The Friday letters page laments the death of Guitar Hero and rhythm action games, as one reader claims Final Fantasy 8 is his favourite entry.
Games Inbox is a collection of our readers’ letters, comments, and opinions. To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@metro.co.uk
Perfect timing
It’s hard not to read the report on GTA 6’s progress and not be worried about another delay. My gut tells me they will hit the November release date, just because it’s a good time of the year and people are beginning to lose patience but just imagine what would happen if they released GTA 6 and it was a buggy mess or not that great.
Cyberpunk 2077 proves you can come back from anything, but the press will have a field day with GTA 6 if it doesn’t live up to expectations. And it took a long time for Cyberpunk to recover, during which there was talk of CD Projekt being sold off, so I’m going to guess that’s not the sort of reaction Rockstar and Take-Two want.
The idea that they’ve not yet started polishing does worry me though. It’s easy to assume from that, that either the game’s going to be delayed until 2027 or it will be buggy. The GTA 3 remasters show Rockstar can put out janky rubbish if they think they can get away with it, but I just hope that they have contingencies for all this and realise that not only does GTA 6 need to be perfect but it also has to actually come out at some point.
Zeiss
One or done
I really hope that Fable turns out to be good. It seems so long since the idea of a reboot was first talked about and we’ve seen so little of it in the meantime. Playground Games do good work with Forza Horizon, so I’m hopeful it’ll work, but those are two very different kinds of games.
I imagine that was part of the problem, in it taking so long, but if this doesn’t impress then that’s going to be the end of the franchise, and whatever team was making it (they’ll keep the Forza Horizon people).
It’s really terrible how so often nowadays the failure of a single game can mean the end of a whole franchise and hundreds of job losses. Here’s hoping that the Developer Direct goes well and isn’t a Suicide Squad style disaster.
Wotan
Turbo milking
Maybe I’m just slow but for me Guitar Hero was the point that I realised that the companies in charge of gaming really haven’t got a clue what they’re doing. Activision could’ve kept that franchise running forever – it was super popular when it came out and non-gamers loved it – but instead they ran it into the ground at warp speed and the whole thing was over in just a few years.
I doubt that this new game will do that well because nowadays plastic guitars are just associated with a weird fad that quickly became uncool, but that didn’t have to happen. If they’d taken their time and tried to innovate, they would be more than a one franchise company and music games might not have been killed off before their time.
Focus
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Seasonal gaming
I know it’s unusual, and there is the problem of whether you can get back the same voice actors, but I really like the idea of coming back to a game after a decade or so and giving it new DLC. A new sequel is a good excuse but I’m happy for it at any time, especially when it’s a game as good as The Witcher 3.
I’d love to see new expansions for Skyrim or anything from FromSoftware. Or definitely the story DLC that games like GTA 5 and God Of War never got. If companies are so keen on live service titles then they could create something like it just by constantly giving single-player games new content. I’d much rather that than watch them waste millions on another identikit online shooter.
I never liked the idea of episodic gaming but if they can make them more like TV seasons, where you get a new expansion every year or two, I think that would be a lot more appealing to most people. If the new Witcher 3 expansion is successful then maybe we’ll see it set a trend.
Brammo
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Good publicity
I am fascinated to see what MachineGames will be allowed to get away with when it comes to Wolfenstein 3. Things are a lot different now than they used to be and for me the big question is are Bethesda going to sanitise the new game or are they going to push for it to be as anti-Nazi as possible, in order to get as much publicity as possible. We won’t know until there’s an annoucement, but it could go either way.
Speaking of MachineGames, I hope they get to make a Quake game too. It seems like they were training for that for years and I was really looking forward to a single-player game in their usual style, with optional multiplayer, just like the original game. A Rainbow Six Siega knock-off is absolutely not what I want to see from them next.
Limpton
PS: Also, where’s that second bit of Indiana Jones And The Great Circle DLC?
Power paradox
I also think there’s a reasonable (let’s say 50/50) chance of seeing a new mainline Zelda trailer this year. Something less than a minute long and not really showing much, just like they usually do. But show a new Link and a glimpse at a bit of new landscape and you’ll have fans talking for years (including me).
I do think it’s weird that the 40th anniversary is in barely more than a month, though, and there’s no new game. Come to that, Pokémon’s 30th anniversary is also next month, and they don’t seem to have announced anything for that either. Missing one anniversary is no big deal but Nintendo seem to be doing it more than not now, to the point where it just seems completely random when they do acknowledge one.
I think we have to accept that we are in a new era where Nintendo is suffering all the same problems as everyone else and they can’t put out new games as often as they used to. Things take too long now, for everyone, and presumable they’re more expensive for Nintendo too.
That’s not the end of the world, except I worry it’s going to make them more worried about experimenting. We’ve had not a hint of a new IP yet for the Switch 2 (no, Drag x Drive does not count) and I’m not sure who’d bet on when the next one will arrive.
I get that they have to pay the bills, like any other company, but I’m beginning to wish the Switch 2 hadn’t been that much more powerful after all.
Keef
Hateful eight
In all these years I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone talk about remastering Final Fantasy 8, which confuses me as I thought it was generally pretty well liked. Was that just me and the game is secretly hated or something?
I imagine the game’s not easy to remaster, because of the pre-rendered backdrops, but 9 had them as well and there’s been lots of rumours of that getting a glow-up. Admittedly that doesn’t seem to have happened yet, but I’d rather have had 8 anyway.
Am I the only person who thinks it’s their favourite Final Fantasy? I won’t say it’s the best, because it’s probably nostalgia talking, but it is the one I think of first when I think of older games.
Molb
Unknown presents
A little late to the party when it comes to what I got for Christmas, but I wanted to share my experience of opening gaming presents in front of family who don’t game at all.
My wonderful wife got me two gaming presents this year that I had asked for. On the day, when it was my turn to open a present, I first happily opened Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, the title of which alone made many eyes glaze over. I briefly explained that it was 2025’s Game of the Year and allowed the present opening to continue.
My turn came again and I open NiGHTS Into Dreams for the Sega Saturn ‘with the special controller you need to get the most out of the game’. Cue the bemused smiles and lack of follow-up questions.
Needless to say, I’m very excited to play both of my gifts. However, when the other side of the family came on Boxing Day and asked what I’d got for Christmas, I showed them the lovely dressing gown and slipper combo I’d received instead.
Ed
GC: NiGHTS Into Dreams is definitely a nice present, it’s worth quite a bit now.
Inbox also-rans
I wish I could be optimistic about the new Life Is Strange game but the last one was such a disaster I’m not sure I’ll even bother trying it. One of the worst sequels I’ve ever played.
