Field hospitals, medics, and loo roll hoarders – the strange ways Fallout 76 players are reacting to COVID-19

Bethesda’s increasingly weird wasteland is starting to reflect real life.

MMOs offer a distorted lens through which to view reality. What happens in real life can filter down into online game worlds, whether that’s a public holiday, celebrity memorial, or the worst pandemic in a century. Right now, in Fallout 76, current events are manifesting themselves in fascinating ways.

Take, for instance, a recently established group called the Responders Retaliation, which aims to supply those in need with vital medicine. While not an overt homage to the heroics of actual frontline healthcare workers currently risking their lives to treat patients, the parallels are clear, and the timing couldn’t be better. Group co-founder VivaciousPassion says: “Those doctors have been doing a fabulous job of managing this outbreak and we’re admirable of them. Our group does offer medical supplies, often free or extremely discounted compared to in-game economy prices.”

In VivaciousPassion’s experience, the influx of beginner players due to self-isolation measures has, in turn, produced more people wanting to take advantage. The rise in hostility has made altruistic acts like this hugely important. “I come across large amounts of low-level players, especially as of recently with the lockdowns in place around the world. If I come across low levels, I often give them a bag of medical supplies, and if they have a workbench, I’ll craft them a few guns and mod them to the max to get them started.”

While still growing, the group has had numerous success stories. On one occasion, a hostile faction wielding flamethrowers burned down a base belonging to one of the group’s members, so Responders Retaliation banded together and helped rebuild it. If you’re in need of assistance, just post on the group’s page. Those wishing to join up can do so after a short onboarding interview process. It determines your skill set and cross-references your ID with scammer lists to check you’re legit. In VivaciousPassion’s words, “There’s been a large number of scammers that have returned to try and steal from innocent players.” Vigilance, it seems, is increasingly necessary.

Fallout 76’s newly aggressive Wasteland – an effect you can link to higher player counts triggered by shelter-in-place measures – marks a change from its usually welcoming atmosphere. You might say it’s temporarily reverting to expected norms. After all, Bethesda VP Pete Hines expressed shock over the general level of passivity early on, saying in a recent interview, “We were a little surprised how few people wanted to take part in PvP and how many more they were interested in PvE together. As opposed to, ‘I want to test my mettle against you and let’s get into a duel.'” Self-isolation changes that. It brings fresh players, and with that comes conflict as a minority of high-level ones target them.

Other Fallout 76 folk are finding creative inspiration in catastrophe. The Ginger Empire spent roughly six hours creating his very own COVID-19 field hospital, complete with well-stocked medical cabinets and ample bedspace in which the sick can recover. As a licensed practical nurse with ten years’ experience, this is very much a passion project for the Wasteland regular: “I enjoy doing the C.A.M.P. builds for the channel and to upload, and this felt like an interesting one right now considering the events of the world as a whole.”