Buzz
PC gamers in Fallout 76 are experiencing a less-than-festive holiday season. A newly discovered exploit in the MMORPG enables attackers to instantly strip another player’s inventory of all items.
As highlighted in a video by Juicehead, a YouTuber known for covering Bethesda’s gaming communities, this exploit bypasses Fallout 76’s trading system. Hackers can target players simply by being in close proximity, with numerous reports on Reddit and Bethesda’s forums confirming stolen items.
“I can verify this is happening—I lost all my equipped items while at the purveyor,” shared Reddit user WulfgarShotsfired. “My 3-star legendary armor and weapon were taken, leaving me with nothing. I had no idea this was possible until it happened, and I didn’t even catch the hacker’s username.”
“Out of nowhere, my entire inventory was wiped clean while I was at my camp—guns, armor, everything vanished,” reported Mel81316 on the Bethesda forums.
“I lost all my top-tier gear during an SBQ event. Avoid public servers until this issue is resolved,” replied Bethesda forums user Axton62.
A circulating video appears to demonstrate the exploit in action, showing a nearly naked player approaching others and stealing their belongings, even stripping armor directly off their backs.
Most reports originate from players in Adventure mode, the less PvP-oriented public servers, though there are also claims that the exploit works in Fallout 76’s battle royale mode, Nuclear Winter.
Currently, Fallout 76 players have limited options to avoid these random digital thefts. Those with Fallout First, the game’s premium subscription service, can switch to private servers and play with up to seven friends. Fallout First costs $12.99 monthly or $99.99 annually. Alternatively, players can restart on PS4 or Xbox One, as both platforms remain unaffected by the hack.
Many players are urging Bethesda to temporarily grant all users access to Fallout First until the exploit is resolved, or at least allow everyone to create private worlds. As of Monday morning, Bethesda has not made any public announcements regarding these requests.
“I really hope Bethesda steps up to support its PC players during this crisis,” commented Reddit user Mariekenna-photos. “Whether it’s providing private server access, as others have suggested, or rolling out quick fixes, something needs to be done. It’s also disappointing that many will avoid the holiday scorched events until this issue is resolved.”
Until Bethesda addresses the issue with a fix or temporary solution, the safest option for players is to take a break from Fallout 76. This is particularly disheartening during a week when many have extra free time to enjoy the game.
