Individual mileage varies greatly when it comes to Bethesda’s landmark series Fallout and The Elder Scrolls. Though I’d never claim to be a “veteran” of said ranks, I’ve grown quite fond of both universes. If I had to pick one over the other, though, I’d have to go with Fallout. And right now, the largest portion of my heart rests in Fallout 76. Even though I’ve dropped it as many times as I’ve picked it up, when Fallout 76 calls, I must heed it. Though I’ve “completed” the game as much as I prefer, one thing, and one thing only keeps me coming back…

…discovering vignettes featuring the game’s many teddy bears!

For my first “Sneaky Secrets” post this month, yes, I’m talking teddy bears! When one is traveling around any of Bethesda’s big RPGs, there’s so much to take in, it can be easy to miss odd, unusual, funny, and/or bizarre scenes strewn about the landscapes that tell their own stories. Fallout 4/76’s skeletons are good examples, as they are often placed in ways that demonstrate what humanity was doing when the bombs fell, from fishing to watching drive-in movies to herding people into a vault. Fallout 76 takes this setup a step further with its own little secret scenes (some more secret than others) showing teddy bears, and sometimes various other toys, in various…um…states of being? I’m not sure how to best put it, but you know it when you see it! As I don’t have much else to do, per se, in Fallout 76, seeking out these weird vignettes has become something of a pastime. Whenever the mood strikes, I’ll pick a spot on the map, make sure my camera has film (if I want to class things up a little in Photo Mode), and set off to explore solely to uncover the secret lives of these rascally bears in the West Virginia wilds. Here are just a few that grace my screenshot museum.

If any Fallout 76 fans out there happen to have others to share, I’d love to see them! There are so many scenes I’ve yet to find.

All images, including lede, were captured by author during PS5 gameplay of Fallout 76 © Bethesda Game Studios, Bethesda Game Studios Austin (2018-2025).