I've built a solid 60% of my career on ribbing Todd Howard, but make no mistake, I quite like the guy. I think we have diametrically opposed tastes when it comes to "things we like in Bethesda games," but everything I've ever seen from him makes Howard seem generally pretty likeable and self-aware.
But that's all gone out the window now, because he's picked the objectively wrong Fallout faction to join.
In a chat with our Elie Gould ahead of the release of Fallout season 2, the conversation alighted on the topic of what faction Howard would sign up with if he happened to wake up in the Wasteland tomorrow. His answer? The Brotherhood of Steel.
"I usually say the Brotherhood," Howard mused, "because they have the best toys. I feel like I could use some power armour." Which, alright, fair enough. Being ensconced inside a bipedal tank probably would be quite useful in the grim, post-apocalyptic future.
However, I'm afraid it's still the wrong answer. The Brotherhood is a bunch of ren faire nerds with guns. You know who's really cool? The Kings—New Vegas' cabal of Elvis impersonators who are also kind of an armed gang. If the posters are anything to go by, it looks like they've all become ghouls and will put in an appearance in Fallout season 2.
I think Howard could pull it off perfectly. Picture him in full Jailhouse Rock mode, practising his stage gyrations while continuing to sometimes say the words "The Elder Scrolls 6." It all just makes sense. Alas, apparently he's going with the laser rifle guys.
Howard isn't uncritical of Fallout's metallic monks, mind you. "Like all factions, they have their issues with how they see the world, but they have the best hardware. So yeah, I would go that route."
Pretty mercenary of you, Todd. You know who doesn't have issues with how they see the world? The Elvis guys.
