MORGANTOWN — Defense in Depth hosted a launch party to celebrate the soon-to-release game Fallout 76, which is set in West Virginia and features parts of Morgantown.
“It’s not every day West Virginians get to be in the pop culture limelight,” Alex Shay, event coordinator, said. “We’re trending now.”
The party featured Mirelurk Cakes, Molerat Sliders and Nuka-Cola or crab cakes, beef and pork sliders from Atomic Grill and Coca-Cola, respectively.
Attendees also got to play Fallout 4, the most recent Fallout until Nov. 14 when Fallout 76 launches, on the 32-foot training simulator screen. The game was being run on a $3,000 custom-built computer from Mountaineer Technology Consultants, Shay said.
The screen is normally used in firearm and firearm safety training, he said.
Shay said each person could play until they died, beat a mission, or 15 minutes elapsed.
Four Horsemen Comics and Gaming manned a green screen where participants in the costume contest or anyone who visited could have their picture taken and superimposed on a Fallout background.
Extra Life had a booth set up and was raffling off a “gamer grab bag.” Extra Life is a charity which raises money through video games the same way a charitable marathon might, said Nikki Drake.
Drake said she got involved because she and her husband already play a lot of video games and it’s a way to give back and help kids who don’t always get to enjoy their childhood become kids again.
All of the money raised went to WVU Medicine Children’s. She said last year’s donation was used to put a video game and movie rental in the hospital.
Shay said he’s a huge fan of the franchise and knew he had to do something to celebrate the game representing West Virginia and Morgantown.
“It’s a unique event and something different and new to do,” said Ben Hannibal.
