Fallout 3 is a 2008 action role-playing game developed by Bethesda Game Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks. The third major installment in the Fallout series, it is the first game to be developed by Bethesda after acquiring the rights to the franchise from Interplay Entertainment. The game marks a major shift in the series by using 3D graphics and real-time combat, replacing the 2D isometric graphics and turn-based combat of previous installments. It was released worldwide in October 2008 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360.

Fallout: New Vegas is an action role-playing game developed by Obsidian Entertainment and published by Bethesda Softworks. It was released in 2010 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360. Set in the Mojave Desert 204 years after a nuclear war left much of the United States decimated, the player controls a courier who survived an assassination attempt from an unknown assailant. The goal of the game is to find the assailant, which eventually culminates in a war between different governing factions vying for control of the Mojave Desert. Fallout: New Vegas features an open world map that the player can freely explore. Much of the gameplay revolves around combat, and there are a variety of weapons the player can use, such as standard guns and energy-based weapons. An optional difficulty level is Hardcore Mode, which adds survival mechanics the player must keep track off, such as the need to sleep in order to avoid dying from sleep deprivation.