Summary
One of the most appealing aspects ofFallout 76, besides its unique multiplayer aspect compared to the wider franchise, is how it explores such a unique location within the IP’s irradiated version of the United States. Away from past franchise locations like California, Nevada, and Massachusetts, the 2018 title instead chose to explore the post-apocalyptic world of Appalachia and West Virginia.
Not only did this allowFallout 76to explore some very unique locations, the likes of which had not been showcased in the franchise before, but it also crucially allowed the game to introduce brand-new factions that helped greatly with the world-building of the area. As one of the largestFalloutgames of the modern era, there are an immense number of factions that are present within76, but none stick out quite as much as the Cult of the Mothman. This in-game religious group has direct ties to real-world Appalachian history, but it serves a charming purpose that should definitely be extended to futureFalloutreleases.
Fallout 76’s Cult of the Mothman Regional Ties Should Start a Trend For Future Games
The Cult of the Mothman is unique to the widerFalloutfranchisein that it is one of the few factions that actually existed in some capacity before the Great War, which saw nuclear warfare ravage the United States. As the name suggests, the group is typified by the religious worshiping of a cryptid half-man half-moth creature, with many real-world sightings of the “Mothman” being reported in West Virginia throughout the 1960s.
In the series' lore, the leaders of the Mothman cult heralded nuclear war as a rapture event, with the hugerange of mutatedFalloutcreaturesthat existed following the war only reinforcing fervor and belief in the Mothman across Appalachia. This saw the cult grow to an imposing size, as shown inFallout 76, with the faction splitting between a peaceful sect known as “The Enlightened,” and the more extremist “Followers of the Winged One.”
TheFalloutfranchise is no stranger to introducing factions that are based on real-world figures and events, withNew Vegasintroducing Caesar’s Legionand The Kings, which were inspired by Vegas' real-world Caesar’s Palace and the location’s ties to Elvis Presley. With this in mind,Fallout 76’s Cult of the Mothman is a fantastic way to tie the location to real-world mystery, and the passion within the faction could see it go on to appear in futureFalloutreleases.
The Cult of the Mothman Has the Means to Expand Across the Wasteland
The Cult’s pre-war existence is a massively important element of the faction, withthe many mutated cryptid creatures of the Wastelandconstantly reaffirming the group’s beliefs. This could easily extend across the Wasteland, with word of the Cult spreading across the United States and offering a new perspective to the terrifying sightings that many Wastelanders often report. Especially with the religious extremism of the Followers of the Winged One, it is very feasible to imagine that the cult could expand beyond Appalachia through nomads and further internal schisms over time.
With the imposing Mothman standing as the all-powerful head of the cryptids in the eyes of the cult, it would be fascinating to see how the faction could expand and maintain a presence within futureFalloutprojects. The Cult of the Mothman really stands out as one of the most recognizable and memorablefactions inFallout 76, and it would be a shame to see the cult’s story begin and end solely within Appalachia.
