Loss, Care, and Morality in <i>Fallout</i>

How is care embedded in games like Fallout 3 and Fallout 4 ? This chapter applies an ethics of care framework to two games in the Fallout universe to examine how grief, loss, and relational responsibility are embedded in their designs. Drawing on care theorists such as Nel Noddings, Carol Gilligan, and Joan Tronto, this chapter argues that moral decision-making in Fallout is not solely based on rule-based or consequence-based systems, but also on care-based systems, which consider relationships, emotional responsiveness, and obligations to others. The chapter analyzes three central care relationships in Fallout (the father in Fallout 3 , the son in Fallout 4 , and the companion Dogmeat across both titles). It demonstrates how care operates as a motivator, theme, and gameplay mechanic, but also as a system for practicing ethics. Fallout situates players within worlds defined by catastrophic societal collapse, as they invite acts of care, such as rebuilding, protection, and mutual support. Systems such as Karma, S.P.E.C.I.A.L., and companion mechanics help to establish care as an ongoing moral practice. Players need to grapple with differing visions of how society should be repaired, while they navigate tensions among loyalty, protection, justice, and responsibility. The chapter argues that care functions as a form of resistance within the Fallout wasteland. It's an act of civic and relational rebuilding and collective healing amid pervasive loss.