History of Fallout 3 in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: March 13, 2026

Fallout 3, released in 2008, is an action role-playing game set in post-apocalyptic Washington D.C. Two centuries after a nuclear war, the player controls a 19-year-old leaving Vault 101 to find their missing father. The game features an open world for exploration, weapon-based combat, and dialogue interactions that affect player reputation. The game came out on Microsoft Windows, Playstation 3 and XBox 360.

1997: Original Fanbase

In 1997, the fanbase of the first two Fallout games were very supportive of the series.

December 2003: Van Buren Cancellation

In December 2003, Van Buren, which was intended to be the third game in the mainline Fallout series and was under development by Black Isle Studios, was cancelled due to Interplay Entertainment's financial struggles.

July 2004: Fallout 3 Announcement

In July 2004, Fallout 3 was officially announced when Bethesda purchased the rights to the game from Interplay.

2004: Bethesda Acquires Fallout 3 Rights

In 2004, Bethesda Softworks purchased the rights to develop their own version of Fallout 3 from Interplay for a minimum guaranteed advance of $1,175,000 against royalties.

2004: Fallout 3 Development Begins

In late 2004, development on Fallout 3 began with a small team while Bethesda's staff primarily worked on The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.

2005: Seventh Generation of Consoles Begins

The seventh generation of video game consoles began in 2005.

2006: Team Size Increase

In 2006, after the release of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, the development team for Fallout 3 significantly increased in size.

April 2007: Teaser Site Launch

In April 2007, Bethesda launched a teaser site for Fallout 3, generating increased interest after the success of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.

October 28, 2008: North America Release

On October 28, 2008, Fallout 3 was released in North America for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360.

Sony Playstation 3 160GB System (Renewed)

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2008: Release and Praise

Back in 2008, Fallout 3 was released and set a new benchmark for open-world role-playing games.

2008: Critical Reception

In 2008, Fallout 3 received high scores on Metacritic, with the Microsoft Windows version at 91/100, PlayStation 3 version at 90/100, and Xbox 360 version at 93/100.

Sony Playstation 3 160GB System (Renewed)

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2008: Fallout 3 Release

In 2008, Fallout 3, an action role-playing game developed by Bethesda Game Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks, was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360. The game is set in the Washington metropolitan area 200 years after a nuclear war, where the player controls a 19-year-old who leaves a vault to find their father.

Sony Playstation 3 160GB System (Renewed)

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2009: PlayStation 3 DLC Release

By 2009, all five DLC add-ons for Fallout 3 were made available to PlayStation 3 owners.

Sony Playstation 3 160GB System (Renewed)

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2009: Awards

In 2009, Fallout 3 won the Ultimate Game of the Year at the Golden Joystick Awards, as well as Game of the Year and Best Writing at the Game Developers Choice Awards. It also received multiple nominations at the 12th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards.

2010: Fallout: New Vegas Release

In 2010, Fallout: New Vegas, a spin-off of Fallout 3, was released and developed by Obsidian Entertainment.

2013: Seventh Generation of Consoles Ends

The seventh generation of video game consoles ended in 2013.

2015: Sales Estimation

By 2015, the market research firm Electronic Entertainment Design and Research estimated that Fallout 3 had sold 12.4 million copies worldwide.

2015: Fallout 4 Release

In 2015, Fallout 4, the fourth major installment in the Fallout series, was released.

2023: Remaster Leak

In 2023, a leaked financial forecast presentation indicated that Bethesda was working on a remaster of Fallout 3.

2024: Projected Release Date for Remaster

In 2023, a leaked financial forecast presentation indicated that Bethesda was working on a remaster of Fallout 3 scheduled for a 2024 release, though likely delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.