Oh, Vault-Tec. Longtime fans of Fallout will know there’s something more than a little nefarious about the corporation. But in Prime Video’s Fallout series, Vault-Tec’s true evil nature is revealed in more intense and dramatic ways than ever before. And now, if you call an Easter egg phone number from the Fallout series, you can get a jump scare taste of the horrors Vault-Tec holds. During season one, calling the Vault-Tec phone number led to one outcome, which we detail below. But now, as we head into Fallout season two, the outcome of dialing the number has changed. Does this Fallout phone number reveal something about the series’ plot? Does the phone number hint at details about Fallout season two? Or is it just a metaphorical taste of Vault-Tec’s terror? You decide.
Fallout‘s Easter Egg Phone Number Actually Works
In Fallout episode six, Cooper Howard (soon to be The Ghoul) has given a big thumbs-up to becoming the spokesperson for the Vault-Tec corporation. In a flashback, we see Howard filming an ad for Vault-Tec’s vaults, where he extolls their great virtues. “A vast and wonderful place, not made my god almighty but the working man,” Cooper Howard croons, “A veritable Camelot of the nuclear age.”
Of course, at the very end of this ad comes the sales pitch. Vault-Tec is a business, after all. “You can be a hero too by purchasing a residence in a Vault-tec Vault today.” Howard encourages, “Because if the worst should happen tomorrow, the world is gonna need Americans just like you to build a better day after.” To do that, Fallout‘s Vault-Tec wants you to call a phone number that flashes at the bottom of the screen.
We’re sure many audience members watching Cooper Howard’s performance at home rushed to dial into Vault-Tec. But it turns out that this Fallout phone number is actually an Easter egg, and you, too, can try your luck at securing a Vault.
And what is the Fallout phone number, you ask? Well, you can give Vault-Tec a ring by dialing 213-25-Vault or 213-258-2858.
What Happens When You Call the Fallout Vault-Tec Phone Number?
So, what happens when you call the Vault-Tec phone number in 2025? Well, you get to hear from a familiar voice. It’s Bud Askins who picks up the Vault-Tec link. He says, “Hi, I’m Bud Askins, you probably know Vault-Tec as the brand to trust in the increasingly likely case of a global nuclear war…” And then, chaos. Some very creature-like noises assail our ears. Could those be the sound of Deathclaws finally arriving in Fallout in season two? Or is that just the sound of machine guns going off? It’s hard to say. Next, we hear a lot of screaming, static, and lots of despair. Things sound like they’re smashing, and we’re pretty sure there’s some chanting happening in the background. Yikes!
As a note, I tried dialing the Fallout Vault-Tec number several times, just to see if anything different every happened. The message on the other end was always the same.
What Used to Happen When You Called the Fallout Vault-Tec Phone Number During Season 1?
Something different, although in the same spirit, happened when you called this Fallout Easter egg phone number during season one’s airing. In short, you were treated to a jump scare. At the other end of Vault-Tec’s line was someone screaming—and not just a little. No, whoever was on the other end of this call is having a very bad day.
At the time, I tried calling Fallout‘s phone number a couple of times, just in case something different happened, and every time, I jumped a foot at the screaming. The howls went on for 18 seconds. And they were intense.
You Can Also Text Fallout‘s Mystery Number
If you don’t want the sound of destruction to fill your ears, you can also text the Fallout phone number instead of calling it. If you do, here’s the text message you receive from Fallout/Vault-Tec:
Thank you for texting Vault-Tec. The next available appointment is 33 weeks from now, please stand by!
That’s a little disquieting… especially when you realize both these messages are coming from the same place.
What Does Fallout‘s Easter Egg Phone Number Actually Mean?
So, what does Fallout‘s Easter egg phone number actually mean? Well, ultimately, it probably just stands for the horrors that Vault-Tec hides behind its sheen of niceties. On the one hand, you might get your please and thank yous! On the other, terrifying screams. The duality of this Easter egg really does capture the way Fallout‘s Vault-Tec operates.
That said, hearing Bud Askins on the line when you dial Fallout‘s phone number does hint we’ll see more of the smiling company man on Fallout season two. And if those were snarling Deathclaws destroying everything… well… we may just be in for a very bloody season.
As Vault-Tec’s text message notes, “Please stand by!”
New episodes of Fallout season two drop Wednesdays on Prime Video.
Originally published April 16, 2024.