We didn't call them memes in 2001. But insofar as viral internet jokes existed, hairy deathclaws became a meme. More specifically, they became a stick to beat Fallout Tactics developer Micro Forté with. The studio had invented a take on the iconic monster that was covered in thick fur—a natural coat which provided top-notch protection from the weather. "Because it looks like it's there in the sprite," lead designer Ed Orman says. "Now I actually think there's plenty of justification for doing variations on deathclaws. But at the time, it was sacrilege."
The hairy deathclaw is, in many ways, emblematic of Fallout Tactics—a bold and slightly strange genetic offshoot of the beloved RPG series, reverse-engineered by an enthusiastic team. It's a wistful reminder of a time before the Bethesda reboot in which the future of Fallout had yet to be written—and for all we knew, might feature a Brotherhood of Steel who sped around the ruined city of Chicago in Humvees, desperate for new recruits.
