Since the announcement that Fallout 76 will feature multiplayer, PvP has been a major concern for many fans. Understandably, players don’t want to experience online griefing in a Fallout game. Bethesda certainly appears to have gone to great lengths to put checks in place to stop such behaviour. The latest development for Fallout 76 PvP is that the game will apparently switch it off completely at certain times.
When and Where Fallout 76 PvP Will Switch Off
The news came from Jeff Gardiner, the Fallout 76 Project Lead, during an interview with GameInformer. In a development likely to reassure many fans, Gardiner explained how Fallout 76 will prevent other players from interfering with major events. The studio has explained in the past how Fallout 76 PvP is very strict. Indeed, players are not at risk of losing too much if they die at the hands of another player. On the other hand, a player who participates in griefing-style PvP behaviour will be turned into a target for other players to hunt. Gardiner explicitly addressed the worry that PvP could interfere with major battles. This is especially important if players risk initiating PvP with one another due to accidental friendly fire.
“When you are doing group events,” he explains; “we turn off the [PvP]. If all of these random people are fighting a giant monster, you don’t want to get hit by a stray bullet and then be in PvP. We wanted to make it an intentional thing”. The game also features a system for cancelling an accidental PvP initiation outside of such an area. If a player accidentally shoots another, they can wave a “pacifist flag,” and cancel the challenge. Bethesda appears to have taken a very cautious approach to multiplayer, and especially PvP, which should serve to reassure players. While PvP does feature as a mechanic, the game seems to incentivize and reward cooperative multiplayer far more than competitive.