Fallout 4 tester uncovered glitchy chaos: bethesda execs were in the dark
A former bethesda game tester revealed a startling incident involving a cascade of bugs in Fallout 4 so severe it triggered company-wide alerts, reaching even co-founder Robert Altman. The anecdote, shared by Colin McInerney, now at Strange Scaffold, offers a glimpse into the often-turbulent development process behind major game releases.
Ram manipulation and a nuclear wasteland
McInerney recounted his college-era testing days at bethesda, describing a deliberate attempt to push the game's Xbox One RAM beyond its 8GB limit. “I just decided to play hot and cold with the RAM,” he explained to GamesRadar+. “If you get above that, the game’s going to crash.” He then proceeded to exploit the system, amassing an absurd level 247 character with a ridiculously overpowered nuke launcher, triggering four crashes in a single morning.
The scale of the problem was significant enough to warrant an email blast to the entire Zenimax Media company. “Back in those days, that would send out an email blast to the entire Zenimax Media company,” McInerney said. “So, like, [Robert Altman] was getting emails that somebody found four crashes in a single morning.”
McInerney's experience is a testament to the complexities of modern game development. He now humorously considers himself “professionally stupid” – a quality he believes AI will struggle to replicate. His willingness to explore the game's boundaries, even through deliberate crashing, highlights a crucial, if sometimes chaotic, aspect of quality assurance.
Fallout 4remains a popular title, and with the upcoming release of the Nintendo Switch 2, it's poised for a new audience. The console’s Anniversary Edition will retail for $59.99 and launch on April 28.
Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, as well as a critic, columnist, and consultant with 15+ years experience working with some of the world’s biggest gaming sites and publications. She’s also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.