Bethesda’s Fallout 76 released early last month much to the enjoyment of fans waiting to test out the first title in the series to feature always on multiplayer. Unfortunately it hasn’t all been fun and games, with the title suffering from numerous bugs, glitches, and the absence of a few simple multiplayer features. Now, a Fallout 76 player has taken it upon themselves to create a text chat mod for the game.

Now available for download through Nexus Mods, the Proximity Text Chat mod allows players to converse with others within 100 meters of them through the use of text, which is particularly handy for those that may have issues with verbal communication, or for those that simply don’t want to use a mic while playing. Here’s the description of the mod from the author:

Proximity Text Chat is a mod that allows nearby players to communicate with one another through text chat. (The other players must also have the mod installed) The range is 100m which is slightly higher than the render distance of name plates.  Text Chat is a feature that I have personally asked for by many people.  Without any word from Bethesda about when this feature will be coming, I have decided to add it myself.”

As mentioned above, the mod will only let players communicate through text with other players that have the mod installed. It is also important to note that the mod works through the use of a third party server, which comes with no guarantee that the text that travels back and forth between said server isn’t abused in any way. To that end, the author also wrote a terms of use disclaimer on the top of the mod page:

You may choose to disclose information about yourself in the course of contributing user generated content through our proximity text chat mod in a public online chat. Information that you disclose using this mod is public information, and there is no expectation of privacy or confidentiality there.You should be aware that any personally identifiable information you submit in the course of these public activities can be read, collected, or used by other users of this mod, and could be used to send you unsolicited messages. We are not responsible for the personally identifiable information you choose to submit using  this mod.”

So, the short of it is that while the mod is certainly handy, it should be used with caution, as Bethesda has zero control over both the mod and the server it runs on. That said, if you are simply using it to communicate with other players for questing purposes, it may be worth looking into.

Fallout 76 is now available for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.

So, thoughts on the mod? Plan on giving it a download, or is it a bit too sketchy for your tastes? Let us know in the comments section below, and as always, stay tuned to Don’t Feed the Gamers for all the latest gaming and entertainment news! Don’t forget to follow DFTG on Twitter for our 24/7 news feed!