2. The Great War
Interplay EntertainmentThe nuclear wastelands that are seen in the Fallout series are all the result of the Great War, which occurred in 2077. What makes the Great War so terrifying, is how realistic the build-up and resulting aftermath are, especially when compared the tensions of our own world's Cold War. The Great War was primarily triggered by worldwide energy crisis, after fossil fuels began to run out in 2050. In the Fallout world, miniaturised electronics never took off, leading to huge, energy-inefficient technologies that required more power than our own. Despite the best attempts from the United Nations, many countries left the organisation, leading to it being fully disbanded. Following two decades of what was known as the Resource Wars, it escalated into the devastating Great War. Lasting just one day, it saw superpowers the United States, China and The Soviet Union all unleashing their nuclear missiles at once, resulting in the setting for the Fallout games.