While “The Great War” is generally used as another name for World War I, the gaming community has another usage for the term, specifically in the Fallout series. The Fallout series began as a computer game and was first released in 1997 by series creators Interplay Entertainment. Games in the series have since moved onto popular gaming consoles such as the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 and have won multiple “Game of the Year” awards.

The series is referred to as “A post nuclear role playing game” and takes place in various points in the future across different United States settings. The country is a total wasteland following the effects of The Great War, which started and ended on October 23, 2077 (making this year the 63rd pre-anniversary). The Great War consisted of a nuclear exchange between the U.S., China, and the Soviet Union and lasted just two hours. This event drastically changed the world – human civilization fell completely, the climate shifted to just one season (a radioactive summer), and the portion of the population that was not lucky enough to be sealed in an underground Vault was all but totally wiped out.

Despite shaping the entire universe of Fallout, very few details are known about The Great War. Given that every clock in Fallout 3, which takes place in Washington, D.C., is stuck at 9:47, it can be theorized that’s the time the bombs fell. It’s unknown who pushed the button first, and notes in-game provide few clues.

The Fallout games all deal with various parts of the aftermath of nuclear annihilation, from dealing with fighting between various factions and tribes to just trying to purify water. The series is also known for its quirky pop culture references, from Monty Python to Indiana Jones. Fallout’s music also tends to focus on artists from the 1930s and ‘40s, and has introduced an entire generation of gamers to the likes of The Ink Spots, Billie Holiday, Danny Kaye, Bob Crosby, and many others.

Fallout, like many other video games, has offered limited collectors editions with past releases. These have included playing cards, a metal lunchbox, bobbleheads, poker chips, among other collectibles, and were made in an incredibly limited quantity. Bethesda Softworks, the current rights holder to the franchise, sells a number of different Fallout collectibles in its online store, many of which are also in a limited production run.

The most recent game in the franchise, Fallout: New Vegas, was released in 2010, and fans have been eagerly awaiting an announcement on the next game since then. Newcomers to the franchise can purchase the game from most major gaming retailers.