Consider this an official warning from everyone here at Digital Trends: Fallout 4 console commands on PC can corrupt your save files. If you don’t want to take our word for it, consider the source in this case: Bethesda itself. It has announced that although the console commands can allow for you to do a number of things in Fallout 4 that might not otherwise be possible, they have the potential to ruin your save game.
Of course it is always tempting to pull back the curtain on PC games and see what’s behind the veil. We’ve been doing that for generations with cheats, mods, and trainers, and console commands are a big part of that, but there are inherent risks. So far, intrepid command explorers have found a hidden harpoon-gun and a room brimming with developer-spawned items, but not everyone is likely to be so fortunate.
Related: How to snag one of Fallout 4’s best guns at the beginning of the game
@UCFTyler @fortech_mike can very easily mess up save games
— Pete Hines (@DCDeacon) November 20, 2015
This warning was issued by VP of marketing and public relations at Bethesda, Pete Hines, who responded to a fan’s question about why Bethesda didn’t recommend playing with PC console commands: because it “can very easily mess up save games.”
While some fans were incredulous, suggesting that console commands are something that all dedicated Bethesda fans have played with at some point in previous games, Hines was quick to reiterate that many others had sent the company corrupted saves in the hopes that they could be recovered (thanks TechSpot).
So take this into consideration guys. If you want to play with console commands — which we’re sure a lot of you do — and you want to do so safely, just make a backup of your save file first. Hard copy it somewhere where it’s nice and protected and then when you have had your fun, just copy it back in if needed.
Or throw caution to the winds and have fun with the commands anyway, but just be aware of the risk you’re taking.
