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Before Fallout Season 2, Explore and Learn About New Vegas on Xbox Game Pass Now

Explore the in-game desert for the first — or third — time and get the lowdown on the area and characters before the show airs.

Amazon is gearing up to deliver the second season of the award-winning series Fallout on Dec. 17 on Prime Video. The new season takes us to a place called New Vegas, which makes it a great time to explore — or revisit — that area in the game Fallout: New Vegas on Xbox Game Pass now.

In the trailer for Fallout’s upcoming season, we see Lucy (Ella Purnell), the Ghoul (Walton Goggins) and the trusty Dogmeat traversing the irradiated desert to reach the glitzy town of New Vegas. Lucy continues to search for her father while the Ghoul is likely looking for the cause of the apocalypse, and all roads lead to the roulette wheel in the desert formerly known as Las Vegas. The trailer is filled with characters and set pieces that anyone familiar with the New Vegas game will recognize, and the game can give you some insights into what to expect when the second season airs.

According to CNET’s sister site HowLongtoBeat, you can play the game’s main story and side quests in about 60 hours. So you have plenty of time to play the game on either Xbox Game Pass Premium or Ultimate ($15 and $30 a month, respectively) before the show’s Dec. 17 premiere. 

Here’s what to know about Fallout: New Vegas, and some of the lore behind characters and places we’ll see in the show.

Warning: Fallout: New Vegas spoilers ahead.

What happens in Fallout: New Vegas?

In this RPG, you play as a character named the Courier. At the beginning of the game, you’re kidnapped while making a delivery, shot by a man named Benny and left for dead. You survive, and with nothing but a thirst for vengeance, you set out across the desert to find Benny and give him a taste of his own medicine. 

Along the way, you will explore different towns, learn about the different desert factions and interact with con artists, like a character named Fantastic who tells you he has a theoretical degree in physics. It’s a wild game, filled with excellent writing and superb set pieces. 

Bethesda published the game about 15 years ago, in 2010, so the controls might feel a bit clunky. Character movements might appear robotic, and in some cases, that’s because the character is a robot. But overall, this is still a fun game that gives you a taste of the desert and shows you plenty of places and people you’ll see in the show, like the Lucky 38 and Mr. House.

The Lucky 38 and Mr. House

The Lucky 38 is a casino in New Vegas and the seat of power of Mr. House, who runs the New Vegas Strip. In the game, no one has set foot inside the Lucky 38 in over 200 years, nor have they seen House. 

House controls New Vegas and the robots, called securitrons, who enforce order around the area. In the game, you mostly interact with House via a computer screen, but as we see in the trailer, he was a person before the bombs fell.

We see the casino and House (Justin Theroux) in the trailer for the second season during flashbacks, and both seem to be just as important to the upcoming season as they were in the game.

Victor

One of House’s securitrons is named Victor. In the game, he rescues the Courier just outside the community of Good Springs. House sent him to the community, and he reappears later in the game. He is recognizable because he is the only securitron robot with a cowboy face and the only one that speaks with a twang.

We see Victor briefly in the trailer in what appears to be a rundown shack, likely in Good Springs. Because he knows about House, we might see the Ghoul or someone else try to get information about House’s location out of him.

Caesar’s Legion

The Legion is a pretty bad faction in the Wasteland, fashioned after the Roman Empire. It’s a militaristic authoritarian dictatorship whose members are fanatical in their devotion to their leader, Caesar. Legion members wear old sports equipment and carry out brutal attacks on civilians and other factions.

In the game, Caesar’s Legion either enslaves or kills anyone who doesn’t join it, and one in-game community is razed while some of its inhabitants are crucified. If you run into members of Caesar’s Legion in the game, especially early on, you should run the other way.

The trailer shows Lucy being led by a member of the Legion through a Legion camp. It’s not clear if she’s been taken prisoner or if she is making a deal with them, but you can’t really make a deal with the Legion. You just kind of have to accept their terms.

