Summary
Fallout 4could have featured terrifying monsters called Centaurs. Bethesda went as far as to conceptualize the monstrosities, but ended up dropping the idea of their inclusion during the development ofFallout 4.
Centaurs have been part of the iconic RPG franchise since its isometric era, having first debuted in its original 1997 entry. Characterized by an unsettling combination of human and animal features, these fleshy mutated monstrosities are a result ofexperimentation withFallout’s Forced Evolutionary Virus(FEV).Fallout 4was the first mainline installment in the series not to feature Centaurs in any shape or form.
But things could have turned out much differently, as Bethesda originally planned to include Centaurs as Super Mutants' companions, which was also their role in the isometric games. The idea was dropped during development, with the studiocutting Centaurs fromFallout 4in favor of mutant hounds. This was originally revealed inThe Art of Fallout 4, the game’s official artbook, which also happens to contain the only known piece of Centaur concept art made in the RPG’s pre-production phase.
The image reveals thatBethesda once envisioned an even scarier version of Centaurs, which doesn’t crawl on its stomach but moves on four legs. At the same time, its concept was also closer to the monsters from the Black Isle Studios era ofFalloutrather than the first two 3D games, most notably because it featured a multi-headed design. The end result looked utterly terrifying, and might have served as the basis for the most horrifying iteration of Centaurs yet.
While it’s been over a decade since the studio dropped the idea of including Centaurs in its latest single-playerFalloutgame, some fans still haven’t gotten over that decision. The sole piece ofFallout 4Centaur concept art hence still sporadically makes the rounds on social media, having most recently re-emerged on the front page of the r/Fallout subreddit. Some fans used that as an opportunity to once again bemoan the exclusion of Centaurs from the RPG, while others noted how the concept art alone was enough to convince them to install TheFriedtuerkey’s Institute Centaurs mod, one of the most popular community-made add-ons that brings these FEV monstrosities toFallout 4.
The chances ofFallout 5featuring Centaurs might depend on when exactly the next game in the series will take place. Even so, Bethesda has a history of tweaking the lore in service of gameplay and its creative vision, which is howFallout 76ended up having proto-Centaurs in the form of Snallygasters.
Fallout 4
WHERE TO PLAY
Bethesda Game Studios, the award-winning creators of Fallout 76 and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, invite you to the ambitious open world of Fallout 4. Do whatever you want in a massive Commonwealth with hundreds of locations, characters and quests.As the sole survivor of Vault 111, only you can rebuild and determine the fate of the Wasteland. Join multiple factions vying for power or go it alone - the choices are yours.From a Power Armor-toting soldier to the charismatic smooth-talker, be whoever you want with the S.P.E.C.I.A.L. character system and develop your own playstyle from hundreds of Perks.Experience exciting first- or third-person combat with the dynamic Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System, or V.A.T.S., targeting enemies for maximum tactical advantage (and cinematic carnage!) Collect, upgrade and build thousands of items with Fallout 4’s crafting system. Weapons, armor, food and with the right materials, even entire settlements are possible. Welcome home.
