After almost a day of a Twitch stream signalling the news of more Fallout goodness, Bethesda Game Studios’ director Todd Howard finally revealed the next title in the Fallout universe, Fallout 76, with more details coming at this year’s E3!
While the premise of Fallout 76 has not been confirmed yet, anonymous sources speaking to Kotaku have stated that it will be an online survival RPG, akin to other games like Rust and DayZ. However, it will still have a main story and quests, in addition to base building and “survival-based and multiplayer mechanics.”
The gameplay continues to be “rapidly changing,” as well, according to Kotaku, and is being developed by Bethesda’s main studio in Maryland and the Austin studio that was formerly BattleCry Studios.
If you pay close enough attention to the teaser trailer, there are plenty to spot and to speculate!
First up are the date and time on an admittedly older version of the Pip-boy, October 27, 2102, 6:34 a.m. Canonically, this places Fallout 76 as the earliest game in the entire timeline. If you are a fan of the older games, this is a few months removed from when The Master/Richard Grey began to create Super Mutants.
Next up is the television, which seems to be replaying the commemorative address when Vault 76 was populated and then closed. “For when the fighting has stopped, and the fallout has settled, you must rebuild,” says the man on-screen.
Vault 76 has often been mentioned in other Fallout games as a control vault, places where Vault-Tec could compare against the results from various experiments running in other vaults. It is likely that players will emerge into the post-apocalyptic world once Vault 76 opens, much like previous Fallout titles. Nuka-cola, Vault-Boy, and even a Mister Handy can be seen as well.
If you turn the quality up, the trophy case provides some interesting tidbits as well, and could easily be fleshing out the player character’s backstory.
There are six awards, with ridiculous ones reading “Best Hair,” “Cleanest Toilet,” and “Excellence in Bravery: In recognition of the canned mystery meat experiment. You volunteered to eat when no one else would. We are proud of you and glad you are not dead.”
The others indicate the player may have grown up in Vault 76, such as the award for the Annual Vault Halloween Costume Contest, a Performance Award for Vault Hall Monitor, reading, “In recognition of loyal and dedicated service towards the order and safety of our community.”
There is also an Outstanding Achievement Award, which reads, “In appreciation for your commitment and dedication to our isolation program. Sacrificing many so some can live.”
The Reclamation Day scene seems to suggest a pristine Vault 76, and considering the timeline is just 25 years after the nuclear bombs started dropping during The Great War on October 23, 2077, it is to be expected. The Vault also appears to be functioning well, yet there are no vault dwellers. Perhaps everyone has gone with the vault being opened, or something catastrophic has happened, which is usually the case.
And as a cover of John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads” plays in the background, the money is on Fallout 76 being set somewhere in Virginia, maybe even West Virginia.
Jake is a full-time trophy hunter and achievement gatherer on consoles, and part-time Steam Sale victim. He has a thing for Batman and awesome statues, and running out of space for both. Send help.
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