Ever since the announcement of Fallout 76 at Bethesda’s E3 presentation, the studio has faced a barrage of concern and criticism from fans who are, at the very least, trepidatious about the inclusion of multiplayer to the game. As such, they have already revealed a lot about how it will work; attempting to reassure players who may be imagining it very differently to how it will actually be. If, however, you want to experience those worst-case imaginings firsthand, there is a new mod for Fallout 4.
The Fallout 4-76 Mod
The mod is rather tongue-in-cheek, turning Fallout 4’s Commonwealth into an absurdist take on players’ worst fears for Fallout 76. Entitled “Fallout 4-76”, the mod was made by modder SKK and is available for download on Nexusmods.
The changes made to Fallout 4 are, as the video shows, extensive. All of the game’s companions are removed, as are 95% of rural NPCs and 80% of urban NPCs. The modder suggests that players “imagine the rest are natural humans minding their own business”. The mod will also spawn randomised “griefer” enemies meant to simulate online players, with names such as “L33T PWNZ BOSS”. These enemies will also issue “half-witted taunt messages”. Actual multiplayer interactions in Fallout 76 should not be nearly as bad, as they are governed by an opt-in challenge system which any player can opt-out of at any time.
Of course, the mod also causes random hails of nukes to land around the player with only seconds of warning. These nukes will not launch directly at any workshops, allowing the player to craft without getting annihilated. However, they will strike everywhere else with noted frequency and power. Of course, Bethesda has stated that the nukes in Fallout 76 will be very difficult to acquire and give players ample warning before they land; suggesting that their purpose is to create high loot areas rather than destroy players. (Indeed, players will not be able to target others directly with the nukes.)
The Ultimate Experience
The modder ends their mod description that players should listen to a YouTube track of “Country Roads” on repeat while playing for “the ultimate experience”. Hopefully, Fallout 76 doesn’t end up looking anything like this. So far, it seems unlikely that it would based on what Bethesda have said since E3. Nevertheless, if you want to experience your worst Fallout fears made manifest; then this is the mod for you!