Although Bethesda's two primary RPG series, The Elder Scrolls and Fallout, are set in completely different universes, it's still surprisingly easy to draw comparisons between Skyrim and the post-apocalyptic world of the Fallout franchise. Everything from the game's setting to its NPCs and overall storyline echoes the formula often used in Bethesda's Fallout games. In fact, longtime fans of the series are more likely to catch onto the distinct feeling that Tamriel isn't quite what it used to be, and the crumbling state of many different parts of Skyrim's world is a vital aspect of the game's narrative.
Perhaps the most prominent indication of why Skyrim feels so structurally different from previous Elder Scrolls games is the time difference between it and its two closest predecessors in the Elder Scrolls timeline, Morrowind and Oblivion. Up until the release of Skyrim, all of the Elder Scrolls games were set reasonably close to one another on the timeline. For example, Daggerfall takes place just six years after Arena, with Morrowind following 20 years afterward. Oblivion is set another six years after that. However, the events of Skyrim occur 200 years after those of Oblivion, and the state of the world makes that fact apparent.
The Elder Scrolls 6 may return the series to its former pattern. Many significant events in Skyrim's story seem poised to have a substantial impact on the overall state of Tamriel, from the Dark Brotherhood's assassination of the Emperor to the consequences of the Stormcloak rebellion and the results of Skyrim's central conflict, the Civil War. The ongoing confrontation between the Empire and the Thalmor may also be of primary focus in Elder Scrolls 6, meaning that it wouldn't take place too long after the conclusion of Skyrim. If that's the case, The Elder Scrolls 6 could still potentially follow Fallout's formula closely.
Skyrim And Fallout Both Lack Powerful Empires
In all four previous mainline Elder Scrolls games, Tamriel was mainly under the influence of the Septim Dynasty, which reached its conclusion catastrophically in Oblivion with the death of Martin Septim during Mehrunes Dagon's invasion. The Mede Dynasty began shortly after that, but the years of discord and chaos that followed the Oblivion Crisis centuries prior to Skyrim left the Empire in a weak state, allowing the Aldmeri Dominion to gain significant amounts of power. The Dominion's struggle for dominance and the demands placed upon the Empire culminated in the Great War, which was only brought to an end thanks to the White-Gold Concordat, which then spurred the Civil War in Skyrim.
By the time the Dragonborn enters the picture, the Mede Dynasty has nearly lost control of Skyrim, and if players opt to side with the Stormcloaks, the entire region may withdraw from the Empire altogether. This would further split Tamriel's politics into fragments, something that mirrors the state of the world in Fallout. Being set in the aftermath of a major war, there is no centralized government in the post-apocalyptic Fallout games and various factions instead war over policies and territory. This is especially central to the story of Fallout: New Vegas. Although the situation in Tamriel isn't quite as prominently split, at least during Skyrim, it seems to be moving in that direction, and the situation could worsen during The Elder Scrolls 6.
Skyrim And Fallout Are Both Set After Major Apocalypses
Tamriel has been through its fair share of world-ending catastrophes, but it seems that the Third and Fourth Eras, in particular, consist of numerous major disasters. From the Oblivion Crisis to the Red Year, the aftermath is apparent in many aspects of Skyrim's world design and the internal conflicts of its society. For example, Dunmer refugees from Morrowind - one of many Elder Scrolls elf types - populate much of Windhelm. The Dragon Crisis and the return of Alduin, which serve as the driving force behind Skyrim's primary storyline, are two of the most recent examples of crises facing all of Tamriel. With so much of the game centering around nearly-global destruction, it's easy to draw comparisons to Fallout's post-apocalyptic environments.
On top of the decline of the Empire and the physical state of Tamriel, there are a few other areas that see significant decay in the time of Skyrim, as well. Organizations that once held clear influence, like the Fighter's Guild and Mage's Guild, are entirely missing from Skyrim despite their presence in Elder Scrolls Online demonstrating that they once had a clear foothold in the region. Even still-standing factions like the College of Winterhold, Dark Brotherhood, and Thieves Guild are in a state of disrepair and disarray. Similar to recent Fallout games, Skyrim takes staples that players may recognize from previous games in the series and shows how far they've fallen as years have ed in-universe.
How Skyrim's Environment Mirrors Fallout
Though each region of Tamriel boasts a unique architectural style, something that's made apparent in mainline Elder Scrolls games and The Elder Scrolls Online, Skyrim notably seems to largely be built off of earlier civilizations. For example, Markarth is almost entirely constructed out of the remains of an ancient Skyrim Dwemer city. Other towns seem to consist of little more than small clusters of basic wood houses or, in some cases, nothing but tents. Bandit camps are more commonplace when it comes to traces of organized civilization, a gameplay element that will likely seem familiar to fans of the Fallout series.
Various NPCs throughout Skyrim will make a note of this, too, claiming that it's too dangerous for the average citizen to venture off-road. As a result, many of Skyrim's sidequests involve the Dragonborn helping out hunting parties gone wrong or mines that have been overrun by undead Draugr or bandit groups. Much like the lawless locations featured in Fallout, the larger parts of Skyrim's map are overrun with powerful enemies that can turn out to be deadly if players don't prepare properly, especially thanks to the return of the Dragons. This is even more apparent in Survival Mode, one of the mods introduced with the inclusion of Skyrim Anniversary Edition's Creation Club elements.
Although there's no nuclear destruction to worry about avoiding in Skyrim, there are still clear parallels to the overall structure and themes of Bethesda's Fallout series. Both place players in the remains of a once-great civilization, and the NPCs of both series seem to be aiming more to survive and gain power than advance technology to any meaningful degree. There's a significant amount of rebuilding to be done post-Skyrim, and The Elder Scrolls 6 could be poised to mark a turning point as a result, with players potentially having a hand in either the return or fall of the Empire. With both Fallout 5 and The Elder Scrolls 6 having been confirmed to be in early development talks at Bethesda, fans of both franchises will have the opportunity to see how closely they might continue to align in the years to come.
