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[Akuza89]

Fallout fans take their lore seriously, and last week a post suggesting Bethesda had retconned the Brotherhood of Steel into Fallout 76 prompted many to furiously debate the organisation's roots.

The discussion stemmed from an in-game note from Fallout 76 which mentions the Brotherhood of Steel's extended involvement in Appalachia - the Fallout name for West Virginia. For many fans, this was problematic, as according to established Fallout lore the Brotherhood of Steel should not have emerged from their Californian bunker until around the year 2150. Fallout 76, however, is set on the other side of the country - in 2102. As such, the question on everyone's mind was: how on Earth did the Brotherhood get to Appalachia so quickly after an apocalyptic nuclear war?

Thanks to an Instagram post by Bethesda, the Brotherhood of Steel's presence in West Virginia has now been explained.

According to the post, the soldiers who would form the Brotherhood of Steel did indeed reach their Californian Lost Hills bunker in November 2077 - a month after the Great War's end. Once the organisation was formed by Captain Roger Maxson, the Brotherhood "used a functioning satellite to extend their reach across America... all the way to Appalachia".

From Bethesda's explanation, it seems the Brotherhood of Steel was able to make contact with a surviving military branch in West Virginia, and used the satellite connection to establish a separate chapter in Appalachia. It sounds like a reasonable explanation, as it solves the travel problem and reveals how the Appalachian chapter was able to establish itself so quickly in the region.

Fans, on the whole, appear to be happy with the explanation. Although some argueBethesda should have created an entirely new military organisation to "avoid this whole mess," most have accepted Bethesda's story. And, to be fair - the Brotherhood of Steel's early years are relatively undocumented, so there's plenty of room for experimentation. Just like a Fallout vault, really.

Source

Not a big enough fan myself to know if this means much but thought I may as well share!

 

[Red Crayon Aristocrat]

It's best to just think of Bethesda's Fallout as a separate continuity from 1, 2 and New Vegas.

Even when they try to connect the two in a way that makes sense and I will give credit to Bethesda for trying, the tonal differences between Bethesda's take on the series and Black Isle's/Obsidian's take makes it feel off when you try to think of both as being the same world.

 

[AV]

After Fallout 3, I have no idea why you'd care about anything Bethesda does with Fallout's lore. That central plot was an atrocity. Fun game, at least.

 

[Lunk]

Sometimes a retcon is just a retcon and writers or their company should neither:

A) Defend it
or
B) Handwave it
or
C) Lampshade it with DLC or sequels

Just admit you changed something either knowingly (because it was in the way of what they wanted) or unknowingly (because your writer was being a dumbass), apologize or matter-of-factly say "yes, we did it, and that's that".

I wish people could just be upfront sometimes. Damn the backlash and headless chickens it ensues, just be honest, man.

 

[Alebrije]

Since the background lore/ sotory of Fallout series its basically a big black hole there is room to say anything in order to fix it on every release. Bethesda can say anything and people will eat it.

 

[Luffytubby]

Bethesdas storytelling always falls short. It's always disappointing.

 

[Ozrimandias]

At least doesnt have the amount of plot holes like the Metal Gear Solid Saga.

Anyway, since Fallout 4 and its cartoonish style, i really dont care about the background story.

 

[NickFire]

I'm ok with it. Makes enough sense to me. Still don't know why I would buy this game, but if I ever do I accept this explanation as adequate.

 

[WaterAstro]

They should have added time travel and an alternate reality. Would be more popcorn.gif.

 

[anthraticus]

It's best to just think of Bethesda's Fallout as a separate continuity from 1, 2 and New Vegas.

Agreed. Just look at the Beth FO games as spin offs made by a different company who didn't really 'get it'.

 

[michaelius]

It's best to just think of Bethesda's Fallout as a separate continuity from 1, 2 and New Vegas.

Even when they try to connect the two in a way that makes sense and I will give credit to Bethesda for trying, the tonal differences between Bethesda's take on the series and Black Isle's/Obsidian's take makes it feel off when you try to think of both as being the same world.

Well I don't even consider them Fallout games in first place.

 

[Red Crayon Aristocrat]

Agreed. Just look at the Beth FO games as spin offs made by a different company who didn't really 'get it'.

They don't "get it" but their take isn't bad either.

One thing they did was play up the 1950s culture angle a lot more, which was an interesting direction to take it in.

I think the difference comes down to two things, original Fallout is very nerdy, take the Monty Python references for example, Bethesda's Fallout is a lot more mainstream, more arm tattoos and dyed hair if you catch my drift.

And like I said the tone, original Fallout is very satirical, nothing is really meant to be taken seriously and it's very dark humor, Bethesda's Fallout is supposed to have moments of genuine drama and the humor is a lot more wacky and less dark.

It really kills me that Bethesda didn't allow Obsidian to make a follow up to New Vegas.

 

[IbizaPocholo]