The Survivor 2299 website--which some believed to be a teaser for Fallout 4--is actually a hoax, the creator revealed, adding in a tell-all that he did it to be a troll.
The website--which was discovered by a Redditor last month--would post updates on a regular basis and featured a countdown to “nuclear winter.”
It also had beeping morse code in the background and ciphers that were then decoded by members of the Fallout sub-Reddit.
But the site’s mystique came crashing down over the weekend when its creator revealed it was all an elaborate hoax. “That’s all folks,” it finally said.
The creator, DCHoaxer on Reddit, described himself as “one of these ‘selfish bastards with a lot of money.’”
“So I wanted to release a CGI Trailer. But Pete Killed my plans. Maybe i'll release it later along with the script, so somebody else can use it!” he wrote, referring to Pete Hines, a communications director with Bethesda.
“Some men just want to watch the world burn. I wanted to force Bethesda to reveal something during VGX/ on 12/11, and bring /r/Fallout community together (for at least 3 weeks) Unfortunately, this plan Failed,” he said, referring to last weekend’s video game awards ceremony.
The Redditor said he was contacted by Bethesda--the developer of Fallout--but he would not say what was said to him.
He also said he paid nearly $1,000 for the website and it took him “30 Minutes Excluding Cipher/Morse code” to set it up.
“Site has been discovered way too early, I wanted to SWIP my IP adress (sic) so every IP check tools would say it’s hosted In Bethesda’s HQ,” he wrote.
“Hosting: 30$ Traffic (15TB) 60$ Phone number: Approximately 900$,” he wrote. He also said some of the money was spent on a CGI trailer, adding: “I’ll do it after 12/11 on my website. Let things cool off a little. I don’t wan’t to piss off Bethesda at this time even more.”
INC Gamers reported that the creator was apparently “bored” with running a Fallout Facebook page and decided to create the site.
And Bethesda, via Twitter, wrote on Friday evening: “If you don’t hear it through an official channel like this, assume all rumors and speculation are false.”
On the site, it also says the “thepropheteer.com is a fake too (Still thumbs up for this guy it looks great!). Don’t hate bethesda, hate me. That’s all. I really hope you’ll get a real Fallout 4 soon, guys.”
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