Gibson
I’m not going to argue over Mortal Kombat Mythologies being a terrible game but I will say that the Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection was really good. I appreciate the amount of work they put into it and that even the bad games were included. Completeness matters!
Lang440bell
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MachineGames is rumoured to be working on two new games, including a Rainbow Six Siege style multiplayer title.
Way back in 2018, Bethesda’s then vice president of PR and marketing, Pete Hines, all but confirmed that a Wolfenstein 3 would happen, despite 2017’s Wolfenstein 2 not performing as well as hoped – in large part because of an unwisely chosen Christmas release date.
We did get the Wolfenstein: Youngblood and Wolfenstein: Cyberpilot spin-offs in 2019 but they weren’t big hits either and since then Hines has left the company, Bethesda was acquired by Microsoft, and series developer MachineGames has been occupied with the Quake remasters and its Indiana Jones game.
However, it seems Wolfenstein 3 could finally see a formal announcement later this year, with new rumours alleging that the game is in development; something that was previously hinted at by various job listings.
In a recent report about Xbox’s plans for 2026, Windows Central claimed that MachineGames is currently working on both Wolfenstein 3 and a separate multiplayer project, something in the vein of Rainbow Six Siege.
The existence of Wolfenstein 3 was later verified by Kotaku, although there were no further details. Apparently, the plan is for it to coincide with the Wolfenstein TV show that’s in the works at Amazon, which makes sense since the Fallout games saw a massive boost in popularity thanks to the success of Amazon’s Fallout show.
The original Wolfenstein 3D, from 1992, was the first widely successful first person shooter and paved the way for Doom, also from id Software. It received various sequels and reboots over the years but the last two games, from MachineGames, were set in an alternate history where the Nazis won the Second World War.
Although they’re technically reboots you still control protagonist B. J. Blazkowicz, as you join a resistance movement in the US. While purposefully absurd at times, the series’ refreshingly blunt social commentary has only become more relevant over time.
Frankly, it’s hard to imagine a TV show that would be anywhere near as forthright (or purposefully weird) and even a new game is likely to cause considerable controversy – which is perhaps what Bethesda, and ultimately Microsoft, is banking on.
MachineGames has kept up its tradition of fighting Nazis with Indiana Jones And The Great Circle, but Wolfenstein makes a point of dissecting how monstrous their ideology is and has you deal with them far more violently than Indy does. So, it will be interesting to see how such an aggressively anti-Nazi game fares in the current political climate.
Curiously, the rumours make no mention of anything Quake related. After contributing new expansions to the remasters, there have been clear signs MachineGames is working on a new entry in the series.
Old job listings from 2021 specifically mentioned multiplayer and a teaser for Indiana Jones had a clear reference to Quake. So it certainly seems that, up until quite recently, the plan was to make a Quake reboot. Perhaps those plans have been cancelled though or the Rainbow Six-esque game is secretly Quake related.
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Alternatively, the same Windows Central report suggests that id Software could return to make a new Quake game. After last year’s Doom: The Dark Ages it’s not clear what they’re working on now but whatever it is, it’s likely to be a way off.
Whatever the case, there’s a very good chance MachineGames’ next project will be announced this year, since 2026 marks Bethesda’s 40th anniversary. No doubt the company will want to have at least one big reveal for that occasion.
As for when such a reveal could be made, there is an Xbox showcase taking place this month, though an exact date hasn’t been specified. There’s also QuakeCon, Bethesda’s own annual event, in August.
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A Fallout TV show countdown has sparked new game speculation, but don’t expect a shadow drop of the rumoured Fallout 3 remaster.
One of the worst kept secrets in gaming is a remaster of Fallout 3, which was first outed three years ago in leaked Microsoft documents.
Last year’s launch of The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered, which was also leaked in the same documents, has only reaffirmed its existence. While we have no idea of when the remaster will be officially announced, some are pinning their hopes on a mysterious countdown which has popped up on a Fallout TV show promotional site.
The website, created by Amazon, sports the same classic green-tinted look as the game’s menus, and features several widgets you can interact with to explore locations or solve cryptic puzzles on terminals.
In the top right-hand corner though, there is a locked widget with a countdown to February 4, 2026. This is when the finale of Fallout season two is set to drop, leading some people to (optimistically) believe it could be tied to some sort of new game announcement.
Reliable insider NateTheHate responded to some of the speculation on X, reaffirming thatthe Fallout 3 remaster does exist, but that he is ‘not certain of a reveal window for it’.
According to Windows Central’s Jez Corden, the countdown isn’t for a new Fallout game or remaster. However, he also states a new version of Fallout 3 ‘in the vein of Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered’ is on the way, ‘as well as Fallout: New Vegas on top’.
Corden further claims developer Obsidian, the creators of Fallout: New Vegas, has four projects in the works, ‘some big some small’. However, it’s unclear if any of them are Fallout related (the only one we do know about is Grounded 2, which debuted in early access last year).
This isn’t the first time Corden has talked about a Fallout: New Vegas remaster. He claimed it was on the way in November last year, but if a Fallout 3 remaster is coming too, it’s unclear if Fallout: New Vegas will be bundled with it at the same time, or arrive at a later date.
Corden uses the terms remaster and remake interchangeably, but nothing so far, from him or any other sources, suggests anything beyond the scope of Oblivion Remastered.
A remaster, or remake, of Fallout: New Vegas, widely regarded as one of the best games in the series, has been discussed at Obsidian for years. We’ll have to wait and see if it will come to fruition, but considering the success of Amazon’s Fallout show, it seems more likely than ever.
But if the timer’s not for a game, what could the Amazon countdown relate to? The Fallout show has already been renewed for a third season, but considering the website is filled with 3D tours of specific locales, we wouldn’t be surprised if it’s something related to an as-yet unseen location in the show.
We’re set to learn more about Microsoft’s slate for this year at it’s next planned Developer Direct, which is expected to air in late January.
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Xbox boss Phil Spencer previously stated that Forza Horizon 6, Fable, and Gears Of War: E-Day are all set to come out in 2026, to mark Xbox’s 25th anniversary, but so far nobody at Microsoft or Bethesda has said anything substantial about Fallout remasters.
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Is a new remaster of an all-time classic Fallout game just a few weeks away? Probably not, but that's not stopping some from clinging to a dream.
I'm all for baseless speculation, hopium, and copium (Bloodborne 2 is real), but there's actually at least some reason to believe a big announcement for Fallout is coming within the next few weeks. And it's all thanks to season two of the Fallout show on Prime Video.
