A Fallout 76 leak suggests that a revamped companion system is coming to the game in a future update. Companion characters, which have been a key feature in the Fallout franchise, may soon be available in Fallout 76, building on the additions made in the Wastelanders update that introduced NPCs to the game. This potential update would further enhance the game's depth and player experience.
Windows Central reported that a dataminer discovered evidence of a new companion system in the game's code, including a multi-stage tutorial and pet-themed icons. This suggests that players may initially acquire pets like a cat or dog, with the ability to give them commands. Bethesda had previously teased a companion pet system in its 2021 roadmap, but it has largely been dormant until now.
If this revamped companion system follows the pattern of past Fallout games, it could include more than just pets, potentially adding humanoid NPCs as companions. While the specific characters have not been datamined, speculation is rife about which existing Fallout 76 NPCs might become companions. The update may also introduce four-star Legendaries. As the datamined information likely comes from the Public Test Server, it could be several months before the companion system is implemented in the live game. Bethesda's ongoing updates to Fallout 76 suggest that this could be just the beginning, with more companions possibly added in future patches.