The Commonwealth

Locations & Ruins · Source: Fallout 4 (2015), Bethesda Game Studios — in-game world, terminals, and dialogue

Overview

The Commonwealth is the post-war name for the state of Massachusetts, centered on the ruins of Boston, and the main setting of Fallout 4. By 2287 it is dominated by the secretive Institute and its synth creations, with the Minutemen, the Brotherhood of Steel, and the Railroad all vying to shape the region's future.

History & Background

Boston was struck hard during the Great War, and the region fractured into scattered settlements, ghoul-haunted ruins, and raider gangs. The Institute rose from the ruins of the Commonwealth Institute of Technology, building a vast underground city and replacing humans with synthetic infiltrators. The player character, the Sole Survivor, awakens from Vault 111 in 2287 and becomes central to the region's faction wars.

Geography & Layout

The Commonwealth spans urban Boston, the harbor islands, coastal towns such as Salem and Quincy, and inland communities like Concord and Lexington, all wrapped around a vast irradiated zone called the Glowing Sea to the southwest. Landmarks include Fenway Park's ruins, the CIT campus, and the glowing crater near the coast.

Wasteland Significance

The Commonwealth is the most developed region in the series, showing how a wasteland can rebuild into a functioning, if faction-riven, society. Its synth and robotics themes define the moral questions at the heart of Fallout 4.

Notable Appearances

Fallout 4 (2015) main setting, expanded in the Far Harbor and Nuka-World add-ons.

Tags: commonwealth, boston, fallout-4, institute, synths, minutemen, railroad, brotherhood-of-steel, massachusetts, wasteland-overview