I'm actually a few episodes behind on this season, so I've been avoiding discussing it, but gamers online have been quick to point out that the website for the show currently has a countdown running, and it's a mystery what lies at its end.
The countdown, shown above in the top right of the image, ends right about when the season two finale arrives on Feb. 4. But we know that it's coming, as all episodes for the season along with their titles and air dates have been announced. Why would it need a countdown? This must mean that something else is coming, surely, and people like me and some others are starting to convince ourselves it's a long-awaited and rumored Fallout 3 remaster.
And you know what? I'm in. Screw it. It's early January, the game releases are slow to start out the year (as always), and I am once again choosing the hype. I blame Bethesda, too, because the company literally just shadow-dropped a long-awaited remaster last year with The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, so why not? Let's do it.
Fallout season two is currently taking place in New Vegas, so it's also entirely possible that that game could be the one getting the treatment. Personally, I'm partial to Fallout 3 as it was my first title in the series and my favorite thus far. But imagine if it's somehow both 3 and New Vegas at the same time? Okay, let's not get ahead of ourselves, but it is fun to dream.
Based back in reality now for a second, I realize this is probably not what's going to happen. At least not yet. I don't know what the countdown will end with, but I want to get absolutely merked by Super Mutants with the Washington Monument in view again, so I'm huffing the hopium, and I hope you all join me.
The post Gamers are theorizing another Bethesda remaster shadow drop like Oblivion is coming very soon, and I’m buying into the hype appeared first on Destructoid.
Zenimax Online Studios and Bethesda Softworks took to a livestream today to discuss changes coming to The Elder Scrolls Online, including a new seasonal model.
After 12 years of The Elder Scrolls Online, it appears the development team has moved on from the existing chapter model and into how the current seasonal model will work in The Elder Scrolls Online after it was announced by former Zenimax Director Matt Firor at the end of 2024. In case fans have missed it, the entire livestream can be seen on YouTube.
In today’s livestream, ESO Game Director Nick Giacomini and Executive Producer Susan Kath detailed all of the big changes coming to the base game of ESO: Tamriel Unlimited, starting with the announcement that the development team will be more transparent with fans on how they will manage the game’s systems. They will use how they approach the Guild Summit to communicate with fans. Both Giacomini and Kath stressed that content and storylines will remain as usual, but delivery of that content will be treated differently.
Further on that note, all future (and previous) The Elder Scrolls Online expansions (formerly called Chapters) will be unleashed onto players for free in a Seasonal format. These seasons will be launched concurrently on Console and PC at the same time moving forward, eliminating that two week gap where PC players received content early. Seasonal content will function like basic game updates, and players will be able to dive in as it’s released.
The Elder Scrolls Online development team will share early development ideas with the community moving forward, and provide more transparency toward the community and incorporate more player feedback into roadmaps and content moving forward. The Night Market is reminiscent of that. This is new experimental content that can stay in-game if players like the content, or it can be removed entirely if players don’t.
The roadmap provided by The Elder Scrolls Online team is subject to change based on player feedback, and new content can come to older in-game systems, like a new questline coming to the Thieves’ Guild content in season one. New occurrences will also land in Tamriel Unlimited, like the fan-favourite Daedric Prince Sheogorath, having a specific questline as well.
The team is revamping PvP in The Elder Scrolls Online, starting with rampant online complaints of spawn camping during PvP Battle Grounds battles, they will work on fixing it to be fair for everyone. Lastly, new content will be provided seasonally, with a new Trial landing in season one called the Crimson Veldt, and new solo dungeons landing in season two. Whether fans play alone or together, there are additions for the entire community.
That wraps all of the information given to players from The Elder Scrolls Online Reveal 2026. Those looking for more information can find everything mentioned on the official ESO website.
As excitement builds for the next season of Fallout on Prime Video, Samsung has partnered with Amazon, Bethesda Softworks and Xbox to create a centralized hub for fans ahead of the show’s second season.
The collaboration brings the TV series and the video games together on one platform, letting users watch the first season for free, stream the new season, and play the latest Fallout 76 expansion directly on Samsung devices. For fans of the franchise, this creates a central place to explore all things Fallout and experience it ahead of Season 2’s arrival on Prime Video later this month.
To launch the partnership, Samsung TV Plus will stream the entire first season of Prime Video’s Fallout without a subscription. From Dec. 3 to Dec. 25, owners of supported Samsung TVs, Galaxy devices and smart monitors can watch the Kilter Films production through the ad-supported service. This limited-time offer gives newcomers a chance to catch up on the post-apocalyptic drama before the second season arrives on Prime Video later this month.
The timing aligns with the December 17 premiere of Fallout Season Two. According to the release, this new chapter will pick up after the first season’s finale, moving the story from the California wasteland to the city of New Vegas. To support the launch, Samsung and Prime Video are rolling out a joint marketing campaign that includes digital billboards in Times Square.
“Prime Video is committed to finding creative and groundbreaking approaches to bring our content to audiences worldwide,” said Emily Aldis, Global Head of Distribution and Partnerships for Prime Video. She noted that the partnership helps enhance viewing through “seamless integration of the Prime Video app on Samsung Smart TVs.”
On the gaming side, the collaboration highlights the release of Fallout 76: Burning Springs. This expansion is available to play instantly through the Xbox app on the Samsung Gaming Hub, which does not require console hardware. The update introduces a crossover event featuring the Ghoul, the character made famous in the TV series by actor Walton Goggins. Goggins also provides the voice for the character in the game, bridging the gap between the live-action series and the interactive world.
Todd Howard, game director at Bethesda, emphasized the connection between the two mediums. “When Jonah and I first discussed bringing Fallout to the screen, it was always about portraying the world of the games accurately, while also bringing new stories to life in that world,” Howard said. “Now, with ‘the Ghoul’ coming to Fallout 76, it shows how connected all these stories are.”
There is no question that Season 2 of Fallout is shaping up to be an exciting release for fans, and from the look of things, everyone wants in on the action. If you have a supported Samsung TV, will you be diving in and giving Season 1 a second look? Either way, Fallout Season 2 will begin streaming on Dec. 17, so mark your calendars and get ready to return to the wasteland.
Developed and published by Bethesda, the ongoing open-world RPG Fallout 76 received a huge update today. Titled Burning Springs, the update will bring a slew of new content, including its largest map addition yet and the appearance of a beloved character, for free.
There are several highlights of Fallout 76’s Burning Springs update worth noting. Burning Springs is a new region in southeastern Ohio and is the game’s largest map addition. Players can find the new location by crossing the bridge in Point Pleasant. The new questline can be started once players are level 30, and by tuning into the Ohio Distress Signal.
