My Take: I'm Excited for Fallout 76, You Don't Have to Be

written by Matthew Wilder

     E3 is over.  All of the dust has settled from the year's biggest gaming conference.  It's during this time we get post-E3 reactions and the internet is ablaze with countless criticisms, theories and general rage towards various publishers and developers directed at what they showcased, or what they omitted.  A game at the center of this whirlwind is Fallout 76, Bethesda's new, multiplayer-based entry to the long-tenured Fallout series.

     As a self proclaimed "fanboy" of Bethesda, Todd Howard and the Fallout series, it's not hard to predict that Fallout 76 had me excited from the initial reveal to the detailed presentation at E3.  The fact that Bethesda is willing to take a risk and shake up the RPG formula that has been a staple of the post-apocalyptic series speaks volumes to the innovative minds Bethesda has at their disposal.  Fallout has been a first/third-person RPG for 10 years since the release of Fallout 3 in 2008.  Deep quests, tailored dialogue and memorable characters have been present during this time period and have helped Fallout stand out among the crowded RPG genre.  With competitors like The Witcher, Final Fantasy, Divinity and the in-house Elder Scrolls, the RPG landscape is extremely competitive.  With an ageing, bread-and-butter formula, Fallout was due for a shake-up.  I honestly didn't expect a genre change, going from single-player RPG to co-op MMO "lite", but I'm optimistic that if any team can pull it off, Todd Howard and his team of creatives can do so.

     Although I'm glowing about Fallout's latest entry, unless you're living under a rock, there is a massive divide among the community in regards to the reception of Fallout 76.  From the closing remarks of Bethesda's E3 showcase, internet forums and comment sections were loaded with vicious arguments on whether or not Fallout 76 needed to exist.  Gamers were immediately renouncing the Fallout series and called 76 the "end of single-player" RPGs.  Others were accusing Bethesda of cashing in on the MMO craze, following in the footsteps of Anthem, Destiny, The Division and other always-online properties.  For these folks, their trust in the fabled game studio had been broken.  Fans were proclaiming their protest against Bethesda and stating their desertion of the studio for all future titles.  It was, and still is, a dumpster fire on the scale of a classic Jerry Springer episode.

     This uproar is a perfect encompassing of the modern gamer.  Quick to judge, swift renouncing and over-the-top criticism of a product that hasn't been thoroughly explored.  It also exposes just how resistant to change fanbases have become over the years.   With Fallout existing over the last 10 years with the same formula, it's no surprise that fans of the series are not to thrilled with such a pivotal shift in focus.  What is surprising, however, is just how ferocious the Fallout fan-base is divided.  It's a situation wherein those opposed are loudly proclaiming their displeasure, whereas the in-favor party is simply silent with approval.  From the side of disapproval, from what I have observed, it's actually quite embarrassing just how bent-out-of-shape these people are considering they have not experienced Fallout 76 for themselves. 

     But I'm not here to  cast any sort of judgement or to tell you what to think.  I'm actually here to let you know that it is completely understandable if Fallout 76 isn't your thing.  I know, I'm no authority to limit what anyone says or to give gamers permission to think contrary to popular opinions.  What I do hope comes of the next few words is a relaxation of the mind, so-to-speak.  A realization that Fallout 76 is not, indeed, the end of single player games or a destructive decision for the series.  

     I recently had the pleasure of watching Noclip's documentary on The Making of Fallout 76 (which you should absolutely take a look at), which takes an in-depth dive into the inner-workings of Bethesda Game Studios' latest project.  In it, and I'm paraphrasing here, Todd Howard stated that Fallout 76's base came from an idea that the team had while developing Fallout 4.  It centered around a multiplayer component that landed on the cutting room floor when it came time to trim the fat.  Fast forward a few years and Howard and the creatives at BGS had an idea: What if we use the multiplayer base as our new, spin-off title?  And so, Fallout 76 was born.  The point of this insight is to point out that this game has been in the making, at least the bare-bones basics, for several years.  This meaning that Bethesda had this game planned for the same amount of time.  So whether you still chase the idea that Bethesda is cashing in on a trend or not, you cannot deny that this game did not happen overnight.

   
     With all this said, the most important point to all this is a phrase I just mentioned: Spin-off.  This, to me, is the critical idea that most fans of the series seem to forget.  Fallout 76 is not a mainline title for Bethesda, it's a parallel expression within the same property.  As I noted earlier, the emblazoned protests against Bethesda's latest entry in the Fallout series come from fans who have promised to boycott or abandon 76 and any other future entries in the post-apocalyptic franchise unless the series is returned to it's former state.  Meaning that if it's not a single-player offline RPG, they will not be participating.  This points to a greater problem within the community as well.  The more stout members of this group have claimed to be through with Bethesda altogether.  To them, no amount of rectifying or reassurance will bring them back.  This is where I take the biggest issue and come to the defense of Bethesda.  With Fallout 76 being marketed as a spin-off, this only further points to the fact that the series will return to its roots at some point.  Which is what confuses me so much as to why fans are so up in arms about Bethesda trying something new, especially since they have done nothing to point to the fact that 76 is a reliable indicator as to where the series is headed.


     If you want to buy the title this fall when it releases just to throw it into your nearest bonfire, have at it.  But if you decide not to buy 76 on the sole basis that you feel Bethesda has gone the lazy and inconsiderate route, you might think twice before doing so.  I completely understand if Fallout 76 does not appeal to you.  If you're not into survival RPGs with an online focus, you have every right to pass on this title.  But do not give up on Fallout just because Bethesda isn't doing what YOU want them to do.  I mentioned that gaming is incredibly competitive.  Bethesda would not put Fallout 76  into production if they hadn't done thorough research and development to ensure the game would be a success.  This, obviously, doesn't mean 76 will be a surefire success, but it should give hope to those curious about trying out the title.  This decision to make Bethesda's newest offering into something completely different was to ensure the company remained relevant and successful within an ever-changing genre.


     Are you interested in picking up Fallout 76 come November?  Is your brain lit on fire with the thought of the title entering your home?  Let me know why I'm right or why I'm wrong.  It's just my take.

   

     Thanks for reading.....