TheFalloutseries acts as a parody of the real world. Aside from satirizing classic Americana, old Cold War fears, and nationalistic fervor, the series is also known for including plenty of popular culture references. Some of these references exist becauseFalloutdraws inspiration from these works, while others exist as aform of tribute. A few might act as both.
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One way or another, they’re a franchise constant. While some games in the series are more reference-heavy than others, they all contain at least a few nods to famous works that paved the way. The darkly humorous tone thatFalloutfans love partly comes from the pop culture references that players can find throughout the series.
Mad Maxis a popular film series set in post apocalyptic Australia. The series was a world wide hit in the 80s and 90s, and resurged with the hit release ofMad Max: Fury Roadin 2014.Falloutfirst released in 1997, and virtually every game in the series since then has contained references to the original films from the 80s.
For example, the Leather Jacket in the first two games bears a striking resemblance to Max’s jacket inThe Road Warrior. The Chryslus Highwayman inFallout 2is also a clear reference to Max’s V8 Interceptor, while the series' aesthetic is inspired by the film’s bleak, desert wasteland. Additionally,Dogmeat inFallout 3is a blue heeler, the same breed as Max’s dog in the second film.
7H.P Lovecraft
WithFallout 3came a whole host of references to infamous horror writer, H.P Lovecraft. Lovecraft was many things, but one thing for certain is thathe was massively influentialwell beyond his time. When Bethesda took over the franchise, Lovecraft started to appear more and more. One example is the Dunwich building inFallout 3.
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Named after Lovecraft’sDunwich Horror, this location is one giant tribute to the author’s work. The name of the building, the holodisk story, and the whispering obelisk in the caves below the building are all references to his writings.Fallout 4also contains Lovecraft references. Among these is the Pickman’s Gallery, which is based on the short storyThe Pickman Model.
6Monty Python’s Flying Circus
The beloved English comedy group is referenced numerous times throughout theFalloutseries. Specifically,Fallout 1, 2andNew Vegasall contain references to the skit show and its movies. One example is a bridge keeper Easter egg inFallout 2. The player comes across a robed figure who asks the player questions that they must answer correctly, referencing a scene inMonty Python and the Holy Grailthat finds the characters in a similar circumstance.
Just like the film, the player can ask the bridge keeper a question in return, which will cause the NPC to die upon not knowing the answer. The Holy Hand Grenade from the same film also appears in bothFallout 2andNew Vegas,and can be used as a weapon.
5Terminator
Terminatoris already an easy franchise to reference, butFallouttakes it a step further. In the first game, one of the possible identities for the player to choose is Arnold Black, a Dutch man who always bumping into and breaking things due to his size. He is also stated as constantly muttering the phrase “I’ll be back.”
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Clearly, this is a reference to Arnold Schwarzenegger and his roll as the T-800 in theTerminatorfranchise.Fallout 2makes another reference with the inclusion of Skynet, an A.I found in the Sierra Army Depot. The Dermal Impact Armor and Assault Enhancement implant perks also resemble Arnold fromTerminator 2.
4Scientology
Scientology-related jokes appear in more than oneFallouttitle. InFallout 2, there are a group of religious nuts in San Francisco who call themselves Hubologists. They base their religion on the writings of a man named Dick Hubbell, much like how scientologists follow the writings of L. Ron Hubbard. Their beliefs are very similar, with only the names of certain things changed.
The Hubologist’s belief in space and aliens was lifted directly from scientology, as is their ranking system and usage of celebrities to promote their doctrine. In the real world, Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman were scientologists at the time of the game’s release. The game parodies them in the form of New Reno porn actors, Juan Cruz and Vikki Goldman.Fallout 4sees the return of the Hubologists in theNuka World DLC.
3Star Wars
Many games in the series include references toStar Wars. InFallout 2, plenty of characters quote lines from the movie, or even refer to the player as if they were a character from the films. InFallout New Vegas, if the player has theWild Wasteland trait, they can see two skeletons outside a burning house in Nipton. These skeletons bear the names Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru, Luke’s aunt and uncle fromEpisode IV.
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Certain lines of conversation come directly from the movies as well. Han Solo’s humorous exchange with the imperial officers over the radio in the detention level is one such conversation.
2Star Trek
References toStar Trekare a dime a dozen in theFalloutseries. Almost every game has a Trek related Easter egg, but the most obvious ones appear inFallouts 2and3. In2, there is a random encounter in which the player stumbles across a crashed federation shuttle with dead Red Shirts littering the surrounding area.
Fallout 3goes a step further, creating an entire DLC experience inspired byStar Trekin the form ofMothership Zeta. This DLC features a ship-to-ship combat sequence not unlikeStar Trek. The player takes the role of the captain leading his diverse crew against the onslaught by another alien mothership.
1Wasteland
Wastelandhas made a comeback with two excellent sequels recently, but many people might not be aware of the original. It was the spiritual predecessor toFalloutdeveloped by the same company, Interplay Productions. As such, it has seen numerous references throughout theFalloutseries.
Tycho inFalloutis said to have been a part of the Desert Rangers faction, a faction in the originalWasteland. Furthermore, the Robo-Scorpions inNew Vegasbear a strong resemblance toWasteland’sScorpitrons. Additionally,Fallout 76also referencesWastelandin the form of the Wastlad game and magazine that the player can find.
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