The wait is all but over! After a decade in the vault, the post-apocalyptic magic of Fallout returns. Hot off the heels of a perfect 10 out of 10 in OXM, Fallout 3 hits retailers worldwide. We here at Bethesda Softworks hope you enjoy playing the game as much as we enjoyed making it.

Fallout 3 will be on store shelves in North America at 12:01 am tomorrow. Europe and Australia will get the game October 30th, and the UK will see it October 31st.

Bethesda Softworks will be at the Best Buy in Rockville tonight to celebrate the release of Fallout 3! In addition to the Best Buy locations, there are over 2,000 stores hosting midnight release events throughout the US. Call your local GameStop, Circuit City, Virgin, Blockbuster, or Game Crazy to see if they'll be opening their doors for the first hour of Fallout 3's release.

Author David Hodgson has put together a collection of blog posts previewing the Fallout 3 Official Game Guide. Check out his posts below, and stay tuned to the Prima Games Author Blog for more.

• Spoiler Free Introduction
• Meanderings and Overview
• Training Chapter Overview
• Bestiary

System requirements for Fallout 3 have been released. Check here to see if your rig meets the system requirements.

For your chance to win your own Alienware gaming rig, enter Planet Fallout's "End of World Sweeps".

Character Playthroughs
My name is Nate Purkeypile and I am a world artist on Fallout 3. My main responsibilities on Fallout 3 were major locations, lighting, and creating kits for the level design department to create areas with. Read more here.

Fallout 3 Game Guide: Tour of the Capital Wasteland Overview

David Hodgson, author of the Fallout 3 Game Guide, continues his series of blog posts today with an overview focusing on the chapter devoted to covering ALL of the Capital Wasteland.

New hires at Splash Damage

Back in May, we announced a new partnership with London-based developers, Splash Damage. Since the announcement, their team has continued to grow.

Post-Nuclear Partying

Last Thursday we held a Fallout 3 Launch Party in downtown Los Angeles at LA Center Studios. A great time was had by all — from walking the Brotherhood of Steel-protected red carpet to rocking out with the Foo Fighters.

The guy behind the guide

Now that you’ve had a chance to get a little more background on the Fallout 3 Strategy Guide, check out the interview below I conducted with David Hodgson.

From the Metro to your Desktop

As previously reported on Joystiq, Fallout 3 has taken over Metro Center in Washington DC.

A Pip-Boy for your PS3

Quick update on some new stuff on the PlayStation Store.