The Fallout franchise has been establishing lore since 1997.
It offers a complete world that takes place in a timeline that fractures from ours in 1945. Technology evolves differently and we get things like advanced robotics next to old timey TV/radio, it’s a vibe. Inevitably there is a big old resource war and in 2077 the nukes fly creating the affectionately named Wasteland.
Each of the Fallout games takes place significantly after that nuclear catastrophe.
Your character will grow up in a Vault, a nuclear bunker, sheltered from the world above. Then some questline or another appears and you escape into the world exploring. Since Bethesda took over with Fallout 3, each of the game maps have taken place at a real world location, featuring a geographically proportionate map.
If you struggle to get people to dig into your brand, you should explore how Fallout bakes lore into its universe.
The history of Fallout runs deep
You will come across abandoned facilities in a Fallout game, unrelated to the main story.
They both play home to things you kill and are full of lore and context. You’ll walk around a school and find 6 computers, each with a series of email threads describing something wild. Something like the school was testing out what happens if you put a tranquilizer in the food.
There will be back and forths from teachers and administration about the ethics, contextualizing how in this world when the money comes you take it. Human lives are there to experiment on and playing capitalism will keep you safe.
There are thousands of people and places to explore across the Fallout games that add flavour, each game/the show taking place on a clear timeline:
A lot of care was taken in each entry to make sure it knows its role. Through the computer entries and conversations found throughout the game we can piece together a pretty good idea of who the main players in the Fallout universe are. We learn the many shades of villainy that make the Wasteland a morally questionable place in the best of times.
A lot of work went into the backstory and the Fallout showrunners understood the assignment.
The Fallout show used lore for the gamers while creating bridges for the newbies
You can watch all 8 episodes of Fallout without playing a single game and follow the plotline perfectly.
Tapping into the established Fallout game story arc, we went on an adventure that may as well have been the plot of Fallout 5. The show baked in so many little nods to the games that made me smile. While a Super Duper Mart means nothing to some people now, should they go back to Fallout 3, they’ll get their version of nostalgic dopamine.
The key takeaway is that they use lore as a bridge.
Everything from the blue jumpsuits, to the product placement in the universe is deliberate. When you dig into the little things you’ll find cohesive answers. Fallout games are a masterclass in world building.
They crafted symbols, slogans, both visual and musical aesthetics, and satire into this world that just feels like Fallout.
When that world came to life on TV, the production folk did their due diligence to make everything look and feel like a Fallout game. The character interactions felt authentic. The random acts of violence reminded me of what happens when you explore the Wasteland. The humour was on brand.
I’m sure most Fallout fans were delighted, as will the new show fans who go try the games and discover how on point the adaptation is.
Building a brand is more than product value
Most open world games are kind of boring to explore.
They lack anything deep to sink your teeth into. While people try and build histories, they are very little more than timelines and key details to move along plot points. What makes Fallout compelling is the insane level of detail they put into lore and backstory.
When you create your brand publicly you are presenting your product/service to the world.
As an entertainer, the service you provide is entertaining people. When you look into the most successful entertainers of all time they always build out lore. A deeper story creates a connection with the consumer. This can be something like how TenTree is super eco friendly. It can also be like how Twenty One Pilots dropped a secret website full of clues to support their Trench album.
Twenty One Pilots created a whole universe and storyline where each music video moved the overall plot along.
Literally when homie took off his mask it was the end of an era to the Twenty One Pilots fans. They became attached to the symbols they used. The lore became a bridge connecting the fans with the music.
Try to avoid being random. Earth, Wind & Fire learned the risk of random symbols when they chose the 21 of September randomly, the fans were not impressed. Be deliberate.
People care for your consideration.
Building lore forces you to go deeper with your art
The process of adding layers to your story will give you more depth as an artist.
When I interact with fans they want to know why creative decisions get made. They like to believe that the art created is intentional and the messages put forth are authentic. Authenticity comes from careful deliberation of who you are and what you represent.
It’s one thing to tell people you want to make money.
It’s another to tell people you are trying to buy your mom a crib. You can explain how you grew up on welfare and you treated your mom poorly when you were a teen. Getting this money is a way to invest in those who invested in you. You can lay out a vision on how you and your people will accomplish greater things with that money. After proving you came correct, you can live comfy enough to flex on them.
Everyone wants money but most people don’t present the story behind it.
The Fallout show took the time to understand the universe fans loved. They played within the established rules and when the fans consumed it they loved it (at least that’s what the internet says 3 days later). You as an artist get to establish the rules you present to people, creating your own lore, and as long as you respect it people will be seduced.
You aren’t really selling your art, you’re selling yourself. Fallout sells itself on power armour helmets alone. Be like Fallout.
Live Long and Prosper Everyone
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