# **Fallout 3: A Gamer Unearths a Route Back into Ruined Megaton—An Unintentional Oversight by Bethesda**
The Fallout franchise is celebrated for its darkly comedic tone, ethical quandaries, and the power to influence the game world through player decisions. Among the most notorious choices in *Fallout 3* is the ability to obliterate the settlement of Megaton, turning it into nothing more than a radioactive void. Yet, a recent revelation from a player has shown that Megaton is not entirely gone—even following its annihilation.
## **The Notorious Annihilation of Megaton**
Megaton is one of the initial significant settlements players encounter in *Fallout 3*. Surrounding an undetonated atomic bomb, the town is inhabited by various characters, including the quirky Moira Brown, owner of the Craterside Supply shop. Players can either defuse the bomb, saving the town, or detonate it for the affluent and nefarious Allistair Tenpenny.
If players opt for the latter, Megaton is destroyed in a colossal nuclear blast, leaving behind merely a smoldering pit. Most of its citizens meet their end, and the town seems lost for good—at least, that’s what Bethesda had in mind.
## **An Hidden Route Back into Megaton**
A *Fallout 3* player recently posted an intriguing find on Reddit: post-destruction of Megaton, they observed that a quest from Moira Brown remained active. Generally, Moira survives the cataclysm and moves to Underworld, a ghoul community within the Museum of History. However, in this instance, the quest marker directed the player to an apparently random location in the wasteland, indicating several meters below ground.
Intrigued, the player utilized console commands to pass through the terrain and discovered a concealed manhole cover. Upon entry, they were transported back into an undestroyed rendition of Megaton—despite the town being erased from existence.
## **The Phantom Town of Megaton**
Within this “phantom” iteration of Megaton, the player discovered that all of the town’s inhabitants were absent—save for Moira and a solitary Brahmin. This unsettling find implies that this version of Megaton was never intended to be accessible following its destruction. Rather, it seems to be a remnant of the town that was not adequately cleared when the explosion sequence was executed.
This oversight is probably linked to Moira’s programming. If she fails to migrate to Underworld as planned, the game may still refer to her original position within Megaton, culminating in this peculiar and unintended scenario.
## **An Unplanned Vestige of the Wasteland**
Although this discovery does not unveil any covert lore or hidden content, it underscores an intriguing quirk in *Fallout 3*’s game mechanics. Bethesda’s open-world RPGs are well-known for their intricate scripting and occasional glitches, and this instance serves as another example of how unintended elements can foster captivating player encounters.
For those who lament their choice to devastate Megaton, this glitch presents an unusual, if empty, opportunity to revisit the town—if only as a spectral shadow of what it once was.
Would you ever think about detonating Megaton just to see if you can navigate your way back? Share your thoughts with us!