Original Fallout lead Tim Cain says the team planned for there to be 1000 Vaults, but he thinks there are actually far fewer in the setting

In a new vlog on his YouTube channel, veteran programmer and RPG designer Tim Cain revealed some more of the background he and his team initially planned for Fallout's vaults. The crew at Interplay conceived of there being 1,000 Vault Tec vaults in the United States, a figure with some in-game and real-life logistical issues that Cain then explores, all with the caveat that this is him having some fun: "This is just me talking about it⁠—it's not canon!"

First and foremost, the 1,000 number was just an aesthetic choice...