Skip to main content
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Indie Spotlight
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Total Film
  • home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Indie Spotlight
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • View Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Total Film
Trending
  • Pokemon Winds and Waves
  • New Games for 2026
  • GamesRadar+ Replay
  • Mario Day deals
Don't miss these
Helldivers 2 soldier with an explosion reflecting in their visor
Third Person Shooters As death threats derail Helldivers 2's wholesome D10 challenge, devs address “increasing hostility in the community”
Fallout New Vegas
Fallout No, a Fallout New Vegas remaster isn't coming from the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 dev
Fallout New Vegas screenshot showing a sniper looking over the wasteland from the jaws of a dinosaur statue
Fallout Fallout: New Vegas remaster rumors get fresh ammo as Fallout 76 support studio posts a familiar loading screen
A crop of the MindsEye key art for a review header
Action Games "Overwhelming evidence of organized espionage": MindsEye CEO blames launch on "corporate sabotage" amid more layoffs
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7
Call of Duty Activision shuts down popular Call of Duty leaker, rubs salt in the wound by saying they weren't always right anyway
Demon's Souls
Games Days after closing remake legend Bluepoint, PlayStation asks fans what remakes they want to see
Baldur's Gate 3
Baldur's Gate Baldur's Gate 3 marketing lead hands Sony some advice after multiplayer fails: "Every experience is a shared experience"
Highguard character in purple and black armor
FPS Games "There's no way this will flop": Laid-off Highguard dev says internal sentiment was high "but then the trailer came out"
Xbox - Future Owns
Games Xbox co-founder says Phil Spencer exhausted himself trying "to do the right thing" and he feels "worst" for Sarah Bond
Posing with a rifle in the Fallout 76 Ghoul update
Fallout The Bethesda game Todd Howard is most proud of isn't Skyrim, it's Fallout 76, even though "it didn't launch great"
Fallout screenshots from Retro Gamer Magazine issue 186
Fallout Most of the original Fallout's humor was added just to make creator Tim Cain laugh: "We made this game for each other"
Highguard character in leather armor holding a rifle
FPS Games Highguard was "doomed," says indie veteran, and "now you have a developer still unable to believe they made a bad game"
Halo Infinite Season 2
Xbox Xbox is not "dead" after CEO change, says original co-founder, but "seeing it struggle and being unable to act is hard"
Dune: Awakening - two soldiers looking at the mouth of a sandworm during the new game.
Survival Games After surprise server shutdown, Dune: Awakening devs squash bug that cost players 1,000-hour bases
Marathon assassin runner shell face with red eyes
FPS Games Embark has no hard feelings about Arc Raiders briefly being censored in Bungie's Marathon Server Slam: "Loot is loot"
  1. Games
  2. MMO Games
  3. Fallout 76

Fallout 76 player who nuked Phil Spencer says it was nothing personal: "He was the final boss in my eyes - In an RPG I prefer to be the bad guy"

News
By Hirun Cryer published 10 May 2024

It wasn't a protest after all

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

An image illustration of a power-armored individual standing before the fanmade Fallout 76 map.
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Get the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Want to add more newsletters?

GamesRadar+

Every Friday

GamesRadar+

Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.

GTA 6 O'clock

Every Thursday

GTA 6 O'clock

Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.

Knowledge

Every Friday

Knowledge

From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.

The Setup

Every Thursday

The Setup

Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.

Switch 2 Spotlight

Every Wednesday

Switch 2 Spotlight

Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.

The Watchlist

Every Saturday

The Watchlist

Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.

SFX

Once a month

SFX

Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
Subscribe to our newsletter

The Fallout 76 player who nuked Phil Spencer's in-game camp wasn't protesting the recent closure of Bethesda studios but had instead been planning the attack for weeks.

In a shocking move earlier this week, Microsoft decided to close Arkane Austin and Tango Gameworks, two acclaimed studios under the Bethesda umbrella. In the hours after the announced closures, a Twitter user noticed that someone had detonated a nuclear bomb in Phil Spencer's Fallout 76 camp, eliminating the Xbox boss' home base.

At the time, this was commonly seen as an act of protest against the Xbox head for the closures of the Bethesda studios. It's easy to see why - Arkane Austin and Tango Gameworks both had legions of fans around the world, all of which have been calling out Microsoft for its decision to shutter the two beloved developers, despite critical acclaim and millions of games sold.

You may like
  • Posing with a rifle in the Fallout 76 Ghoul update Ex-Bethesda lead reveals origins of Fallout's text and iconic "F*** You": "I was honestly expecting them to tell me to delete it"
  • Fallout 1 power armor helmet After Morrowind and Oblivion, hardcore RPG fans didn't want Bethesda on Fallout 3
  • The Elder Scrolls Online Microsoft killed his dream MMO despite apparently loving it, says former Elder Scrolls Online head, so he left: "The game I had waited my entire career to create"

It turns out the Fallout 76 attack wasn't a form of protest, but rather it was the culmination of weeks of planning from one player. "It’s not much to it I’ve been planning to catch him for a while now to see if he would agree to a fight," the Fallout 76 player told Kotaku, adding that "Trying to take him down was just a personal goal for me after I finished the main quest line."

