Fallout 76 has long been a divisive game in the post-apocalyptic space. Many die-hard fans claim it’s ‘not a real Fallout game’ because it’s an MMORPG and not the traditional single-player adventure we spent so many years enjoying before Fallout 76 dropped in 2018.
But despite the naysayers, Fallout 76 continues to thrive and evolve, and Bethesda Game Studios keeps pumping the title full of fresh content.
At the BAFTA Games Awards, I caught up with Jon Rush, Fallout 76’s Creative Director, and asked why new players keep coming to Fallout 76 after almost ten years.
The People Bring The People
Fallout 76 did not have a good time when it came out in 2018. It was marred by weak first impressions, a scandal concerning the game’s collector’s edition, and it represented a bleak, empty experience. Bethesda Game Studios knuckled down and revitalized the game over the next few years, ultimately fleshing out something well worth playing.
But those early reviews and sentiments stuck with the game, stunting its growth in many ways. Even today, some won’t even try it on principle, believing it’s some broken wreck of a game that needs to be shut down.
I’d like to stress that I have 1000+ hours in Fallout 76 and have been playing for around six years, on and off.
When I spoke to Jon Rush at the BAFTA Games Awards in London, I asked a question relevant to the game’s nomination. Fallout 76 was up for Evolving Game, and it prompted me to ask Jon why players are still coming to Fallout 76 after eight years of it being active.
A big part of it is the wonderful community that makes up our game.
Bethesda Game Studios has the best community in gaming.
People come into this game with assumptions they’ve gotten from other community-type games, and are really surprised with the folks they meet in Fallout 76.
Everyone is very cooperative, helpful… Certainly not what you’d expect in a post-apocalyptic environment.
Community has been a big part of it.
Across social media and content platforms, we’ve seen plenty of efforts surface tied to Fallout 76 over the years. Fallout for Hope, a charitable endeavour, uses the platform to fundraise, and the Wasteland Theatre Company has used the multiplayer nature of the game to stage grand performances amid the wasteland.
It also helps that Fallout 76 is available on many subscription services, like Game Pass, and it keeps evolving. Late last year, the Burning Springs update was released, tying the game in with the incredibly successful live-action television show and introducing an entirely new game area to explore, amongst other things.
This, combined with that stellar community, regular sales and in-game events, a never-ending marketing run, and the universal appreciation for Fallout in general, means that Fallout 76 enjoys a never-ending run of new players.
Have you ever played Fallout 76? If not, let us know why on the Insider Gaming Discord server.
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Grant has been gaming for 30+ years and in the industry for 10+. You'll probably find him playing a post-apocalyptic game or an extraction shooter somewhere.
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