The Fallout series is known for its iconic vaults, those massive underground bunkers designed to house survivors of the nuclear apocalypse. But did you know that the original plan called for a staggering 1,000 vaults? That’s more than 10 times the number that actually appear in the games.
In a recent YouTube video, Fallout co-creator and lead developer Tim Cain shed light on this ambitious vision. Interplay, the developer of the first Fallout game, initially envisioned a vast network of vaults, each with its own unique story and purpose. The sheer number was intended to reflect the scale of the post-apocalyptic world and the desperate need for survival.
However, reality intervened. The complexity of creating and managing so many individual vaults proved to be a major hurdle. The limited resources and development time of the era meant that Interplay had to scale back their ambitions. The decision was made to focus on a smaller, more manageable number of vaults, each meticulously crafted and filled with compelling stories.
While the final game features only a fraction of the original planned vaults, the ones that do exist remain a cornerstone of the Fallout experience. They offer a glimpse into the human struggle for survival, the complexities of societal collapse, and the enduring hope for a better future. Cain’s revelation provides fascinating insight into the creative process behind Fallout, highlighting the compromises and decisions that shaped the iconic game we know and love today.
