The person behind TheSurvivor2299.com is a self-proclaimed “asshole” that “just want[s] to watch the world burn.”
We wanted to believe. We wanted it to be true, so we got our hopes when TheSurvivor2299.com started very convincingly teasing the unveiling of Fallout 4. Now, with Bethesda confirming the site is fake and the creator admitting he’s not with Bethesda, we are forced to accept the truth. It was all a ruse.
But why? Why would someone do get so many fans’ hopes up, just to crush them when the truth came out? The guy behind The Fallout 4 hoax started a Reddit AMA yesterday to answer questions and explain the what, where and why of it all.
Going by “DCHoaxer,” the site-owner explained he built the site because he knew it would get a rise out of fans. His exact words: “Some men just want to watch the world burn.” Though he had a specific objective, to “force Bethesda to reveal something during VGX,” his general tone makes the whole thing sound more like a prank than a mission.
Despite his seemingly frivolous motivations, the hoaxer was very committed to the prank, only calling off the charade once Bethesda confirmed the site fake and contacted him about it directly. If the site hadn’t been revealed as a fraud, DCHoaxer says he planned to keep building hype for the game, and cap things off with a fake CGI trailer reveal. The hoaxer says he still plans to release his trailer eventually, but feels he should wait awhile to “let things cool off a little.” Considering he’s allegedly gotten 14 death threats, it might be a good idea for him to lay low for awhile.
In addition to the insane amount of time and effort, the hoaxer sunk a fair bit of money into the project. After hosting, traffic and other expenses, the Survivor2299 site cost “approximately 900$” to run. Again, when asked why he was willing to spend so much money just to trick people, his explanation was simply: “I’m one of these ‘selfish bastards with a lot of money,” he wrote. In the end, though, it sounds like DCHoaxer got his money’s worth, confirmed that, “yes,” the prank was exactly as fun as he thought it would be.
Source: Reddit
