Bethesda Is Wielding Fallout 76 Banhammer For Players Using Mods To Improve Graphics

One of the greatest things about the Fallout franchise for many fans is that Bethesda has always made it very easy to modify the game. Mods are a huge part of the Fallout franchise, or at least they were before Fallout 76. So far, Fallout 76 has been nearly universally panned in reviews for a myriad of reasons. Some have complained that the game is too similar to prior iterations, while others lament the fact that the game is online only and you are forced to play against other annoying humans.

The latest thing to irritate fans of Fallout is Bethesda's use of the banhammer against modders. The publisher has been banning Fallout 76 players from the game for using third-party mods to make the game more enjoyable. Reports turning up online indicate that multiple users have received similar emails from Bethesda noting they have been banned. The email reads, "This account has violated the Code of Conduct and Terms of Service by cheating. This account was detected to be running a third-party application, which provides an unfair in-game advantage, while logged onto Fallout 76."

The bright spot here is that the bans that Bethesda is handing out aren't permanent; it lets players appeal the ban by writing an essay on why using third-party apps to cheat is bad. The issue the modding community has is that while some of the bans seem righteously handed out for players using mods to gain a competitive advantage, others who were banned were merely using a shader mod to improve graphics of the game. Bethesda seems to make no differentiation between mods for cheating and mods simply meant for customization.

These bans will do nothing to help sooth the anger Fallout fans feel about the new game. Bethesda has announced it is handing out free Fallout franchise games to Fallout 76 players for merely logging in during 2018. Those past games are much better than Fallout 76, if anyone is wondering.