"He was the final boss in my eyes. In an RPG, I prefer to be the bad guy," the player added. The Fallout 76 player further revealed that Spencer typically "jumps around the map because he's always immediately crowded by players." Even after the player detonated a nuclear bomb in Spencer's own camp, the Xbox exec didn't attack the player like he wanted but instead just waved to him.

It's a very strange turn of events in what at first seemed a pretty straightforward scenario. You'd be absolutely forgiven for assuming this was an act of protest against the closure of several adored studios.

Revenue from game subscriptions like Xbox Game Pass has barely grown in 2 years, potentially explaining Microsoft's studio closures.

Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
CATEGORIES
PC Gaming PS5 Xbox Series X Platforms PlayStation Xbox
Hirun Cryer
Hirun Cryer
Social Links Navigation
Freelance Writer

Hirun Cryer is a freelance reporter and writer with Gamesradar+ based out of U.K. After earning a degree in American History specializing in journalism, cinema, literature, and history, he stepped into the games writing world, with a focus on shooters, indie games, and RPGs, and has since been the recipient of the MCV 30 Under 30 award for 2021. In his spare time he freelances with other outlets around the industry, practices Japanese, and enjoys contemporary manga and anime.

Read more
Posing with a rifle in the Fallout 76 Ghoul update
Ex-Bethesda lead reveals origins of Fallout's text and iconic "F*** You": "I was honestly expecting them to tell me to delete it"
 
 
Fallout 1 power armor helmet
After Morrowind and Oblivion, hardcore RPG fans didn't want Bethesda on Fallout 3
 
 
The Elder Scrolls Online
Microsoft killed his dream MMO despite apparently loving it, says former Elder Scrolls Online head, so he left: "The game I had waited my entire career to create"
 
 
Xbox - Future Owns
Xbox co-founder says Phil Spencer exhausted himself trying "to do the right thing" and he feels "worst" for Sarah Bond
 
 
No Rest for the Wicked
No Rest for the Wicked lead blasts "irreparable damage" to Diablo under ex-Blizzard boss, who says "chill"
 
 
Fallout 3 artist took location scouting a little too seriously: “Turns out they don’t want you snooping around the buildings in DC”
 
 
Latest in MMO Games
Xal'atath smugly grins in the World of Warcraft: Midnight cinematic 'Immolation'
WoW fans question Blizzard's $7.50 trees, prompting discounts – but some say new decor is "still comically overpriced"
 
 
Key art for World of Warcraft: Midnight.
WoW fans beg Blizzard to "turn down" the "noisy af" Sunwell after Midnight, but others surrender their ears to the light
 
 
Key art for World of Warcraft: Midnight showing Xal'atath hovering against a dark sky
World of Warcraft: Midnight review: "My devotion to this RPG world has been renewed"
 
 
Final Fantasy 14 Dawntrail screenshot featuring character Y'shtola Rhul, a Miqo'te woman with white hair framing her face and cat-like ears
Another Final Fantasy 14 news blog shuts down as admin cites "weight of responsibility" after statement from Square Enix
 
 
World of Warcraft: Midnight
WoW Midnight sees MMO history repeat itself as players slaughter legions of frogs for skins
 
 
Final Fantasy 14 Dawntrail launch trailer screenshot showing the Warrior of Light, a man with tied-back brown hair and a sword, standing against a blue backdrop with clouds
Final Fantasy 14 news blog goes down as Square Enix takes action against its admin for allegedly defamatory content
 
 
Latest in News
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 lead Gustave faces a gommage
Clair Obscur Expedition 33 took inspiration from a surprising anime - Soul Eater creator's Fire Force
 
 
A close-up of Grace talking with someone through glass in Resident Evil Requiem
Resident Evil Requiem leads let actors re-do "technically" perfect scenes if it made them happy, says Grace actor
 
 
Kratos approaches Aphrodite's bedchamber in God of War 3
"The God of War sex mini-games were designed by women," which is why Aphrodite's bed looks "like a labia"
 
 
Alan Ritchson in Reacher season 3
Reacher star Alan Ritchson says season 4 is coming this year: "It's by far the best season we've had yet"
 
 
Spider-Noir aiming his webshooter
Spider-Noir is the "same character, different version": "It's not a continuation of Into The Spider-Verse"
 
 
Helldivers 2
Helldivers 2 support agent says "there's no balance team" at Arrowhead because "it's all a team effort"
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Mario riding Yoshi through space with Luigi and Peach flying along beside him
    1
    Super Mario Galaxy Movie reveals Donald Glover as the voice of Yoshi and more new casting in a star-spanning trailer
  2. 2
    Reacher star Alan Ritchson says season 4 is coming this year: "It's by far the best season we've had yet"
  3. 3
    Clair Obscur Expedition 33 took inspiration from a surprising anime - Soul Eater creator's Fire Force
  4. 4
    "The God of War sex mini-games were designed by women," which is why Aphrodite's bed looks "like a labia"
  5. 5
    Resident Evil Requiem leads let actors re-do "technically" perfect scenes if it made them happy, says Grace actor

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...