Actor Ron Perlman has shared that he received just $40 and a sandwich for his voiceover work on the original Fallout game in 1997. The revelation came during a recent podcast appearance, highlighting the modest beginnings of the now-iconic franchise. Perlman, known for lines like 'War. War never changes,' expressed surprise at the game's success.
Ron Perlman, the veteran actor famous for narrating the Fallout series, disclosed the surprisingly low compensation he received for his early involvement with the franchise. In an interview on The Joe Vulpis Podcast, Perlman recounted being invited to voice lines for the first Fallout game, developed by Interplay and released in 1997.
"They invited me to do the very first Fallout back in the 90s, I think. They gave me 40 dollars and a sandwich," Perlman said. He noted that about a year and a half later, he had largely forgotten the project until contacted for a sequel. "A year and a half later, I get a call, 'Hey, you remember Fallout?' No. 'Well, there's a second one.' I go, 'Why?' ‘Because the first one went through the f**king roof,'" he recalled, expressing shock at its success.
Fallout 2 followed in October 1998, developed by Black Isle Studios. Perlman's voice became a staple of the series thereafter, though he admitted he has never played any of the games. "No. I did a couple of lines, got my $40 and my sandwich, and went home," he stated. His most recent credit is as the Speaker in Fallout 76, released in 2018.
The original game's development was risky, and its critical acclaim paved the way for the franchise's growth under Bethesda, which acquired the rights in 2007. Perlman did not specify the type of sandwich he received. Meanwhile, the Fallout TV series on Prime Video continues to boost the brand's popularity, with fans speculating about Perlman's potential involvement in future seasons.