Fallout: New California Hits GOG as Free Fallout: New Vegas Prequel Download
After eight years in the fan-mod scene, Fallout: New California has officially landed on GOG—bringing the ambitious Fallout: New Vegas prequel to a storefront format that’s easier to access and install. The project follows a Vault 18 crisis that escalates into a wider regional conflict across the San Bernardino Wasteland.
Release window and where to get it
| Item | Platform / availability | Notable installation detail |
|---|---|---|
| Fallout: New California | GOG (available now) | Automatic setup; GOG releases for Bethesda Gamebryo titles are described as pre-patched and ready for total conversions |
| Fallout: New Vegas Ultimate Edition | GOG (priced at $7.99) | One-click download is highlighted for owners |
Radian-Helix Media’s fan-made expansion is positioned as a more approachable way to play than older mod-hosting routes like ModDB or Nexus Mods. With the GOG approach, players who already own Fallout: New Vegas can download New California with a single click, reducing the manual steps that can trip up less technical users. The setup is also described as automatic, with the goal of minimizing installation errors.
Like other GOG releases for Bethesda Gamebryo games, the version of New California is said to arrive pre-patched and ready for a total conversion. That includes the type of compatibility work needed for large overhaul projects, rather than requiring players to configure everything themselves.
Fallout: New California story and core conflicts
The expansion’s narrative begins in Vault 18, a remote settlement in the San Bernardino Mountains facing a ticking clock: an aging population and the looming risk of losing the vault’s future. The story kicks off the night of the final Vault-Ball game of the season, but tensions spike when a “prominent figure” is revealed to be tied to the Enclave—triggering a violent civil war inside the vault.
From there, you move into the Wasteland and open up the expansion’s large San Bernardino map, marking the start of Chapter 2. The project centers on a three-way regional struggle in which major factions seek you out for different aims—ranging from applying their knowledge to pursuing a lost experiment or exacting revenge for past acts.
The team lists multiple groups you’ll encounter, including the New California Republic led by president Wendell Peterson, the New Reno Mob’s Bishop Family, the remnant Shi Clans, and the Enclave Leonidas Squadron. The conflict also involves the Super Mutant Army and the Raider Alliance, which is described as banding together in the remote Athens-Tec Uranium Mine off the Long I-15.
System requirements and expectations
Fallout: New California needs at least 20GB of free storage space and a minimum of 8GB of RAM. The project notes that if you can run Fallout: New Vegas, you should be able to handle the expansion as well.
Other GOG mod news: Skyblivion
There’s also a separate GOG launch listed for Skyblivion, the fan-made Oblivion remake being built within Skyrim—signaling that GOG’s mod-friendly approach continues beyond Fallout.
