Fallout has a special place in my heart. I remember going to New York City in 2008 and the scale of Fallout 3's advertising campaign had basically taken over the city. It was creative, insightful – and left a lasting impression.
That game went on to be one of my favourites of all time – New Vegas might've even pipped it, though – and when MGM Amazon Studios helmed developer Bethesda's videogame adaptation for the streaming service's show, I was equally enthralled with 2024's first season.
Yesterday (15 January 2026), however, Amazon Prime dropped the bombshell that a Fallout spinoff show is coming. Fallout Shelter – the app-based game, where you build your own vault and grow its inhabitants – is going to be made into a reality show. Sounds more 'Sellout' to me.
I can see it now: "Reality shows, reality shows never change."
But I just can't foresee this spinoff being any way tongue-in-cheek, more just a cash-grab for views – yet viewed by people on their phones, not really watching, and awaiting 'the next big drama'. Which, I assume, won't be decapitation by Deathclaw.
Unless everyone's called 'Gary' and they can only communicate using that one proper noun in various pitches of phrase. In-joke too far? The general public certainly wouldn't get it.
The idea of a Fallout Shelter reality show doesn't only bother me, though, as fans have taken to the internet to decry the very idea of the show. The YouTube video (embedded above) is full of comments already.
"They are taking this IP too far," says one person. "I couldnt imagine coming up with a worse way to honour the series' legacy," reads another comment. "Yuck, another reality show. No thank you," provides a summary for the general feeling in the thread.
I can understand the logic – in the most corporate, money-sapping of ways – because I already assume that Fallout Shelter's live-action reality show adaptation will be a success. What I can't understand is the need – given Fallout's huge success over the years – to move the IP into this position.
Bethesda's CEO, Todd Howard, always delivered some of the best E3 keynotes – the now-defunct videogames show, which used to take place in Los Angeles each June – and it's those sorts of memories I want to remain attached to Fallout.
Not some half-naked Buffout dude high on Nuka Cola fawning with a chick dressed as a robot. Although, now I've read that back, maybe they're onto something... Just kidding. At least I can enjoy Fallout season 2 on Amazon for the time being.
