Fallout star Walton Goggins, who portrays the enigmatic Ghoul in the hit Prime Video series, recently revealed that he’s never played any of the Fallout games, and he has no plans to start.
In an interview with PC Gamer ahead of Fallout Season 2’s December 17 premiere, Goggins made his stance unmistakably clear:
“I haven’t sat down to play the games. And I won’t. I won’t. I won’t play the games. I’m not interested.”
A Creative Choice to Protect The Ghoul’s Identity
Goggins explained that this decision is intentional and tied directly to his performance. He believes that diving into the games could distort his view of the character he brings to life on screen.
He emphasized that seeing The Ghoul as a player-controlled avatar might disrupt his ability to inhabit the role authentically.
“All of a sudden, I’m looking at this world from a very different perspective, and as something on a screen in which I am an avatar in. I don’t believe that I’m an avatar. I believe The Ghoul exists in the world. I believe that Cooper Howard exists in the world,” he said.
To maintain that immersion, he’s committed to grounding himself in the TV world rather than the game world.
“The best way that I can serve this world and serve the fans of this game, I think, is to go to work every single day and believe the circumstances that I’m presented with.”
Other Cast Members Share Similar Approaches
Goggins isn’t the only cast member resisting the urge to boot up the games. Aaron Moten, who plays Maximus, admitted that he also avoids playing them until filming wraps.
He explained that stepping into the show’s physical sets feels like a unique version of the Fallout universe already:
“I feel like I get this really uniquely particular opportunity to be within the world of the game, like the Disney World version of it, where it’s life-like and built out in front of me. But I’m still gonna wait. I’m gonna wait till I’m done.”
In contrast, Ella Purnell – who plays Lucy – approached the games differently while preparing for Season 1. She explored Fallout 4 as part of her research, calling it “a really fun and exciting experience.” However, because Lucy isn’t a character from the games, playing didn’t directly impact her performance.
For Season 2, Purnell avoided Fallout: New Vegas, which serves as a loose inspiration for the upcoming storyline. But once the season airs, she plans to dive in:
“And then I don’t know what I’ll do for Season 3,” she joked. “Maybe I’ll play them all and become like a really addicted gamer. Who knows?”
As of now, Prime Video has not confirmed a third season.
Fallout Continues Expanding in Games and TV
While the cast navigates their own relationship with the franchise, Bethesda continues evolving the game universe. The latest Fallout 76 update, Burning Springs, introduces The Ghoul – Goggins’ own character from the show – alongside a new explorable region.
Looking ahead, Fallout 5 is officially in the works, though it remains early in development.
