Bethesda has added wheelchairs to Fallout 76, following a request from a player of the MMORPG game. The decorative props were quietly included in the Steel Dawn expansion, after the community rallied behind the disabled fan’s desire.
A month ago, wheelchair-using Fallout 76 player Kelly posted on Reddit about wanting to see the mobility aids in the RPG game. “I would really, REALLY love a wheelchair I can place in my C.A.M.P,” her post read. “It would make me so happy to have that little piece of me in my creations.” The upvotes came flooding in, helping to make sure the thread became noticeable in the subreddit for any developers that were lurking.
Turns out someone at Bethesda was watching, because sure enough, wheelchairs are now a thing in Fallout 76. Aptly enough, you can find them under the chairs category of furniture, for any suitable furbishing needs you might have. Kelly highlighted finding the decoration on Twitter, writing “Thank you so much, and excuse my tears”, followed by an outpouring of love from her followers and fellow players, all touched by Bethesda’s gesture.
Commenting further to Kotaku, Kelly said she “genuinely shed a tear” when the item came up in the workshop menu, and hopes to see more disabled representation in future. “I know it’s just a furniture item, but I hope in the future of gaming we can get more disabled characters,” She says. “I know it would’ve helped me as a teen, as I struggled immensely with how I viewed myself. It often gets connected with being useless, and that’s how I felt growing up.
one month ago I posted this. Thank you so much, and excuse my tears. @Fallout @bethesda @bethesda_nl #Fallout #Fallout76 pic.twitter.com/VHmy0LRcKO
— Kelly (Kel) (@Kytahl) November 25, 2020
Kelly has a GoFundMe running to help fund her own mobility aid. Steel Dawn released a full week ahead of schedule this week, unleashing The Brotherhood of Steel upon the wasteland of Appalachia. If any of this has you tempted to get into Fallout 76, it’s going cheap as part of Black Friday right now.