Currently residing in Burning Springs is the Ghoul, played by the Fallout TV series’ Walton Goggins. Players will be able to pick up bounties and earn loot.
Additionally, like any update, the Fallout 76: Burning Springs update includes several fixes and improvements to the game. Here are Bethesda’s full patch notes:
“A new region of the map is opening for those with enough grit to cross Point Pleasant bridge. It’s time for you to travel westward towards Burning Springs. Taking place in rural Ohio, this is our largest map expansion to Fallout 76 yet!
Become one of the meanest Bounty Hunters around, as the Burning Springs update introduces Bounty Hunting to your Fallout 76 experience. A major new piece of content here to give you the opportunity to find and eliminate some of the area’s largest threats.
We’re extremely excited to share that The Ghoul from the Fallout TV Show on Amazon Prime will be joining us in Burning Springs! Voiced by Walton Goggins himself, The Ghoul will be your guide in all things Bounty Hunting.
The main questline for Burning Springs is just the start of your story in this new region. Planned as the beginning chapter for a story that spans multiple updates, this quest works as an introduction to characters that you’ll end up spending more time with down the line.
With a new questline for you to complete, two new public events, the introduction of Bounty Hunting, plus a load of additional content (including new fish and a local legend to catch), Burning Springs is our largest update since Wastelanders back in 2020.
Burning Springs, a region of southeastern Ohio rocked not only by the nuclear destruction of the bombs dropping, but also the environmental poisoning from the local Abraxodyne Chemical plant. The area is now a desolate and barren wasteland with poisonous water, and a dust storm coating everything in a toxin known as Rust.
Who would ever want to call this land home? The Rust King is who would. A Super Mutant with just as much brains as brawn, The Rust king is the unrelenting and unforgiving ruler of Burning Springs. He has twisted the land into his cruel kingdom, where the only rule is “might makes right.”
Players will cross paths with this monstrous monarch during the new questline. He will task the player with proving their worth and braving the wilds of his wasteland.
While barren, Burning Springs still holds pockets of life. Highway Town serves as a pit stop for the last of humanity. Built on a section of elevated highway, players will be able to rest and resupply here.
Highway Town serves as the region’s new social hub and a last resort for survivors– speaking of which, The Last Resort saloon at the end of town also serves up Bounty Hunt contracts.
Once you unlock the location, you’ll be able to fast travel directly to the saloon for maximum Bounty Hunt efficiency!
You can wander into Burning Springs by crossing the bridge in Point Pleasant. The questline can be started by tuning into the Ohio Distress Signal once they’ve reached level 30.”
Mosey down to the Last Resort saloon in Highway Town if you’re looking to put your gun to work. The Ghoul has set up shop there, providing piles of bounties to plunder.
To start a Grunt Hunt, just pick up one of the posters off the table. There’s plenty to go around, so you can repeat this activity to your heart’s content.
Each time you start a Grunt Hunt, a random location in Burning Springs will be chosen, and a mutation will be applied to your target. Watch out, though, because these mutations are contagious: enemies near your target will also benefit from the effects of the mutation! Plan accordingly to take out your target without getting overwhelmed. Adjust your build to counteract their mutation or just go for the classic stealth approach.
If you’re lucky, a Grunt Hunt target might drop a premium Bounty Poster. These will allow you to start a Head Hunt– an extra challenging bounty hunt in the form of a public event! (Note: these are granted through the Quest Rewards and not found on the body itself.)
Just place your poster on the bounty board outside of the saloon to send the word wide. All players on the server will be alerted to show up to your aid when you do. Only one Head Hunt can be active at a time, though, so be sure to join in any actives ones before trying to start your own.
There’s dozens of unique Head Hunt targets across a handful of locations. Each has a unique loadout and posse protecting them– some with pretty wild and weird skills, too!
If you’ve got an itchy trigger finger, and caps to spare, The Ghoul would be more than happy to part with a premium poster… for the right price.
Players will be able to track which Head Hunts they’ve completed from their Challenges and earn a variety of unique rewards for doing so.
Speaking of loot, Bounty Hunting is primed to be the premiere path for Legendary Item hunters. Grunt Hunt targets will initially appear as 1-star Legendary enemies. As you complete more, they will eventually make their way toward 2 and 3-star!
Head Hunt targets will always appear as 3-star legendaries and are flanked by a pair of 2-star posse members.
But, most importantly, Head Hunts have a chance to drop items with NEW 1-, 2-, and 3-star Legendary effects. Some of these will offer special bonuses for Ghoul or human players…
As mentioned above, you’ll be able to earn items containing new and exclusive-to-Bounty-Hunting Legendary Mods.
Gearin’ Up
Have you ever wanted to help a Deathclaw prepare for its debut in an Arena deathmatch? Now’s your chance!
The Rust King requires a new combatant. Your job is to head over to the Junkyard and help The Beastmaster gather the scrap metal needed to armor up her latest tamed Deathclaw.
During this public event, you’ll fight alongside your Deathclaw-in-training against the wastelands wildest foes. Just be sure to keep the beast alive! It can’t die a glorious death in the arena if doesn’t survive the junkyard first…
Remember: you can heal friendly NPCs using the Medic’s Legendary Mod. Don’t have one? Well luckily a new unique named weapon, the Stimpike, comes with this pre-installed! You’ll have a chance to earn it– alongside many other rewards– by completing this event.
Sinkhole Solutions
Fires rage beneath the surface of Burning Springs and natural gas deposits occasionally breach the surface near places where the ground has broken.
Willow, a resident of Highway Town, needs your help culling Radscorpions and Stingwings that have gathered around a highly volatile sinkhole. These creatures are causing issues for the residents of Highway Town so you’ll need to head over to the aptly named Scorpion Lake to activate a “stomper” device to draw them out of their dens.
Your objective will be to destroy their dens, all while dodging pillars of fire and navigating a blinding sandstorm.
Also, stick around to the end to learn why Radscorpions aren’t an apex predator…
More Fish
Assuming you can even find them, the watering holes around Burning Springs are poisonous and irradiated, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t new fish to catch. Explore this new zone and find new fish (including a Local Legend) to add to your collections.
Side Quest: Dirty Laundry
Keep a sharp eye out for mysterious Abraxodyne intel briefcases hidden all over Burning Springs. Return them to Bodhi in the city of Athens to take part in the Dirty Laundry side quest. Unlike other collectibles, these brief cases appear in specific locations, once per player. You’ll have to search every nook and cranny to find all 150.
