Fallout 4 studio Bethesda and Xbox donated money towards the Humane Society, doing so as tribute to River, Dogmeat’s real-life model who died recently.
Recent news announced the passing of River, the German Shepherd of one of the devs for Fallout 4. Now, Bethesda is donating as much as $13,448 – going up from the initial $10,000 pledge they did. The money will go towards the Montgomery County Humane Society.
FO4 Dogmeat became better due to River
River is one of the most crucial character models for FO4. Dogmeat is a beloved character across all the fandom and among the most vital characters in the game. River was owned by Bethesda level designer Joel Burgess.
River attended countless meetings; but not just to be poked, prodded, recorded and filmed as reference – her biggest job was just to BE with the team.
The more they bonded with her, the more they saw Dogmeat as a character – a friend. pic.twitter.com/JLpV3006cK
— Joel Burgess (@JoelBurgess) June 27, 2021
In a series of tweets, Burgess eulogized the value of River to the team and the character. In a nutshell, her presence allowed them to get the most accurate depiction of a German Shepherd out there.
“River attended countless meetings; but not just to be poked, prodded, recorded and filmed as reference – her biggest job was just to BE with the team,” said Burgess. “The more they bonded with her, the more they saw Dogmeat as a character – a friend.”
“The Dogmeat team was just a handful of us early on – as River stole hearts around the studio, however, more and more folks found ways to pitch in and help bring her personality into the game. She was more than a mascot or an inspiration – she was part of the team.”
Human Society relies on donations
With the death of River, her legacy lives on as Dogmeat in Fallout 4. Even then, Bethesda is trying to help make her death more meaningful than it already is.
DOGMEAT FOREVER 💚
In honor of River, Xbox and @BethesdaStudios are donating $10,000 to the Montgomery County Humane Society.
If you also would like to join us in donating, you can right here: https://t.co/LD6ZDk6dov https://t.co/TiiYZ7Lq1Q
— Xbox (@Xbox) July 7, 2021
“DOGMEAT FOREVER,” said Xbox’s official Twitter account. “In honor of River, Xbox and BethesdaStudios are donating $10,000 to the Montgomery County Humane Society.”
The Human Society operates solely from the donations and revenue-generating private programs they do. Among the services they do include animal rescue and adoption and low-cost veterinary works, which includes spaying and neutering.
They also do microchipping and vaccinations, together with pet food pantries and even ownership education programs.
Thank you, @Xbox and @BethesdaStudios! MCHS is honored to be a part of River’s legacy. 🐾❤️ https://t.co/LlALqNemCR
— MoCo Humane Society (@MoCoHumane) July 7, 2021
“Thank you, Xbox and BethesdaStudios! MCHS is honored to be a part of River’s legacy,” said MCHS in a tweet.
It’s a sweet move from Bethesda, for all intents and purposes. The link they listed is down, it seems, hopeful because of the flood of donations coming in. With that said, River lives on in the form of Dogmeat in Fallout 4, and will do so for years to come.
Featured image courtesy of Gamespot/Youtube Screenshot