Skip to main content

Fallout Shelter gets a huge update, hits Android

fallout shelter hits android falloutshelter2
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Fallout Shelter serves as an excellent appetizer for the main course that is Bethesda’s Fallout 4, but it was previously only available on iOS devices. That changed today with the game’s launch on Android, and there’s a massive update to make its new platform debut even more exciting.

While fires and radroaches regularly cause mayhem inside the average Vault Dweller’s home, a few new dangers have been introduced. Mole rats and Deathclaws can now sneak into Vaults, and Bethesda says that they’re more likely to arrive if buildings are being constructed. Raiders, who previously only stole resources like water and food when they broke through a Vault’s defenses, will now steal Caps (your currency for almost everything in the game), and Bethesda recommends arming all of your Dwellers if you haven’t done so already; you might even want to station a few people right behind your Vault door.

To celebrate the game’s Android launch, all players, including those on iOS, will receive a robot butler named Mister Handy, described as a “friendly, entertaining alternative to tapping and collecting resources.” He’s a “premium” character, which are typically only available via the hard-to-obtain lunchboxes, given out for completing certain challenges or dishing out cold hard cash.

Some of the other updates are less noticeable. The requirements for daily objectives have been reduced to make sure you have enough Caps for the Raiders to steal, and floating characters should now have their feet squarely on the floor. Last, Bethesda admits that the “living quarters” area is actually too useful, resulting in population that outpaces a Vault’s capacity, and this has been tweaked to reduce the total number of births. I guess I’ll have to rename Steve Martin in my Cheaper by the Dozen Vault.

Are you going to try out Fallout Shelter on Android, or have you already been playing it for months on iOS? Let us know in the comments! If you’re a brand new Vault Administrator, check out our guide to get off to a great start.

Editors' Recommendations

Gabe Gurwin
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Gabe Gurwin has been playing games since 1997, beginning with the N64 and the Super Nintendo. He began his journalism career…
Your Android phone is getting lots of fun new features this month
Android 14 logo on the Google Pixel 8 Pro.

It’s a big day for Android updates, as Google has announced more than a dozen new features spread across multiple devices and apps — including a host of fun new ways to make Google Messages more visually exciting and to mark a significant milestone in its use.

Ready to see everything that's new? Let's dig in.
Google Messages

Read more
When is my phone getting Android 14? Here’s everything we know
Android 14 logo on the Google Pixel 8 Pro.

Android 14 is out now, and as usual, the first to get it is Google's own Pixel phone family. Samsung has already released the One UI 6 update based on Android 14 for its latest flagship phones and continues to test for older devices, while Nothing is still in the beta-testing phase.

If you're rocking an Android phone that is still stuck on an old Android build, here's everything that we know about official Android 14 rollout plans for all major brands available in the U.S. market.
Google Pixel phones

Read more
Don’t update your Pixel phone — a new Android update might break it
Android 14 logo on the Google Pixel 8 Pro.

Android 14 introduced a host of convenient additions to Google’s Pixel phones, but a recent minor update has utterly broken the storage system for some users. Specifically, owners of the Google Pixel 6, Google Pixel 6 Pro, and Google Pixel 6a who run multiple profiles on their phones are reporting that their phones no longer have access to the storage pipeline for the main profile.

That means users are locked out of accessing the stored media and find themselves unable to add new files as well. A few users have reported on Reddit and Google’s official community forum that they can’t even click images using the camera app because it flashes an insufficient storage warning message. A few others say trying to install an APK package also returns a similar storage writing roadblock.

Read more