Highlights
- Vault 33 is a new addition to the Fallout universe, created specifically for the upcoming Fallout TV series set in Los Angeles.
- The choice of Los Angeles as the setting suggests that Vault-Tec, the company behind the vaults, may play a role in the show.
- There are other vaults in Los Angeles with dark histories, hinting at the possibility of intriguing social experiments in Vault 33.
Vault 33 is set in Los Angeles and serves as the initiating point, at least, for Amazon Prime's upcoming Fallout TV series, set to release in 2024. The existence of Vault 33 and the city it is set in comes way of Amazon relatively recently, but what may be surprising to many fans is how there's nothing known about the Vault. This is because players have visited several vaults in their time, and even for those not featured in games, there is a long list of Fallout vaults with some detail about them from Fallout Bible or other sources. What's clear, however, is that this Vault is being created specifically for this show, although fans are not completely in the dark.
Its chosen setting of Los Angeles is important in a couple of ways. The first and perhaps most obvious is the choice of Los Angeles, where Vault-Tec's HQ resided prior to the war. In other words, there's a good chance that Vault-Tec plays some role in the game, especially as its denizens emerge. What, if, and how deep that connection go remains unclear, but it certainly feels intentional.
Fallout, Vault 33, and Los Angeles
Notably, Vault 33 is not the only vault located in Los Angeles, something the TV show may choose to explore. There was the Los Angeles Vault, which is not Vault 33, but the first demonstration vault built by Vault-Tec. It would eventually come under control of Fallout 1's Master. Another is Vault 5, where counterculture prisoners (including musicians, ironically) were subjected to research on the effects of high-decibel music on its occupants.
Those who survived Vault 5 largely lost all mental acuity, gave into cannibalism, and eventually emerged into Fallout's wasteland as raiders. As many fans of the franchise know, Vaults were not just designed to save US Citizens from the Great War, but to conduct various social experiments. Some are more tame, but Vault 5 is not a one-off. In other words, it'll be interesting to see if Vault 33 is on the tamer end or a wilder one.
On the one hand, the protagonist(s) of the Fallout TV show are likely to leave as soon as possible, so there's no need to really delve into possible experiments. The one teaser image for the show also shows someone standing in the doorway of the vault, perhaps suggesting it was opened from the outside, so it's possible its special location and potential relationship with Vault-tec saw it given a stronger purpose. On the other hand, that same image shows someone standing in a neckbrace, which could be coincidental or tied to possible Fallout vault experiments. It's hard to say for sure.
A lot of things remain unclear and likely will until fans get proper trailers and marketing, near the end of this year or sometime next depending on when it exactly releases. But, it's clear how much potential this simple creation has as it potentially becomes interwoven with existing Fallout lore.
The Fallout TV Series Airs on Amazon Prime in 2024.