* Retro-future brand swag
* Vault 111 clothing
* The atomic disaster kitsch Fallout fans will love
Few game series have created as unique an aesthetic as Fallout. With its distinctive mix of Mad-Max ruin and retro ’50s kitsch, Fallout has attracted a truly dedicated fan base.
Fallout may take place in a mere wasteland, a world already ruined, but by richly imagining what it was like before the bombs fell, Fallout’s designers created a unique experience. Thanks to the conceit of having the now-destroyed futuristic setting bear 1950s aesthetics, Fallout is able to tap into a sense of almost completely impersonal nostalgia, the secondhand nostalgia of a generation raised to think, in fact, that the ‘50s could function as a shorthand for innocence itself, as in films like Back to the Future.
Entering a ‘50s-esque America post nuclear annihilation then makes Fallout even more of a perfect conduit for millennial existential dread. As a testament to the cultural capital of the series, here’s a look at some of the macabre merch you can buy, from pint glasses to plush toys: the 12 best gifts for Fallout fans.
1. Sugar Bombs Cereal Bowl
This cereal bowl comes with the retro-futurist logo and font of the fictional Sugar Bombs cereal. Perfect for an ironic breakfast of champions as you contemplate Fallout’s “Wasteland.”
2. Dogmeat Plush
This adorable plush toy of Fallout’s favorite hyper-evolved dog companion comes with googles and the trademark bandanas. A nod to Harlan Ellison’s “A Boy and his Dog,” there may be no better friend for the end of the world.
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3. Adult Coloring Book
No piece of merch better sums up the zeitgeist of Fallout than this adult coloring book. Features Nuka Girl pin up art, Pip Boy and more to help stave off Vault Madness.
4. Vault Boy Wallet
This subtle piece of Fallout swag features Vault Boy on the front and a small Fallout logo on the back. A bright ‘50s blue faux-leather finish rounds out the effect.
5. Nuka Cherry Checkers Game
The Nuka Cherry Checkers game is a real playable checkers board with pieces designed after the fictional cola company’s bottle caps.
6. Pip-Boy mug
This Pip-Boy Mug is cleverly designed and holds 48 fl oz of liquid, great for a long session of gameplay in the Wasteland.
7. Pint Glasses
This set of four pint glasses bears the retro logos of the corporations mentioned in the background of various Fallout games. Sure to increase your *charisma.
8. Nuka Cola Growler
The Nuka Cola growler features the distinctive Nuka Girl pinup artwork from the fictional brand.
9. Nuka Cola Clock
This bottle-cap styled Nuka Cola clock is a snazzy throwback to actual midcentury corporate swag. The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists may say it’s three minutes to midnight, but in the Wasteland it’s always time for another Nuka Cola.
10. Fleece Lounge Pants
These Vault 111 fleece lounge pants are comfy and practical, with large pockets and a drawstring waist. Because nothing says “end of the world,” like “loungewear.”
11. Operation Game, S.P.E.C.I.A.L. Edition
A Vault-themed take on the classic boardgame, “Operation,” adds nostalgic “Funatomy” parts based on the Fallout universe’s fictional companies. As if Operation could get more macabre, here you can give your patient radiation poisoning, too!
12. Vault 111 Zip-Up Hoodie
This 111 Heather Zip Up hoodie lets you rep your Fallout fandom without going full cosplay with blue and yellow. It’s subtle enough to be everyday wear yet still elicits a chuckle or nod from those in the know.