(Schoolyard rumors say there’s a 151st one hidden under a red truck, but we’re pretty sure that’s made-up.)
As you turn these cases in, you’ll help Bodhi unravel the mystery of his missing daughter– and earn unique Abraxodyne-themed rewards along the way.
You’ll earn a unique Legendary weapon for completing the quest– which only requires finding about half of the total cases– but you’ll get an even more powered-up version if you find every last one.
Season 23: Blood X Rust is here to inspire you to unleash your inner raider spirit. Check out the trailer above to get your fix before you head into Burning Springs yourself.
The bandits roaming Skyline Valley looking for caravans to rob have proved themselves to be dastardly threats to the Blue Ridge Caravan Company. Scaring poor brahmin into going off track, leaving deliveries incomplete.
For now, Milepost Zero will be closing shop and moving their wares to other vendors across Highway Town. Awaiting a time in the future when things might be a bit safer for their operations.
The rewards from Milepost Zero are now spread across the Wasteland:
All characters who completed the “A Bump In the Road” Caravan intro quest will receive the title “Caravan Investor” (immediately upon logging in).
We will also be granting a pennant that can be used account wide (any character on the account will have access to this pennant) and characters that have completed the quest will also receive 2K Gold Bullion. The Pennant will be granted during the first week of Burning Spring’s release while players should expect to see the 2K Gold Bullion upon logging into characters who have completed then quest.
We believe that Bounty Hunting delivers on the same promise of on-demand content, with Legendary enemies, and great rewards in a more succinct and satisfying way. We love the Skyline Valley region and have some fun things planned.
One of the new creatures you’ll find in Burning Springs is the Radhog. They’re tough and fiercely protective of their young, so if you get too close expect to be attacked.
What would happen if you brought one to your C.A.M.P.? You would probably have the most adorably disgusting pet this side of the Ohio River!
After purchasing the Radhog C.A.M.P. Pet from the Atomic Shop, the radhog bed item can be found in the “Dwellers” section of the Workshop menu and its Nose Ring is in the “Pet Clothing” section of the Armor Workbench.
A new weapon is entering the fray.
The Dom Pedro is a Hand Cannon that can fire .50 rounds or be swapped to .308. It has an explosive effect and can pierce enemies too. Really sending a message to anyone foolish enough to stand in your way.
Whether you’re hitting your favorite emote at the wandering traveler passing by in the hulking Power Armor skin or trying to convince a level 30 Vault Dweller to pick up the loot you just dropped for them, emoting is core to the Appalachian way of living.
In the Burning Springs update we’re reorganizing emotes so that more emotes can be equipped at once.
We’re doing this by:
With the work done here, you can now equip all your favorite emotes at once with little to no need to go into the Atomic Shop to swap them in and out.
Almost a year after its introduction, Gleaming Depths has proved to be an excellent place for players looking for an endgame challenge to push themselves and their builds to the limit. We’re introducing a new weekly challenge for Gleaming Depths that can be completed by working through all stages of the raid. Your reward for doing so will be a 4-Star Legendary cache that contains a 4-Star Armor, Power Armor, Melee Weapon, and a Ranged Weapon.
To go along with this new weekly challenge, we’re also redistributing the raid rewards so that the farther you progress in Gleaming Depths the more enticing the rewards will be. We know this may cause some disruption to your local EN06 farming group (and you can still farm him for XP), but it was never our intention to have one phase of the raiding experience be the source of some of the most coveted rewards in the game.
In this update we’re also fixing numerous bugs and introducing quality-of-life improvements to make the raiding experience smoother for everyone.
Combat in Appalachia has experienced a lot of changes since the Skyline Valley update was released last year. For Burning Springs we’re slowing things down to see how it all settles.
We are making a few more adjustments to V.A.T.S. to address the feedback we’ve received after the Fallout 76: C.A.M.P. Revamp update. All in all, you should experience far less instance of V.A.T.S. chance to hit fluctuations and targeting issues.
Various Unicode Characters in Crafting Requirements Block for Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Russian Players
Players with their language set to Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Russian will notice a string of characters in the requirement box of the various crafting menus in the game. The team is aware of this issue and are working towards a solution. We apologize for the inconvenience and please stay tuned for more information.
Blood X Rust Season Items Not Appearing under the “New” section of the Build Menu
We are aware of an issue with the Blood X Rust C.A.M.P. items not appearing under the “New” section of the build menu once claimed. The team is working towards a solution.
Head Hunt Target Cletus Brimstone is Doing More Damage Than Expected
We are aware of two issues with the Head Hunt target, Cletus Brimstone; When his fire attack is triggered on a server, players in The Forest region will also be affected. Additionally, the additional enemies present are using incorrect weapons, resulting in players taking much more damage than designed. We have identified a fix for a future patch.”
The post Popular PS4 Open-World RPG Gets Huge Free Update Today appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.
The Humble Bundle Black Friday sale has rolled into town once again, bringing with it a stellar selection of PC game deals. This isn't just a bunch of titles from ten years ago on sale either (like you see a lot in sales events), but recent hits like Oblivion Remastered and Civilization 7. It's a good opportunity to fill some gaps in your Steam library.
Read the full story on PCGamesN: From Oblivion Remastered to Civ 7, here are the best deals in the Humble Bundle Black Friday sale
The Friday letters page is starting to believe that Half-Life 3 is real, as one reader lays out who he thinks should win The Game Awards 2025.
Games Inbox is a collection of our readers’ letters, comments, and opinions. To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@metro.co.uk
Less for more
Seeing the reaction to Steam Machine being closer to PC in price than console, and how desperate people are for the current Black Friday savings on PlayStation 5, I think it’s fair to say that consoles, and video game hardware in general, has got too expensive for the average person.
We all complain about the cost of games but at least there’s ways round that in terms of sales and buying physical. With a console you’re stuck with an up front cost you can rarely do much about, except maybe at one time of the year.
But why have they got so expensive? As the prices have gone up the leap in graphical improvement has gone down, so it seems like you’re getting even less for your money than you were already. Unfortunately, the answers all seem to be very technical and dull.
Partly it’s because of Trump’s tariffs and AI needing more and more horsepower, as another reader said recently. But it’s also the fact that although the leap is small, getting better graphics still requires more expensive components and the level of complexity nowadays is so far beyond 20 or so years ago it’s really pointless to try and compare.
None of which helps anyone trying not to bankrupt themselves this Christmas. As others have said, we don’t need a next gen and I’d much rather spend £500+ on games than the barely improved hardware needed to run them.
