A Fallout 76 player ran into an otherworldly entity, standing creepily as it gazed in their direction, and decided to share the off-putting image online. Post-apocalyptic Appalachia has attracted an influx of new and returning players, as Bethesda recently kicked off the game’s Season 17 and released the first ever map expansion for Fallout 76, an area in the south called Skyline Valley.

Fallout 76’s Skyland Valley update introduced a swathe of new features for players to check out, including weapons and armor, as well as new characters and critters to interact with. Those interested in the game’s lore also have several additional quests to complete, notes to collect, and a couple of public events to participate in. Of course, along with all that new content inevitably come a few bugs, though this particular one seems to be an oldie.

Reddit user r0ttingp0tat0 encountered what appeared to be some kind of alien figure in Fallout 76, with elongated limbs and oversized hands that resemble claws. This freaky creature, it turns out, was actually another player. The Redditor, however, exclaimed that their boyfriend, who was presumably playing alongside r0ttingp0tat0 in the game, couldn’t see the disconcerting phenomenon.

The Creepy Figure Was Just Another Fallout 76 Player

Gamers expecting that r0ttingp0tat0 had perhaps encountered a new type of alien might be disappointed to learn that this hair-raising apparition was in fact just a known bug in Fallout 76. As pointed out by another Reddit user, this is a glitch that has carried over from Fallout 4, where it was reportedly fixed. Another fan explained that it happens when a player puts on power armor in Fallout 76. The game apparently stretches the limbs to fit the armor, and this unsettling glitch appears when the power armor becomes invisible, when logging in or out, for example. To this comment, someone humorously replied, “So… there’s a chance that this elongated man in his underwear has the strength of someone in a suit of power armor. Terrifying.”

Creepy manifestations aside, fans hoping to look similar to r0ttingp0tat0’s sighting will have to settle for becoming a mutated human instead. Bethesda has revealed that it is adding the ability for players to transform into ghouls in Fallout 76. The feature is expected to arrive sometime in 2025 and will involve a quest that can be started after reaching level 50. Additionally, the Maryland-based developer plans to release updates for the game for the “next several years,” giving fans of the action RPG plenty to look forward to.

Creepy manifestations aside, fans hoping to look similar to r0ttingp0tat0’s sighting will have to settle for becoming a mutated human instead. Bethesda has revealed that it is adding the ability for players to transform into ghouls in Fallout 76. The feature is expected to arrive sometime in 2025 and will involve a quest that can be started after reaching level 50. Additionally, the Maryland-based developer plans to release updates for the game for the “next several years,” giving fans of the action RPG plenty to look forward to.