Dinky the T. rex and Novac

Dinky! This giant dino is the mascot for the town of Novac, formerly the Dino-Dee Lite Motel outside of the New Vegas strip. Novac is a small settlement where traders can usually be found, and in the trailer for Fallout’s second season, it looks like a gunfight or ambush happens in this small community. We also see Lucy perched in the sniper’s nest that is Dinky’s mouth. And in the game, you can go up there yourself to meet a possible companion. You can also buy Dinky toys in the game at the gift shop within Dinky, and I hope we see these little guys appear in the show.

Atomic Wrangler Casino

This bar is in a part of New Vegas called Freeside, which is just outside the New Vegas strip. It’s also based on a real liquor store on Las Vegas’s Fremont Street called Atomic Liquors. You can gamble and eventually buy a prostitute here if you complete the right quests, but just like any good Vegas casino, if you win too much money, the establishment will throw you out. And it appears that the Ghoul does indeed get himself thrown out of this establishment by way of a second- or third-story window in the trailer for Fallout’s upcoming season.

Gomorrah

Gomorrah is a casino and brothel in New Vegas run by the Omertas, one of the Three Families — gangs — in the New Vegas strip. The Omertas are very secretive and don’t freely give out information. Their gang also has only one rule — don’t betray the family — so they can be pretty ruthless. 

The in-game Gomorrah is also notable for being one of the few ghoul-friendly establishments, but in the trailer, we see the Ghoul getting into some kind of firefight outside of the place. Maybe it’s not as ghoul-friendly as one would hope.

The Tops

This is another casino in New Vegas run by the Chairmen, another one of the Three Families. In the game, their leader is Benny, that rascal who shot the Courier and set the whole game in motion. The casino and Chairmen try to offer an old Hollywood style of luxury to their patrons, but they’re still brutal. And what’s that in the trailer? Another gunfight outside of a gang headquarters? Well, I’ll be. 

Deathclaws

We saw a deathclaw skull near the end of the first season of Fallout, and the second season’s trailer brings our characters face-to-face with a living one. These creatures are hulking, bipedal lizards that are one of the most formidable enemies you encounter in the game. They’re fast and can deal and absorb a lot of damage. I highly advise anyone to avoid interacting with these creatures, and it appears Lucy and the Ghoul have a close encounter with one in the upcoming season.

Again, you can explore all these areas and more of New Vegas now on Game Pass Premium and Ultimate before Fallout’s second season premieres on Dec. 17.

For more streaming news, here are the best streaming services and what to know about Prime Video.

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U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov that no economic relief or new agreements can be made while the war in Ukraine continues, during a rare G20 meeting in Asheville, North Carolina.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reportedly told Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov that no sanctions relief or new agreements with Moscow were possible, as long as the war in Ukraine continues.

The two officials met on the sidelines of a Group of 20 finance leaders gathering in Asheville, North Carolina.

Bessent’s remarks came as Siluanov’s first in-person appearance at the summit since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 drew objections from other European leaders. European governments have planned to expand sanctions to further squeeze Moscow’s economy and finances.

The rare meeting underscored Washington’s willingness to reopen high-level diplomatic channels with Moscow, even as European allies have intended to keep the nation isolated while the war continues.

Bessent made it clear to Siluanov that “nothing is possible until the war is over,” when the Russian minister brought up other areas of mutual interest, Reuters reported.

The meeting centered on President Donald Trump’s peace plan for Ukraine and economic growth, according to Axios, while Russia’s finance ministry described the discussions as covering financial cooperation between the two nations within the G20 framework.

Russia’s surprise return to the table sparked dismay among European officials, who opposed appearing with Siluanov in the traditional G20 photo, which was ultimately taken without the Russian minister.

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Venezuela grants U.S.-backed oil firm NABEP 100-year concessions for 17 oil fields, White House says

Venezuelan interim authorities have granted North American Blue Energy Partners 100-year concessions for 17 oil fields, White House says.

Venezuelan interim authorities have granted U.S.-backed North American Blue Energy Partners, or NABEP, 100-year concessions for 17 oil fields, with proven reserves of about 65 billion barrels, the White House said on Monday.

NABEP is the second-largest private oil producer in Venezuela. The company has granted the U.S. Department of War’s Office of Strategic Capital an equity stake of 35% in its corporate parent, according to the White House, representing up to “hundreds of billions in value and dividends for the United States.”

