Frequently Asked Questions
The most-asked questions about Wasteland.
What is Wasteland?
Wasteland is a post-apocalyptic role-playing video game series originally created by Interplay in 1981 and continued by inXile Entertainment. It follows a squad of elite soldiers known as the Demons as they scavenge, fight, and make tough moral calls across a water-starved, irradiated America.
Who are the central characters?
The Demons are the recurring protagonists—originally a warhead-transport unit repurposed as protectors of scattered settlements. Squad leaders like Sergeant Mike (Sarge) and the rotating cast of specialists give each entry its emotional core.
Where should a newcomer begin?
Wasteland 3 (2020) or Wasteland 4 (2022) offer the most approachable onboarding with modern controls and streamlined menus. Players who want the full lore arc can work backward through Wasteland 2 (2009) and the original 1981 title.
How does Wasteland connect to Fallout?
Several of Wasteland's original designers, including Tim Cain and Leonard Boyarsky, later helped build the Fallout franchise at Interplay. The two share a post-nuclear, darkly humorous DNA, though Wasteland leans harder into moral gray areas and squad-level drama.
What is the core setting and premise?
The games unfold in a shattered United States where clean water is the ultimate currency and society has splintered into cults, warlords, and fragile communities. Irradiated ruins, desert expanses, and factional conflict define the world across every entry.
What are the key gameplay mechanics?
Combat is either turn-based or real-time depending on the title, and progression is skill-point driven rather than tied to rigid classes. Players manage a full squad, make branching narrative choices, and can permanently lose members, which shapes the story going forward.
What is a widely cited standout moment?
The original Wasteland's climax, in which the player must decide how to distribute a limited water source among competing settlements, is often highlighted as a landmark in morally complex RPG endings. Wasteland 2's ending, where the player's faction choices reshape the entire region, is similarly celebrated.
Who are the principal creators?
Tim Cain conceived the series and has served as creative director across most entries, while Brian Fargo co-founded inXile Entertainment to steward the franchise after the 2009 reboot. Leonard Boyarsky was an early collaborator at Interplay before moving on to other projects.
What sets Wasteland apart from other post-apocalyptic RPGs?
Every squad member has a distinct personality, backstory, and the very real possibility of dying, which creates a strong personal stake absent in many single-protagonist games. The tone consistently blends sardonic humor with unflinching violence and political nuance, avoiding a clean heroic narrative.
How many main games exist and is the series ongoing?
Four main entries have shipped: Wasteland (1981), Wasteland 2 (2009), Wasteland 3 (2020), and Wasteland 4 (2022). inXile has confirmed continued development on the franchise, and tabletop RPG adaptations have expanded the world further.