Trepsils
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Regular comment
It seems we’re never far away from someone else writing in to complain about Bethesda and I can’t believe this time it’s going to be me. But that story about the Fallout 4 Anniversary Edition being a complete disaster… I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
Bethesda are so technically incompetent they can’t even re-release a 10-year-old game as a quick cash grab without breaking the entire game. As far as I’m concerned, it’s just pride and arrogance that makes them like this. They think to actually improve their graphics, or do something about their bugs, is admitting they were wrong all along but nobody cares about that, just make the game work from the start!
Nintendo spent a year polishing Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom and it sounds like Rockstar are doing the same with GTA 6. How long does Bethesda take polishing their games? A whole afternoon?
And like one of those comments said in your story, just stop re-releasing and remastering old games. Stop wasting your time and make something new! It’s 14 years since Skyrim (the anniversary was just the other day) and you’ve barely moved forward an inch since then.
Gemu
High-end purchase
The only unsubsidised home console I’ve ever known was the 3DO. Which was very expensive, especially in the USA. Lacking the monetisation model of a console it had to be sold to make profit day one.
Steam’s and Microsoft’s next machines both sound like they’ll be pricey and not designed as mass market machines.
That doesn’t mean they won’t provide value and find a worthwhile audience. I’m still very interested to see how they turn out. But they don’t sound like direct competition to a console.
Simundo
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Kirby always sucks
One would like to know: will you be reviewing Neon Inferno and R-Type Delta: HD Boosted?
Also, your Kirby Air Riders review… just, ugh. Just kidding. If you feel that the pink cuddly one sucks big time air of joylessness, then in the spirit of subjectivity, I say right on. The maelstrom of malcontent in the comments section was pretty amusing but predictable though.
I’m still looking forward to Sakurai-san’s latest endeavour eventually though, because I quite enjoyed the demo and you could just feel the love and ardour that’s gone into each of its polygonal pores. Just have too many racers on my gaming circuit at the moment with Mario Kart World, Fast Fusion, and Gran Turismo 7 on PlayStation VR2. Sick set of racers, those!
Galvanized Gamer
GC: Yes, to Neon Inferno but we’re not sure about R-Type Delta as we haven’t been able to get hold of the publisher. Also, that’s quite a lot of shade you’re throwing at Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds.
Fair-weather friends
Microsoft owning Rare is likely the problem with Nintendo putting N64 Diddy Kong Racing on Switch.
Now Microsoft have gone to releasing their own games on different platforms I was wondering if this means they might greenlight Diddy on Switch?
Even better a sequel.
Goldenlay
GC: Microsoft is always bragging that they get on well with Nintendo, so in theory they shouldn’t have any problem with it or any of Rare’s older games.
Spoiler: they didn’t
RE Bosley. I really don’t think Valve are going to choose the Xbox Partner Preview to unveil Half-Life 3.
I think it’s actually real this time, but I don’t think they need to bury the hatchet with Microsoft to gain traction or publicity and the upcoming Game Awards seems like a more natural fit, if they tie it to an event at all.
Revealing the game at the Xbox show would also mean it will be coming to consoles, and I must say I think the game might be a timed PC/Steam Machine exclusive (if it is coming to Xbox, etc. they’d have to make the previous games available on modern consoles too, surely?).
If Valve are serious about the Steam Machine, I can’t think of a better exclusive to coax players to it. It could even be a pack-in game.
A realise I’m getting ahead of myself, as the game might not even exist, but despite all he false flags over the years it really feels like this time Half-Life 3 is really going to happen.
ANON
GC: We think you’re probably right, including it being PC-only. When it will be unveiled is very hard to predict though. The Game Awards seems possible but just suddenly dropping a trailer out of nowhere, like they did with the Steam Machine, is probably more likely.
Gyro-mite
One thing that makes me excited for the new Steam Controller is the potential to make gyro aiming more mainstream and natively supported by more games.
Gyro aiming has been a revelation ever since I first tried it on my Wii U with Splatoon. It beats even mouse and keyboard for accurate and intuitive aiming. Only why does the controller have to be this ugly?
Ali K
GC: We agree, Splatoon’s aiming is excellent and we don’t know why the DualSense doesn’t offer the same options, as it can do it if the developer wants.
Award favourites
Regarding the 2025 Game Awards and the fact that Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 seems likely to be the winner, with so many reviewers giving full marks it seems inevitable! But it’s seemingly well-deserved, though I have not played it myself yet. I would have possibly liked to have seen Silent Hill f given a chance but quite satisfied that the audio design award would be a nice win for the game. Best narrative and performance would be a worthy win also, as Silent Hill f definitely was a very atmospheric and character driven story.
I would also like Indiana Jones And The Great Circle to have a win also, as for me I never really would have thought to have got such a high quality movie favourite from this franchise. It’s literally like having another film in the franchise but being able to be immersed in the game itself, instead of just watching it instead.
I did say Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 would possibly win but I’m not going to discount Death Stranding 2 and the ever impressive Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. Both games are so well designed from every angle possible, with story and gameplay design depth inside two very large worlds that are so varied and beautiful to explore, with the very finest of acting.
For me, I’d like to see Hollow Knight: Silksong get the best art direction due to my love of the indie style artwork, which these games do so well in showcasing. Along with Death Stranding 2, Silksong also should be a major contender for best score and music also.
I am glad Donkey Kong Bonanza has been recognised for the best family game, as the game was way better to play than I originally envisioned but definitely up against another well received Mario Kart game, which makes this category interesting.
Another three notable games for me are Hades 2 and Blue Prince for the best independent game award and No Man’s Sky for best ongoing game.
Definitely looking forward to the show, with some of the best games of recent years. 2025 has delivered and excelled in my opinion and given 2026 a hard task indeed, to get the better of a great year for our favourite hobby.
Alucard
Inbox also-rans
That Xbox showcase was pretty good, like you said. What a difference not having to see Phil Spencer’s grinning mug makes!
Boltz
If a Steam Machine is going to be as expensive as a gaming PC, or even just close to it, why wouldn’t you buy that instead. That’s the reason Steam Machines flopped last time and I’m not sure Valve has really learnt its lesson.
Shaggy
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The small print
New Inbox updates appear every weekday morning, with special Hot Topic Inboxes at the weekend. Readers’ letters are used on merit and may be edited for length and content.
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The Anniversary Edition of Fallout 4 has brought with it the usual problems, with fans complaining of corrupted saves and broken mods.
Bethesda has a long history of making things worse with its patches, with fans often pleading with them to stop updating their games. Before the launch of Starfield, fans were already getting ready to fix it themselves and following last year’s next gen update for Fallout 4 the two most popular mods were to get rid of the update.
