Fallout 76 now lets you become a Ghoul yourself. This decision affects not only your appearance but also the gameplay in the survival MMO. The update is available for PC (Steam), Xbox Series X/S, and PS5.
What are Ghouls anyway? If you didn’t manage to escape the nuclear disaster in the world of Fallout, you don’t necessarily have to die. Some creatures exposed to radioactive radiation mutate into Ghouls.
Ghouls can be easily recognized by their appearance: With their ragged skin and missing nose, they resemble a half-decayed corpse. However, Ghouls are perfectly adapted to the inhospitable environment of the wasteland.
Until now, Ghouls were only represented as NPCs in Fallout. With the “Ghoul Within” update for Fallout 76, players have been able to become Ghouls themselves since March 18, 2025. The update is available on all platforms where you can play Fallout 76, which are:
- PC (Steam)
- PS4, PS5
- Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S
- Game Pass (PC and Xbox)
You can watch the launch trailer for the update here:
Hardcore Survivors with a Touch of Madness
What changes for the player as a Ghoul? If you choose a life as a Ghoul, you can expect some special advantages: Ghouls have access to exclusive skill cards, and neither disease nor radiation can harm them. Radiation even makes you literally glow.
However, there are also disadvantages: Due to your repulsive appearance, certain areas are off-limits to you, and some otherwise peaceful NPCs may even attack you. The right disguise helps avoid confrontations.
Ghouls also constantly fight against their own madness. Certain medications (referred to as “Chems” in Fallout) help you keep madness at bay. However, you might also want to use this wildness – more or less deliberately – in combat.
Have you already created a Ghoul? Then feel free to let us know in the comments how you like this feature so far. By the way, Fallout 76 should not be the first MMO in the Fallout universe – you can find out what happened with the first attempt here: Before WoW, there was supposed to be an MMORPG for one of the biggest role-playing games – it went wrong
