Summary

• Bottle caps became the wasteland's currency post-apocalypse, and Nuka-Cola was the most popular brand of soda in Fallout's world.
• Bottle caps were chosen to be the main currency due to their durability, difficulty to counterfeit, and rarity.
• The Fallout show's attention to Nuka-Cola and bottle caps indicates a deep understanding of the iconic franchise.

In the wasteland of Fallout's vaults clung to pre-war artifacts to help them feel normal. One of the few things that survived the Great War was Nuka-Cola, though the soda served a much more important function than simply reminding people of better times.

Since the Fallout show takes place over 200 years after the nuclear war that destroyed the planet, the only things that survived were often in a state of ruin. Survivors often had to get creative with their resources in ways they were never intended to be used. Nuka-Cola was no different, as it took on a whole new purpose after the apocalypse. In fact, the soda may have even become more important after the bombs fell than it ever had been before.

Nuka-Cola Bottle Caps Became The Wasteland's Currency In Fallout

They replaced paper money, and most of the bottle caps were made by Nuka-Cola

In the Fallout games, Nuka-Cola's main function was to the wasteland's economy. Bottle caps were used as currency in Fallout, and since Nuka-Cola was by far the most popular soda in the United States, most bottle caps came from them. Bottle caps were chosen as the wasteland's primary currency for a variety of reasons. They were durable enough to survive the Great War, they were difficult to counterfeit, and since they couldn't be manufactured after the war, they were almost inflation-proof.

The Fallout show premieres on April 11 on Amazon Prime Video.

While Nuka-Cola bottle caps were the most abundantly available, other bottle caps were also accepted throughout the United States. In Fallout: New Vegas, a different brand of soda called Sunset Sarsaparilla was also relatively common. Nuka-Cola is far and away the most recognizable brand both in and out of the Fallout games, though. The soda and its bottle caps have become an icon of the franchise, and the Fallout show clearly understands how important Nuka-Cola is to the wasteland.

The Fallout TV Show Hints That Nuka-Cola Will Be Important Like The Games

Nuka-Cola seems to be as much of an icon in the show as it is in real life

Several of the Fallout show's promotional materials have referenced Nuka-Cola and bottle caps, which indicates that the soda will be just as important as it was in the games. Based on Fallout's posters and teasers, bottle caps will be a central part of Lucy's journey through the wasteland. In Fallout, caps spoke much louder than words, so whatever Lucy's quest may be, it will likely require quite a few bottle caps. The Fallout show's use of Nuka-Cola and bottle caps is a very positive sign that it understands its source material and one of the most important aspects of the game.