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    Fallout 4 Dogmeat Real-life Inspiration River Has Passed Away

    By Christian PepitoJune 28, 20211 Min Read
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    Capybara Games Studio Director Joel Burgess, who once worked on Fallout 3, 4, and 76 at Bethesda, has announced an unfortunate news today.

    The real-life dog that inspired the creation of Fallout 4 companion Dogmeat, River, has already passed away. Burgess posted on his personal Twitter account to share the news to everyone and especially the fans of Fallout 4.

    I said goodbye today to River, who most of you know as Fallout 4’s Dogmeat.

    Heartbroken doesn't cover it, but I won’t eulogize her here. For twitter, I thought it'd be appropriate to look back at her impact on that game.

    (plus, writing about game dev hurts less than grieving) pic.twitter.com/ayN1Vd6oqQ

    — Joel Burgess (@JoelBurgess) June 27, 2021

    Dogmeat is a dog non-player character in the game and can become a companion with the right choices. He is also the most popular companion in the whole Fallout series.

    Burgess revealed that River had attended a lot of meetings in the past. She was not just there to become a reference for the game, her job was just to be with the team. This inspired the team to make Dogmeat as a character.

    River, according to Burgess, was more than a mascot or an inspiration. She has become part of the team that made it possible to add Dogmeat to Fallout 4.

    Cross over beautiful rainbow bridge, River, and rest easy. Your legacy will live on in every fan of Fallout 4.

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    Christian Pepito

    Meet our dedicated gaming news writer, a true aficionado of hardcore JRPGs, PS1 Classics, and the thrill of stealth-action games. He enjoys playing the games he collects, friendly or competitive tabletop card games, and is constantly on the quest for the ultimate ramen experience.

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