100 days after launch, Fallout 76 reveals its content roadmap for 2019

I never touched it on account of the fact that I have a severely specific phobia of always-online shooters set in a post-apocalyptic future that mixes wild technology with irradiated mutants and 1950s Americana kitsch (It’s a real thing, Google it), but even if I wasn’t rocking that unusually particular series of mental hang-ups, I’d probably still avoid the bullet that is Fallout 76.

It was broken on launch (one of the few times when our score for a game managed to actually justify the internet’s reaction that such a numeral would mean that a game was “literally unplayable”) and time has not been kind to Fallout 76 in the hundred days since it launched. Still, there are some people out there who can overlook the many many faults of Bethesda’s live service apocalypse tour, and more power to them if they find some joy in that wasteland.

A wasteland that’s about to receive an infusion of content. “There’s nothing like the start of something new – for you and for us, and having millions of you join us on this new adventure is humbling for our studio. Thank you for sticking with us as we figure this online experience out together, and we do mean “together.” Thanks to your continuous feedback, we have been able to fix many of the top issues and have made numerous improvements to the game. We also make scores of changes under the hood that aren’t as visible,” Bethesda wrote on their blog.

These include changes to improve performance, detect new exploits, and make the experience smoother for everyone. There’s still work to do, but we’re happy to report that game and server stability has increased over 300% since launch. We’re thrilled by how much everyone is playing, with an average time of 4 hours a day.

However, we know the game had a difficult launch, and we’ve made mistakes along the way. We share in your frustrations when we do. We’ll probably make a few more, and when we do, we will work to correct them as quickly as possible. Know that we’re fully dedicated to making this game the best it can be – and even more so, a platform for endless Fallout adventures for years to come.

So what’s on the horizon? The American Spring season will introduce the Appalachia content rollout, a free series of additional expansions and adventures of the Fallout 76 game world that’ll include the following from March 12:

• New Quests: Shear Terror! – Uncover the ‘encryptid’ secrets of Appalachia in a new series of quests and encounters to separate monsters from myths.
• New Quests: Ever Upwards – Journey to the deepest reaches of the woods with new stories for the legendary Pioneer Scouts. Earn merit badges, climb the ranks, and earn a customizable backpack for increased utility.
• New Features: Legendary Vendor and Scrapping – Locate the mysterious Purveyor to exchange and scrap your unwanted legendary items for new legendary gear. For every star rating on a legendary item you scrap, increase your chances to get the legendary weapon or armor of your dreams.
• New Features: C.A.M.P. Decorating, Player Vending, Functional Camera – Use items from your stash to decorate your C.A.M.P. Build vending machines and flag items for sale. Simply set your prices and walk away to continue your adventures in Appalachia, being sure to capture all your favorite memories using the new functional camera. The vending machines do all the work, you just need to count the caps.
• New Features: Brewing and Distilling – Go on a new quest to discover the secrets of the forbidden brew Nukashine and bring the party back to your C.A.M.P with new brewing and distilling systems and recipes.
• New Seasonal Event: Fasnacht Parade – Chase away Old Man Winter and quicken the coming of spring with the ancient festival of Fasnacht! Join the celebration and complete this new limited-time event to earn unique rewards in the form of festive Fasnacht Masks.
• New Game Mode: Survival – This all-new game mode brings a higher-stakes PvP experience with fewer restrictions, increased rewards, and new challenges plus all the original content of Adventure Mode.

In the US Summer season, Appalachia will be followed by Nuclear Winter, which will include the following updates:

• New Game Mode: Nuclear Winter – An entirely new way to play Fallout 76, completely changing the rules of the Wasteland.
• New Vault Raids: Vaults 96 and 94 Opening – For our most seasoned players, test your strength in all new high-level group Vault Raids.
• New Feature: Legendary Players – An all-new prestige system will allow players above level 50 to become Legendary, resetting their characters with all new more powerful abilities.

After that, Bethesda says players can expect to dip their toes into Wastelanders, which is “our biggest and most ambitious update for 76”.

Wastelanders will include a new main questline, new factions, new events, new features and even more surprises.

It all sounds good and fun, but it might still be completely moot if Fallout 76 still struggles to maintain a sense of fun and balance that has been missing from the experience since it first began a hundred days ago. Time can heal all wounds, but gamers aren’t exactly a patient lot.

Last Updated: February 26, 2019