Starting October 22, 2026, a collaboration café featuring Bethesda Softworks’ popular RPG series *Fallout* has been open at the TOWER RECORDS CAFE in Omotesando, Tokyo.
To coincide with the café’s opening, Game*Spark interviewed Jonathan Rush of Bethesda Game Studios, who is involved in the development of *Fallout 76*. We asked him about his impressions of Japanese fans and how the game has evolved in the eight years since its 2018 release.
Japanese Fans’ Building Skills Are Among the Best in the World! Why the Collaboration Café Has Been Held for Two Consecutive Years
――First, let’s talk about Japanese *Fallout* fans. Having observed the community for many years, what characteristics do you feel define Japanese fans? Please also tell us if there are any differences compared to fans in other regions.
Rush: It’s hard to say there are clear differences based on region. However, I’ve been very impressed by the passion Japanese players pour into the *Fallout* world and the many amazing C.A.M.P.s they create.
――This year marks the second consecutive year that a collaboration café has been held in conjunction with Fallout Day. What kind of response did you get last year?
Rush: The fans really enjoyed it. So, of course, we decided to hold it again this year. It’s so much fun to spend time with friends and fellow fans in a place where you feel like you’ve actually stepped into the world of *Fallout*.
――This might be a slightly odd question, but if Vault-Tec were running this collaboration café, what kind of terrifying social experiment do you think they’d be conducting on the customers?
Rush: (Laughs). That’s a great question! I think it would depend on which Vault we’re talking about. If I had to guess… maybe an experiment where they mix something into a “Punch” (a drink served in a large bowl) and observe which of the people who drink it can stay awake the longest. I guess this answer pretty much gives away what kind of person I am (laughs).
In a brutal world, unexpectedly kind players
—Do you still find yourself surprised by players’ unexpected actions? As a developer, are there any memorable episodes you’d like to share?
Rush: The first thing that surprised me was how genuinely kind players are to one another. I never expected to see something like this happen in a *Fallout* game. For example, a very high-level player might approach a beginner who’s just emerged from the Vault.The newbie gets scared and tries to run away, but it turns out the veteran player is just trying to give them an item. This was truly unexpected for us.
Also, I was really impressed by something I saw during the battle against the Scorchbeast Queen. One player built a massive aerial structure right in the middle of the battlefield and kept attacking the Scorchbeast Queen with turrets mounted on it. That was really cool.
――I’ve also experienced players giving gifts to beginners. It’s interesting how players can be so kind in such a cutthroat world, isn’t it?
Rush: Even though I’m not a beginner, other players give me items all the time. For some reason, I often get given axolotls, and they even want me to eat them (laughs). It’s funny, isn’t it?
Japanese C.A.M.P. Crafters Were Influencing Updates
――Since “Fallout 1st,” which wasn’t initially available on the Japanese Xbox version, became accessible later on, I think quite a few people feel that Japanese players’ voices are reaching the developers and operators. Are there any examples where feedback from the Japanese community has influenced game design?
Rush: Yes, there are. For example, the C.A.M.P. system overhaul update we released about a year and a half ago was heavily influenced by Japanese players. There are so many people in the Japanese community who create incredibly creative and amazing C.A.M.P.s.
When *Fallout 76* first launched, there were about 300 types of items available for building. That number has now grown to several thousand. Since the C.A.M.P.s created by Japanese players are so meticulously crafted, we wanted to make it easier for them to find the items they want to use.
We plan to continue expanding the game in the future. For example, we’re considering increasing C.A.M.P. building capacity or introducing tools that allow for more precise control over the rotation of building parts.We recognize that the Japanese community is home to some of the finest builders in *Fallout 76*. We want to provide everything necessary so they can bring the visions in their minds to life.
“I Thought Players Would Be Killing Each Other”—How the Vision for *Fallout 76* Has Changed Over 8 Years
—*Fallout 76* will soon celebrate its 8th anniversary. Initially, there was a strong focus on survival elements and player-versus-player dynamics, and remarks by Todd Howard—such as “players will become NPCs”—left a strong impression.Now, the experience is heavily centered around building, cooperative play, and community—but how has the development team’s vision evolved?
Rush: That’s a big question (laughs). First of all, *Fallout 76* was Bethesda’s first multiplayer game. I’d played the previous *Fallout* games countless times, so I understood what it was like to play *Fallout* solo. However, developing a multiplayer game turned out to be a huge learning experience.
Up until then, we’d focused on entertaining a single player, but now we had to entertain the entire community playing together. Before launch, we thought players would just end up shooting and killing each other nonstop. But in reality, that wasn’t the case. Players actually wanted to play together.
A few years after launch, once this became clear to us, we reevaluated the game experience we had initially provided. What the community taught us was that survival elements and PvP weren’t necessarily essential—in fact, they could sometimes get in the way of the experience players were trying to enjoy.
What players were looking for was the chance to build, go on adventures, and play—sometimes alone, sometimes with friends. Since then, whenever we add new features, we ask ourselves, “Does this element interfere with the experience players are trying to have?” We want players to decide for themselves how to play, rather than having developers dictate it to them.
I’ve always believed that *Fallout 76* isn’t a game created solely by the developers. It’s a game that the development team and the community have built together, hand in hand, from the very beginning.
“Raven Rock,” Set About 180 Years Before *Fallout 3*: A Look Ahead to the Series’ 30th Anniversary
――The *Fallout* series will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2027. How do you envision *Fallout 76* evolving from here, and what kind of experience do you hope to deliver to players?
Rush: By the time we reach the 30th anniversary, we plan to release “Raven Rock,” our next major update. “Raven Rock” is a map expansion that will feature a portion of the “Capital Wasteland,” a location familiar to *Fallout 3* players.
Moving forward, we want to further clarify the narrative connections with other titles in the *Fallout* series. “Raven Rock” will be a great example of this. Players will get to see what the Capital Wasteland was like approximately 180 years before the events depicted in *Fallout 3*.
――Thank you very much!
*Fallout 76* is now available on PC (Steam/Microsoft Store), PS5/PS4, and XBOX Series X|S/XBOX One. The collaboration café is open at the TOWER RECORDS CAFE Omotesando branch through November 8. Please visit the official website for details.
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