SXSW is in full force, and of course that brings with it so many activations. Prime Video returned to Austin’s iconic Hotel San José (1316 South Congress Avenue, Austin, TX) to immerse fans in the post-apocalyptic world of their upcoming highly anticipated Original Series Fallout, premiering on April 12.

On March 8 from 12PM to 6PM through March 9 from 10AM to 6PM, guests got a first look at the upcoming series, imagining themselves as vault dwellers journeying into the harsh outside wasteland society for the first time. We got to become some of these vault dwellers, and it was definitely a fun time, especially as fans of the videogames the series is based on.

A local resident of Filly (a bustling wasteland shanty-town outside of the Vaults that appears to be the result of nuclear fallout) guides you into the town. There, she explained everything you needed to know to survive, including how to use the Vault-tec technology you’re provided with to log items you find throughout the town, as well as providing guests with their first caps (necessary for trading!) I was immediately amazed by the game-accurate designs of both sets and actors! There was plenty to look at and interact with, including power armor, a shooting range (Arms Dealers), a food stand, Ma June’s Sundries, a dentist/barber, a lasso area, and an area for refreshments (where you could get Nuka Victory Cola!)

At the food stand, vault-dwellers got to try “ass jerky” and Fancy Lad snacks, both of which were pretty tasty. Equally as tasty were the Nuka Victory Colas, which had a slightly fruity taste. While exploring the area, there were various things that you could scan on your Vault-tec “Pip Boy,” which you could later redeem for more caps at Ma June’s. There was also a lassoing area, where you got to try your hand at lassoing (I failed miserably) and get some awesome Fallout bandanas! I didn’t get the chance to visit with the dentist/barber, but it was a lot of fun seeing people interact with them! After we were done exploring, we turned in our caps at Ma June’s for chances to win Fallout swag.

I have to give my props to the actors and staff working the area. These were some of the highlights of the event, with the actors really adding more to the immersion with their hard-exteriors, mean-spirited personalities, and with their offers to trade caps, eyeballs, and Fallout-branded coffee with vault-dwellers. I was also excited to see Dogmeat, who was the sweetest dog. One of my favorite interactions would have to be the Shell Game; the actress here was so funny! Also, a special shoutout to the actor handling the coffee bags; it was a lot of fun trying to figure out ways to get enough caps to purchase a bag.

Filly got me really excited for the upcoming Fallout series. As a fan of the games, I really enjoyed all of the easter eggs, and gaining some insight into what the series may be like.

Be sure to follow along for more Fallout updates, as well as an eventual review!