The Fallout 4 Anniversary Edition was only released 10 days ago and features very little new content, but it’s been so disruptive to fan communities that they’ve been marking the decade old game down on Steam, to the point where its recent review rating is now Mostly Negative.
Overall, the rating is still Very Positive, and it’d take a lot more negative reviews to make a dent in that verdict, but it’s clear the would-be celebration of Fallout 4 has not been a happy one.
The Anniversary Edition is mostly all existing content, including the six official expansions, over 150 pieces of Creative Clube content, and fan-made Creations. There’s a very small amount of new extras, to celebrate the anniversary, but that seems to have been enough that some people now can’t even launch the game and are being told they don’t own it.
Fallout 4’s Steam score has fluctuated a lot over the years, going down when a new patch is released and then rising back up once it’s fixed, but this is the lowest it’s been in over eight years.
Apart from trouble accessing the game, the main complaint is a familiar one: the update has stopped existing mods from working. This has been a consistent problem over the years, and caused a lot of problems for Fallout London, but somehow Bethesda never seem to anticipate it.
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‘Anniversary Edition has bricked my game. Unrecoverable crashes, corrupted saves, all the stuff we’ve come to expect from Bethesda. I uninstalled after nearly 700 hours in this game since this ‘update’ broke all my saves. Probably not going to play it again,’ says MordTheReaper on Steam.
‘For the love of all things holy, Bethesda, stop updating games that are over a decade old. We saw this with Skyrim where you morons decided to cram an anniversary edition update down everyone’s throats in 2021, breaking everyone’s mods that required things like SKSE [Skyrim Script Extender], and you did the same thing again with this game last year and then you did it again this year,’ opines shinra33459 ‘NO. MORE. UPDATES. There is no need to update a game that came out in 2015 except for a cash grab.’
‘Modders built the soul of this game. Bethesda keeps trying to sell it back to us,’ adds SkinnyFish. ‘Sell the franchise to someone who cares,’ suggests an angry RipandTearer.
It’s clear that fans now expect this sort of fallout (we’re not sure whether to pretend that pun was intended or not) from every update, no matter which game it is. But this one seems particularly bad, especially compared to how little has actually changed.
As well PC, the Anniversary Edition is also available for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, and PlayStation 5. A Nintendo Switch 2 version is also planned for sometime next year, which will the first appearance of the game on a Nintendo system.
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Since its release in 2011, Fallout: New Vegas (FNV) has had no shortage of mods—initially to keep the game from crashing and allow the player to move faster than a snail. Soon, however, the modding market quickly branched out into a vast array of weapon mods, companion mods, sex mods, weapon companion mods, weapon companion sex mods, and most notably, quest mods. The Nexus page for FNV has over a thousand quest mods, among them mods allowing the player to build their own casino in Primm, rebuild the Enclave (but as good guys), or travel to places like California, Utah, or Oregon to spread their ideals.
Many of these mods are ambitious undertakings, with some taking years to build. However, a second category of ambitious quest mods exists in which modmakers make several mods over the years, each with its own story, but also telling an overarching narrative. Though the most prominent such modmaker is Someguy3000, other such modmakers include Rikkurikku, CellblockPsycho, and Th3Overseer, whose six-mod series has racked up nearly 400,000 downloads—and who, in a virtually unprecedented move, is now adapting those very same mods into novels.
Th3Overseer got into the Fallout series in 2009 with Fallout 3, and loved it so much he preordered Fallout: New Vegas as soon as possible, which was a terrible error as FNV at launch was virtually unplayable. Time went on, however, and he discovered YouTuber Alchestbreach, who both played and made his own mods and showcased them on his YouTube channel. Galvanized by Alchestbreach, he decided to give modmaking a shot, and after a few smaller mods, produced the quest mod “The Initiation,” which expanded the Great Khans’ quest line. “[The Initiation] was atrocious in hindsight, but proved I could make these things,” says Th3Overseer. “The Initiation sucks, and I regret everything. Baby’s first mod, and all that.” Despite its professed shortcomings, the mod has garnered over 2,000 endorsements and nearly 40,000 downloads on Nexus.
Following The Initiation, Th3Overseer began creating a follow up: His next mod, “Eliza,” features a fully-voiced companion of the same name. Eliza, admits Th3Overseer, “genuinely is two mods that are sloppily tied together. One was a western storyline with the Khans and a wacky new companion character, and the other was a thing about criminals and espionage.” He welded them together and got the idea while he was making it to tell an overarching narrative across his mods.
Although he was dissatisfied with the fusion in the mod, “Eliza” remains the favorite of prominent New Vegas YouTuber Mike Burnfire. Burnfire likes Eliza because, in his eyes, “She's a memorable traveling companion that confidently asserts herself without becoming overbearing or obnoxious, which can be a tough line to walk.”
The story of The Initiation continues in Eliza and then into the next mod in the series, Headhunting. During Headhunting, the Courier (the hero of New Vegas) tracks down bounties on people all across the wastelands, from disc jockeys to bridge sellers to ransom-seeking kidnappers. The Courier even has a massive shootout with a sprawling family of inbred moonshine-swigging hillbillies.
Eventually, the skeleton of the series' story arc was formed, with most of the plot driven by two dueling antagonists: Senator Burke, a corrupt New California Republic senator who represents the worst aspects of the Old World; and Sheridan, a notorious psychopathic raider leader who represents the worst aspects of the New World. Sheridan’s associates provide violent, overpowered targets for the Courier to fight across the series, while Burke’s associates try to hamper the Courier politically and send assassins after them when all else fails.
Another recurring organization is the Office of Mojave Affairs, a shady NCR agency working in the background with enigmatic motives and loyalties. The plot line of the series would see the Courier working to take down Burke and Sheridan, taking lots of drugs and making lots of money along the way.
"The North Road" came next, where the Courier roams a devastated part of Nevada north of New Vegas to capture or kill a child molester, in a plot line Th3Overseer says was inspired by Sin City. It was followed by "The Depths of Depravity," in which the Courier confronts some of the most evil and corrupt aspects of the NCR. True Detective season one was a major inspiration for Depths; however, as with The North Road, its story quickly became its own unique and fulfilled plot line. “The High Desert” is the unintended conclusion to the series, in which the Courier helps set up a saloon in Primm, goes on a drug trip in a commune of kooky characters, and works for a lesbian pirate.
