West Virginia landscapes have been captured through photography, its landmarks and history committed to pen and paper, its stories told through the lens of a movie camera, but for the first time in its history, the Mountain State has entered the realm of video games. Here is an early look at West Virginia as an open-world MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role-playing game).
Most people who play video games are familiar with the Fallout series by Bethesda Softworks. The first Fallout game was released in 1997, but it wasn't until 2008's Fallout 3 that Bethesda took over the property. Fallout 3 was followed by 2010's Fallout: New Vegas and 2015's Fallout 4. Fallout 76 is the ninth game in the series and the first MMORPG (Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) for the franchise.
The setting of the Fallout games is a post-apocalyptic America after worldwide nuclear war. It is set during the 22nd and 23rd centuries, and its art design and stories are heavily influenced by 1950s cold war paranoia with atompunk and retrofuturistic design elements.
The game has a set release date of November 14, 2018, and it will be available for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Microsoft Windows. Not only will the game take place in West Virginia, but there will be specific recognizable landmarks and regions that players will encounter during their gameplay.
Another recognizable location is the Greenbrier Resort, which seems to have fared better than the state capital. Interestingly, the flower gardens are still in bloom - not bad for a post apocalyptic resort. It seems like this area is a maintained part of the state, not surprising since Greenbrier has a fallout bunker in the basement. Is this some kind of seat of government? Will players get to enter the bunker in the game and discover who is down there?
The New River Gorge Bridge seems to have remained intact, but is severely damaged. It is not clear if the bridge is just a background element, or if players will actually be able to cross it.
Another famous landmark is West Virginia University's Woodburn Hall. The historic building was built between 1874 and 1876, and currently houses the College of Arts and Sciences. The game features a rugged landscape and a statue in front of the structure that does not exist today. Since the game sets the apocalypse at some point after 2077, certain alterations are certainly possible from the hall we know today and its future version.
Another thing the game will be doing is incorporating certain cryptids of West Virginia Folklore as creatures your character will encounter in the game, including the Mothman and the Flatwoods Monster. Is this Fallout's version of the Mothman?
Aside from the places pictured above, other locations in the game include major cities and towns, including Charleston, Point Pleasant, Harpers Ferry, Morgantown, Beckley and Lewisburg. Huntington is apparently absent, but Camden Park will be a playable area.
So, it seems that West Virginia has finally permeated every part of modern media, and come November, our beautiful state will be a playable world enjoyed by millions of gamers.
To learn more about the game, check out their website here.
Are you interested in playing this game? Feel free to comment below and join the discussion.
So, are you wondering what other aspects of modern media features West Virginia? Check out these 11 incredible movies about WV you need to see.
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