Fallout Co-Creator Tim Cain Explains Default Violence in Games from an Economic Perspective

In a recent YouTube video, Timothy Cain, a video game developer best known as the creator, producer, lead programmer, and one of the main designers of Fallout expressed his view on why violence remains a central element in AAA RPGs.

Timothy highlighted that consumer behavior is a driving force for corporations to produce games with violence at the heart of each big game’s narrative.

Cain’s statement coincided in time with the start of shooting of the TV series adaptation of his creation Fallout by Amazon, starring Walton Goggins. The upcoming second season of the show and discussion brought renewed attention to the Fallout franchise.

Emphasizing the commercial realities that shape game development nowadays, Cain stated, “Companies make games and, in general, products that people will buy.” He explained that when action-heavy games consistently outsell their less combative counterparts, developers and publishers naturally prioritize those genres.

Fallout’s creator pointed out that action RPGs not only dominate sales charts but are also more straightforward to market. Trailers showcasing adrenaline driven sequences like combat, climbing, or explosions grab user’s attention more effectively than nuanced storytelling or dialogue. He remarked, “It’s hard to show that this game has a really good story in a trailer that may only be 15 or 30 seconds long”.

Despite these trends, Timothy Cain believes that consumer behavior can influence the industry’s direction. Cain encouraged gamers who value narrative-driven, less violent experiences to support titles that align with their preferences and vote with their wallets.

The entire Fallout series has reached over 55 million copies in sales, and 600,000 of them are credited to the original Fallout, developed and published in 1997 by Interplay Productions.