The series was well-received by the community. Aside from the thousands of downloads and endorsements, other prominent YouTubers like Ramblelime have spoken of their fondness for the mods. “[Th3Overseer’s] mods improve over time and build on each other,” Ramblelime says. He views that as one of their strengths, together with how the mods fill out the world of New Vegas. He added, “My favorite is The Depths of Depravity…it’s a fascinatingly gritty mystery; a mod has never been able to give me that pit-in-my-stomach feeling before or since.” Ramblelime even made a retrospective video essay analyzing the series, speaking to its strengths and weaknesses.
Despite having five or six more mods planned, the series was discontinued after The High Desert. In 2021, Th3Overseer was already taking a break from FNV to focus on other projects. Then Nexus Mods, the massive modding website that hosted all his mods, announced a series of sweeping changes to their policies. Most notably, Nexus removed the right for mod authors to delete their own files from the website, something Th3Overseer publicly protested as unethical. Nexus removed his announcement, accused him of spreading misinformation, banned him from posting images on the site, and threatened to terminate his account if he ever criticized Nexus’s staff again.
Th3Overseer was incensed, deciding to semi-retire from modmaking and not to release any of his future quest mods on Nexus again. He has released a series of humorous mods, such as adding Dr. Gregory House to the Lucky 38; anime girls to Red Rock Canyon, the Pip-Boy, and the Powder Gangers; and Sonic the Hedgehog to a set of armor. He's also made a few serious quality-of-life mods. None of these mods has been released on Nexus.
In 2022, as it became evident he was unlikely to work on any more such mods in the near future, Th3Overseer released an outline of his future unmade mods, explaining how the Courier would wipe out Sheridan’s gang and deal with the Burke family. He answered various questions on his Discord and other social media about his various plans as well as other unresolved plot threads, but for the time, it looked like that would be the end of the Overseer series.
In 2025, however, things changed. Th3Overseer (just barely) makes ends meet doing various freelance writing gigs and is currently trying his hand at his own low-fantasy series. In the midst of his writing career, an idea came to him: Modmaking had many sloggish elements, and he admits he was never as competent as other modders. The Initiation, in particular, is a coding mess, as he freely admits. Modding also pays very poorly (which is to say not at all). Nevertheless, he wanted to finish the story he was telling and satisfy the fans, and the result is The Sunset Frontier.
The Sunset Frontier is Th3Overseer’s solution, a planned series of novels under the pen name J. Marshall, meant to retell the events of the mod series and eventually draw it out to its originally planned conclusion. The first novel, released on Amazon in September, titled Headhunting, largely adapts the plot of the bounty-hunting mod by the same name. Rather than have the Courier, the protagonist of Fallout: New Vegas, be the main character, Eliza is instead the heroine.
Although all Fallout intellectual property belongs to Bethesda, it was easy enough for Th3Overseer to lift his story lines into a new setting. Though Las Vegas is briefly teased at the start of the story, Eliza ultimately settles in the novel’s new main setting in the ruins of Barstow, California. The New California Republic (NCR) becomes the Western Government Coalition (WCG); Caesar’s Legion becomes the American Restoration Authority; the Fiends and the Great Khans become the Wreckers and the Kestrels. All original characters, such as Burke, Eliza, Sheridan, and so on, retain their names. A few gags are present for longtime fans of the mods, among them references to the prevalence of oldies tunes blaring across the wasteland’s airwaves, as well as the platoons of Legion hit squads that regularly ambush the vilified Courier outside the offices of Tully Headhunting.
The ease of the transition has been a pleasant surprise for Th3Overseer. The sole other main change was realism. “I made a decision very early on that I wanted the adaptations to hew to realism far closer than anything in the game settings would allow.” Though he likes learning things, he admits, “There’s still a lot more moving parts here [as opposed to] the mods, where I can just shrug and go: ‘Yeah, but the vanilla game doesn't care that much about making up fictional landmarks and hand-waving logistical details, so...’” This means no ghouls or other irradiated mutant monsters exist in Barstow that are easily found in the Mojave Wasteland; humans are the real monsters, after all.
Due to differences in storytelling between video games and books, Th3Overseer has a few advantages. The order of events can be more strictly controlled than in a video game, or shuffled around, and a greater sense of progression follows as a result. Headhunting takes place before the events of Eliza’s gang initiation, as told in the Eliza mod. The events of the Eliza mod take place before the events of Headhunting, for various story-related reasons. Other changes can be made based on how Th3Overseer’s writing has matured. Eliza, Th3Overseer felt, was obnoxious in her initial incarnation. With a second crack at things, he can fill out her character better.
As of right now, Th3Overseer plans to conclude the series eight years in the making. “Unless I hit some big financial emergency where I must drop everything and devote myself entirely to some horrible job, yes, I intend to finish the book series even if it doesn’t, in and of itself, pay my bills. It's a step in my desired path of being an author.” Eliza is the planned protagonist for most of the series, but other fan favorites from the mods, like depraved junkie Todd and traumatized hitwoman Charlie, are also intended to be point-of-view characters.
Scant literature exists that analyzes story mods in video games, despite their prevalence and popularity. Technically, all story mods are fanfiction, even if they do not contradict canon, and there is a history stretching back two decades now of authors creating successful book series based on their fanfiction. Tremaire by Naomi Novik began as Master and Commander fanfiction; Cassandra Claire's The Mortal Instruments series began as Harry Potter fanfiction; and Tamsyn Muir's breakout hit The Locked Tomb is theorized to have begun as Homestuck fanfiction.
Th3Overseer concedes the point about story mods and fanfiction, but says that "Mods are more technical than fanfiction, but the basic idea is more or less the same. It's unauthorized, third-party writing set in an existing IP that the author doesn't have official permission to use." There are degrees to it, he argues. "A quest mod that purports to give the player the untold early-life story of Fantastic, a vanilla NPC, is very deep in 'fanfiction territory,' whereas my own content, while originally utilizing the setting of FNV, was able to be very cleanly divorced from the Fallout IP and made into its own thing." In any case, Th3Overseer is travelling uncharted waters in the field of video games and literature.
Plenty of novels set in video game franchises exist; some of them are actually good. But a modder adapting their stories for another medium—and even making (some) money off of it—is an unprecedented move. The degree to which the series will become popular is currently unclear; it may only stay in the circle of Th3Overseer's dedicated fans and their immediate friends.
But perhaps one day Th3Overseer may be cited as one of the first transformational authors of the third millennium in a postmodern world. Or maybe he'll win the lottery like Oliver Swanick and ride into the sunset to bury some treasure in Lake Ivanpah before even publishing book two. Whatever the case, his fans can look forward to a true conclusion to the series and the ultimate confrontation with Sheridan and the Burke family.
