Fallout 76 is now available, putting a multiplayer spin on Bethesda's renowned role-playing series. Set in the post-nuclear remnants of West Virginia, players will embark on a journey across the state, uncovering the struggles of a war-torn wasteland. And adopting an always-online approach, there are some significant updates on the horizon for Fallout 76.
While details on Appalachia's future are limited, the publisher has provided a brief overview of planned updates and fixes. We've wrapped up everything you can expect in the months ahead.
Opening new Vaults: Vault 63, 94, and 96
Fallout 76's post-war West Virginia packs a variety of landmarks to explore, including nearby Vault-Tec bunkers to scattered through the neighboring area. Vault 96, Vault 94, and Vault 63 all feature in the latest rendition, however, are yet to be opened by visiting players. Bethesda has since stated these don't open right now, promising future content based around these long-forgotten chambers.
Vault 76 was among the first to open in Fallout lore, with neighboring vaults not scheduled to open until significantly later. Both Vault 96 and Vault 63 remain completely untouched from what we know, while Vault 94 was temporarily opened and resealed before its inhabitants likely passed. Details on the trio are thin and how Bethesda approaches their arrival is vital.
Bethesda has adopted a strict no-human NPCs rule for Fallout 76 and has multiple ways to approach vaults. Given the twisted nature of Vault-Tec, we don't expect these Vaults to house dozens of eager NPCs, likely dead, mutated, or serving a new narrative purpose.
Future Fallout 76 quests
As with any role-playing game, much of Fallout 76 revolves around assigned quests, comprised of linear events. Storytelling has been dialed back with the multiplayer focus, though remains a centerpiece of progression and exploration. And with forthcoming updates, Bethesda plans to keep you busy with more quests in the pipeline.
We expect Fallout 76's most substantial updates to feature new journeys, paired with story and player rewards. Given the open-ended nature of the world, there's a lot of untouched locations with backstories to explore. We'd welcome storytelling devices outside of notes and holotapes too but aren't getting hopes high.
C.A.M.P. update and increased stash
Bethesda is also promising improvements headed to the Construction and Assembly Mobile Platform (C.A.M.P.), its portable player-operated tool for erecting structures throughout the world. Building up Fallout 4's settlement mechanics, the C.A.M.P. is an ideal way to build a base of operations among the chaos of the nuclear wasteland. It's currently unclear what improvements are planned, likely tweaking its feature set with new functionality.
Tying into the C.A.M.P. changes, Bethesda also plans to increase the player stash, your single storage trunk. The new stash size will go beyond the existing 400kg limit, becoming especially valuable as new loot appears in future additions.
Faction-based PvP combat
A tease of "faction-based PvP" made Fallout 76's launch letter, indicating a more extensive take on player-versus-player encounters. The existing Hunter/Hunted mode provides an insight into a deeper competitive experience, likely to be implemented on a larger scale once faction-based PvP premieres. We're unsure on specifics, though will possibly tap into the existing faction system, pitting players into orchestrated PvP combat.
Full character respecing: S.P.E.C.I.A.L. and Perk Cards
As common among many role-playing multiplayer titles, respecing (re-specification) will allow players to reset their skill investments and better tailor their character to a given play style. While the existing Perk Card system provides significant skills modularity, the option to respec would allow for reassignment of S.P.E.C.I.A.L. points across the seven core attributes.
New PC features: 21:9 support, push-to-talk, FOV, and more
Fallout 76 is far from polished, with bugs and stability issues present across all platforms. However, PC players appear to be among those facing the most troubles, even missing out expected launch features. Bethesda has confirmed plans for 21:9 ultra-wide support and push-to-talk on PC, yet has ruled out field-of-view (FOV) adjustments.
What would you like to see from Fallout 76 in the future? Let us know in the comments section. In the meantime, for those yet to pick up Fallout 76, the game is available now starting at $59.99.
