Today, the Fallout franchise stands as one of the biggest names in video games. Its popularity skyrocketed even further thanks to the highly successful Amazon television adaptation. However, things were very different in the beginning. Before Bethesda acquired the series and changed its direction, the games were not nearly as famous or successful.

In fact, the original narrator, veteran actor Ron Perlman, recently shared a funny story about his very first payment for the job. It turns out that his compensation was incredibly small. He revealed that for his work on the very first game, he received a hilariously low amount of money.

The Humble Beginnings of a Franchise

Perlman explained that he was invited to do the voiceover for the first Fallout game back in the 1990s. When asked about the payment, he was very specific. He stated that he was given 40 dollars and a sandwich for his efforts.

It is unclear if this was the total amount he received or if he was just exaggerating to show how little he was paid. The game had a notoriously difficult journey to completion and release. The original developers viewed the project as a big risk, which likely explains the tiny budget for voice acting.

A Surprise Success Story

Despite the low budget and the risks involved, the role-playing game became a critical hit. It sold enough copies to justify a sequel, which was released in October 1998, just a year later. By the time the sequel was announced, Perlman had almost forgotten about the first game.

He admitted that he was shocked to hear a sequel was happening because the original game had gone through the roof in terms of success. From that point on, his voice became an essential part of the series. As the franchise grew larger, we can only assume that his pay improved significantly.

Looking Back and Looking Forward

Perlman concluded by saying that he did not see the massive success coming. He moved on to discuss other voice acting roles he has done over the years. Interestingly, when asked if he plays the games himself, the answer is no. For him, it was simply a job that paid in dollars and sandwiches.

His last credit in the series was in Fallout 76 from 2018, where he voiced the Speaker. Given his long history with the franchise, there are reasons to believe we might hear him again in the future. Meanwhile, some fans are convinced that Perlman might have a surprise cameo in the upcoming Fallout Season 2. They point to a suspicious deep voice in one of the trailers as evidence. We will have to wait and see if that turns out to be true.