While the next mainline Fallout game won’t be out for a long time, Bethesda has announced that Fallout 4 will be receiving a “free next-gen update” for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. Next year, those who own the game on the previous generation of consoles or PC will be able to download an updated version that will run on next-gen hardware with a performance mode for improved frame rates and better 4K resolution support. The update will also come with new Creation Club content, which is the game’s DLC storefront.
While some games have offered free next-gen updates, others like Control required players to pay for the new version, resulting in anger and backlash. Fallout 4 has already received free performance updates for the PS4 Pro and Xbox One X in the form of resolution upgrades and bolstered framerates.
Some have pointed out that while these improvements will likely be excellent for console players, it is possible the updates could wreak havoc on mods for those on PC. Due to the openness of Bethesda’s titles and their propensity for jank, their games each have notable modding communities that have created everything from near-essential quality-of-life updates to entirely new mechanics and settings. Searching for Fallout 4 mods on NexusMods returns over 40,000 hits.
Fallout 4 was originally released in Nov. 2015, and was followed up by the divisive multiplayer-oriented Fallout 76 roughly three years later. Bethesda has already stated that the next Fallout game won’t come out until after Starfield and The Elder Scrolls VI. While Starfield is slated for next year, the next Elder Scrolls is likely still years off, putting a return to the wasteland in the distant future.