve urgency: a siren still wails, a gate still holds, a council still votes. They are also spoiler‑free. We track the public shape of events—the battles recorded, the holidays declared, the infrastructure brought back online—without recounting private endings. Use this hub to place each crisis and recovery in order: the Great War in 2077, Reclamation Day in 2102, the pivotal conflicts and investigations of 2277–2287 on the East and West Coasts, and the cultural reawakening that reaches the airwaves by the 2290s. Together they show how people keep choosing to build, barter, and help—again and again.
When does the Great War in Fallout take place? (2077) — Timeline
The bombs fall on October 23, 2077, reshaping the world of Fallout.
Open event →When does Vault 76 Reclamation Day take place? (2102) — Timeline
On October 23, 2102, Vault 76 opens and its dwellers emerge into Appalachia.
Open event →When does Fallout 3 take place? (2277) — Timeline
Bethesda’s Capital Wasteland story unfolds in 2277.
Open event →When does the First Battle of Hoover Dam take place? (2277) — Timeline
The NCR and Caesar’s Legion first clash over Hoover Dam around 2277.
Open event →When does Fallout: New Vegas take place? (2281) — Timeline
Obsidian’s Mojave saga begins in 2281, leading to the second dam conflict.
Open event →When does the Second Battle of Hoover Dam take place? (2282) — Timeline
The decisive second battle over the Dam occurs circa 2282.
Open event →When does Fallout 4 take place? (2287) — Timeline
The Sole Survivor awakens and searches for family in 2287 Boston.
Open event →When does Fallout (TV series) take place? (2296) — Timeline
Prime Video’s TV series is set around 2296 in post‑war Los Angeles.
Open event →FAQ
Q: What is the Fallout timeline order?
A: In short: 2077 (Great War), 2102 (Reclamation Day), 2277 (Fallout 3 & First Dam Battle), 2281 (New Vegas), 2282 (Second Dam Battle), 2287 (Fallout 4), 2296 (TV series).