President Donald Trump announced Friday a deal with Caracas that would give the U.S. majority control over 65 billion barrels, or about 20% of the South American nation’s massive oil reserves. The U.S. had about 46 billion barrels in proven oil reserves as of end-2024, according to official figures.

In a fact sheet published Monday evening stateside, the U.S. government said it would enjoy the right to purchase, at production cost, a guaranteed 20% of the off-take from all current and future fields NABEP will operate, as part of an effort to facilitate refilling the U.S. strategic petroleum reserves.

The U.S. government also has the “right of first refusal” to purchase the remaining 80% of NABEP’s production, making Washington the prioritized buyer for its energy reserves.

Analysts, however, remained skeptical that the landmark oil deal could meaningfully boost the U.S. energy production and bring down gas prices for Americans in the near term. Huge investments are needed to extract the rich resources in Venezuela, whose oil output remains at a fraction of its capacity due to decades of mismanagement, lack of investment and sanctions.

NABEP also planned to invest up to $100 billion in new oil infrastructure in Venezuela to scale production, the White House said. Under the agreement, the company is expected to pay $200 billion in royalty and tax payments to Venezuelan governments over the first 25 years.

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Tanker hit in Strait of Hormuz, sparking escalation fears as Trump pledges severe response to Iran

A tanker was struck by three unidentified projectiles in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, raising concerns about a potential escalation in the Middle East conflict, as President Trump vowed a severe response to Iran.

A tanker was struck by three unidentified projectiles while navigating the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, raising concerns that the Middle East conflict could flare up again.

The vessel was traveling in the southern shipping lane near the Omani coast, according to a Tuesday statement from the UK Maritime Trade Operations agency, posted in Asia time. No injuries were reported.

Iran launched an attack on two U.S. bases in Jordan on Monday in retaliation for America’s strike on its Larak Island. U.S. forces targeted two Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island on Sunday, reportedly killing three, claiming that Tehran intended to fire rockets carrying sea mines into the Strait of Hormuz.

The small island, situated in the Strait of Hormuz, has been a critical military and shipping control point for Iranian forces, enabling them to maintain tight control over vessel traffic through one of the world’s most vital maritime routes.

The tit-for-tat hostilities marked the first time in over a month that the U.S. and Iran have exchanged strikes.

While neither side appears to be seeking a return to full-scale war, both have signaled readiness to respond to further attacks. “We are going to hit them hard,” President Donald Trump told Fox News on Monday, stating that “there will be a response” to Iran’s attacks on U.S. military bases in the region.

Analysts largely view the U.S. attack on Larak Island as an attempt to break a deadlock rather than a shift in strategy. “By targeting the launchers rather than broader Iranian military infrastructure, the U.S. seems to be punishing a specific behavior rather than, at least for now, expanding its war aims,” said Ali Vaez, deputy program director at International Crisis Group.

“It is enforcing the blockade,” said Jason Brodsky, policy director of United Against Nuclear Iran, adding that the Trump administration’s goal is to further degrade Tehran’s ability to mine the Strait of Hormuz, while focusing on economic coercive measures as the midterm elections approach.

Washington has intensified pressure to squeeze Iran’s already weakened economy with “secondary sanctions” that penalize nations and businesses buying Iranian crude. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Monday, on the sidelines of the Group of 20 finance ministers’ gathering, that Iran was “lashing out kinetically” because the new sanctions were taking a toll on its economy.

Speaking from the Oval Office on Monday, Trump reportedly said that Iran’s financial systems, armed forces, and governing body have largely degraded. “It doesn’t mean we won’t smack them to see what happens,” the president said.

The war, now entering its seventh month, has disrupted global energy supplies and sent shockwaves through global financial markets. International oil benchmark Brent surged past $90 a barrel amid renewed hostilities and last traded at $91.08 on Tuesday. U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures added less than 1% to $86.65 per barrel.

“This is fundamentally an endurance contest,” said Brodsky, as Trump has demonstrated an “unpredictability” that should concern the Iranians, and Tehran may lash out more aggressively militarily as economic pressure mounts.

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