Spare a thought for one of the best doggos around.
River, the German Shepherd who served as the inspiration for Fallout 4‘s Dogmeat, has sadly passed away.
News of the beloved animal’s passing was relayed by Fallout 4 Senior Designer Joel Burgess over Twitter.
“I said goodbye today to River, who most of you know as Fallout 4’s Dogmeat,” he wrote. “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.
“You see, Dogmeat isn’t primarily focused on killing your enemies. He’s *protecting you*, often throwing himself directly in harm’s way, giving you the time + opportunity to deal with the threat yourself. If you’ve ever had a German Shepherd, you understand.
“Dogmeat is a tether. He grounds you in the world, will always stand by you, lead you to your family, and anticipate your needs. He wants you to be safe and happy. In other words, he loves you. And if love is River’s legacy, I am contented. Rest in peace, big girl.”
Our thoughts go out to Burgess and the Fallout 4 development team.
Fallout 4 is currently available on Windows PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series S & X, PS4 and PS5 if you feel like jumping in and paying respects to an old friend. The title is also available via Xbox Game Pass.
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