2024 has been, by all accounts, a landmark year for Fallout 76 – Bethesda Games Studios’ once-critically-panned multiplayer action RPG. First of all, following six years of hard work which led to 20 major updates to date, four of which, America’s Playground, Skyline Valley, Milepost Zero and Gleaming Depths all released within the last 10 months, the recently-established critic and fan consensus is that the game is now quite good, actually. This, and the incredible success of Amazon Prime’s Fallout, a TV adaptation based in the universe of the games, has made it so that, second of all, Fallout 76 is more popular than ever before, the total player count since launch just surpassing 21 million players.
Earlier this year, too, specifically at gamescom, I got the chance to interview Fallout 76’s creative director Jon Rush and to ask him a couple of questions about the then-upcoming Gleaming Depths update and what else might be on the horizon for the title he’s helming. On the back of this interview, I was invited to visit ZeniMax Media’s office in London, United Kingdom – ZeniMax being Bethesda’s parent company.
There, I was welcomed by Rush and Fallout 76 lead producer Bill LaCoste into a space that had been decorated and completely transformed to resemble an irradiated wasteland befitting the game. On one of the walls, the words “Ghoul and lovin’ it” caught my eye, reminding me of the purpose of my visit: to get hands-on with the anticipated Playable Ghoul update, set to release in early 2025.
After being ushered into a recreation of a U.S. classroom, Rush and LaCoste kicked off a half-hour presentation designed to bring me and other members of the games media up to speed on what they and their team are working on for Fallout 76. Beyond the Gleaming Depths update and raid, which was the focus of the first half of the presentation, the pair shared their excitement about allowing players—who typically play as humans in the game—to transform into ghouls, creatures drastically mutated by radiation, marking a first for the franchise.
“Fallout 76 is more popular than ever before, the total player count since launch just surpassing 21 million players.”
Unfortunately, due to scheduling, the Gleaming Depths update was released to the public in the weeks between the event and the publication of this preview. For the purposes of this article, I will briefly note that everything I’ve seen and played of this expansion, particularly the raid, is impressive and well worth trying for anyone who meets the recommended level and has access to the necessary equipment.
Regarding the Playable Ghoul update, Rush and LaCoste explained that playing as a ghoul is intended to be an endgame experience, which they envision as a monumental change for Fallout 76. After hearing this, the first question I asked Rush during a short interview following the presentation was whether players would have the option to skip to level 50—the level required to start the ghoulification process—when creating a new character. He responded simply, “Yes.”
Afterward, when I asked Rush if the ghoulification process would be reversible in Fallout 76, his response was more detailed: “We did a lot of research and soul-searching to ensure that the process we implement for reverting from being a ghoul doesn’t conflict with any lore. Players will be able to change back once per character if they don’t like being a ghoul. If they want to do it more, there is a cost.” At the time of writing, it is unclear whether this cost will be payable with in-game currency, premium currency purchased with real money, or both.
Turning to another question, I was curious about how Fallout 76’s many factions would react to ghouls and whether there would be any story content exclusive to ghouls. Rush explained that “future content for the game will definitely take ghouls specifically into account, with new quests for everyone that will include ghoul options.”
He elaborated, saying, “When the update comes out, you’ll notice that factions such as the Brotherhood of Steel won’t respond too kindly to ghouls.” He added, “However, if you’re level 50, turn into a ghoul, and still want to access that content, you can—you just have to visit a specialist in the ghoul camp who will disguise you.”
When pressed for clarity on whether player ghouls could be gated from future story content or if there would be storylines requiring players to undergo the ghoulification process, Rush was definitive: “No, never.”
During the presentation, Rush and LaCoste emphasized the gameplay advantages of transforming into a ghoul. The most significant benefit is that ghouls are completely resistant to radiation, which actually heals them. Additionally, a new feature called “glow”—an excess store of radiation—will serve as a power players can customize based on their character’s specialization.
“Players will also have access to 32 ghoul-specific perk cards, which provide skills or enhance attributes and are designed to work in tandem with existing perk cards.”
Players will also have access to 32 ghoul-specific perk cards, which provide skills or enhance attributes and are designed to work in tandem with existing perk cards. When asked about the challenge of balancing Fallout 76 around ghouls, Rush explained, “Some of the perk cards for humans will get adjusted just so that they’re compatible with ghoul cards,” but assured that “it honestly wasn’t that much that needed adjusting—just some pretty minor fine-tuning here and there.”
After the presentation and my interview with Jon Rush, it was finally time for me and my fellow journalists to be among the first, outside the development team, to play as a ghoul. Relocated to a different room and assigned high-end PCs, I entered Fallout 76’s post-apocalyptic Appalachia from the perspective of a pre-existing ghoul character. Bethesda staff clarified, however, that players will be able to fully customize their ghoul’s design, including choosing skin texture and hair.
After being given free rein, I decided to head straight to Radiant Hills, a brand-new location featuring a modest ghoul camp. One of the first NPCs I encountered was Regular Debbie, a resident ghoul who shared her perspective on life and the challenges posed by her irradiated skin.
Debbie explained, in a series of dialogue options, that life as a ghoul is difficult. She expressed her determination to stand up to the “smoothskins”—a derogatory term ghouls use for humans in the Fallout universe—who were causing trouble. Additionally, Debbie mentioned that the Fanatics, a raider faction in Fallout, often enslave ghouls or kill them on sight. This conflict, as Debbie hinted, seems likely to be a central theme of the story in this new update.
“As it stands, and by all indications, the future of Fallout 76 seems remarkably bright.”
Curious about how factions would respond to ghouls during free-roam and outside of quests, I fast-travelled to Fort Atlas, a Brotherhood of Steel base. Upon arrival, my ghoul character was denied entry and treated with open hostility. To gain their indifference, I needed to find someone who could disguise my character.
A Bethesda team member suggested starting the first quest in the update, titled A Fresh Pair of Genes. Without spoiling too much, completing the quest introduced me to Jaye Vo, a ghoul who has mastered the art of disguise. After a brief conversation, my ghoul was incognito and treated neutrally during further encounters with other factions.
In total, I spent about an hour playing Fallout 76’s Playable Ghoul update. During this time, I completed the aforementioned quest, explored two nearby minor dungeons, and interacted with additional NPCs who have made Radiant Hills their home. After leaving the event and bidding farewell to both my ghoul character and an actor Bethesda employed to portray one during the demo, I believe this update represents another significant win for the game.
While I am hesitant to describe what I’ve experienced as monumental or game-changing, as part of an ever-expanding experience, this update appears more than capable of holding its own. As it stands, and by all indications, the future of Fallout 76 seems remarkably bright.
Fallout 76’s Playable Ghoul update releases sometime in early 2025.
