Fallout 4 is an incredible game. I’ve pumped some serious time into it over the years. It’s definitely up there as one of the best games of the last generation.
Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t without its faults. It certainly lacked some of the deeper RPG elements of Fallout 3 and New Vegas. And the introduction of a voiced main character didn’t really work out for the best.
Nevertheless, exploring the post-apocalyptic Commonwealth was great and it’s a game many remember fondly as a result.
One man, however, enjoyed Fallout 4 far more than everyone else. He loved it a little bit too much… And it ended up costing him everything he cared about.
Fallout 4 addict lost his wife and job because it was too addictive
Back in 2015, the gaming world was engrossed by Fallout 4.
After two incredibly successful instalments, Fallout 4 promised to bring the series into the new generation with enhanced graphics and gameplay.
But one 28-year-old Russian man took it too far. And he ended up suing Bethesda and localisation firm Softklab for making the game too addictive.
In the three weeks after the game’s release, the man decided to skip work to play the game. This culminated with him being fired from his job.
Not only that, but he started to ignore his wife and his friends in favour of exploring the Commonwealth.
Ultimately, his wife left him. And he ended up single, jobless, and addicted to Fallout 4.
Rather than taking accountability, the man decided it was all Bethesda’s fault. The implication was that the company had made a game that was simply too good. And that meant it was highly addictive.
In a statement at the time, he said:
“If I knew that this game could have become so addictive, I would have become a lot more wary of it, I would not have bought it, or I would have left it until I was on holiday or until the New Year holidays.”
Maybe Fallout 4 wasn’t the real problem…
Look, everyone knows how easy it is to become engrossed in a marathon play session. But I’m not buying that this was all Fallout 4‘s fault.
Let’s face it, if you’d rather spend hours on a game than with your wife, maybe there’s an inherent issue with your relationship. Similarly, if you’d risk your job for a game, you need to sort your priorities out.
The man was seeking 500,000 roubles in the lawsuit which equated to about $7,000 USD at the time. You’d think his wife might’ve been worth more to him than that…
Unfortunately, there aren’t any records of what happened with the lawsuit. Presumably, it was quickly dismissed for being as ludicrous as it sounds.
Still, I hope the man ended up getting over his Fallout 4 addiction.
Do you feel sorry for this guy and his Fallout 4 addiction? Let us know in the comment section below and don’t forget to check out our other gaming articles…
