If you’re looking for those juicy Fallout 76 story details, new gameplay videos and trailers, as well as beta release date information, you have come to the right place! What is usually a single-player adventure, is set to evolve into an epic online multiplayer community experience. Because of this hugely ambitious change, gamers understandably have a lot of questions. Allow us to give you the answers to everything you need to know about Fallout 76!
Does Fallout 76 Have a Story?
As the game is obviously not yet out yet, in-depth Fallout 76 story details haven’t yet been revealed. Those of you hoping to avoid spoilers need not fear too much, for Bethesda has only shared a few general plot points about what is going on in the latest installment of the franchise. In an interview with Danny O’Dwyer, the developers went into a bit of detail about “huge, winged, bat-like creatures [crawling] up out of the world,” which will need defeating. The story is cyclical with nuclear bombs going off and the world evolving with each explosion.
Where nukes fall, there will be high-level areas with rare loot drops. You will likely have to grab some friends to take down these areas. While you can enjoy the Fallout 76 single-player experience by simply playing on your own, there’s no doubt going to be huge advantages linked to playing with others. The story is present, but the focus will be on the adventures you have with your fellow players.
New Fallout 76 Gameplay Footage and Trailer
During the game’s announcement, Bethesda showed off a couple of Fallout 76 trailers, giving gamers an idea of what they can expect from the online open world. This “Welcome to West Virginia” video sets the scene for the adventures ahead:
As for actual Fallout 76 multiplayer gameplay, you’ll be wanting to direct your attention to the “You Will Emerge!” trailer below. It features a montage of clips, showcasing various scenarios where players are enjoying the game together.
When asked about whether more gameplay footage of Fallout 76 would be released prior to the upcoming beta launch, vice president of Bethesda Softworks Pete Hines had the following to say on Twitter:
I know a lot of folks are asking about gameplay. Well, I can confirm we are doing an event soon. And we are going to let a lot of people capture a few hours of gameplay doing whatever they want to do. So before long you will have hundreds (!!!) of hours of gameplay to watch.
— Pete Hines (@DCDeacon) 27 September 2018
This event is currently underway at The Greenbrier hotel in West Virginia, which is where Fallout 76 will be set. All those in attendance will be given the opportunity to play the full game and are free to capture their own footage while doing so. Therefore, fans will be seeing the literal “hundreds” of hours Hines mentioned after the event is over. Although the E3 footage was artificial to an extent, this gameplay will be 100% representative of what fans can expect to see when the beta launches later this month.
Fallout 76 Beta Release Date and Details
The Fallout 76 beta release date will depend on the platform players intend to play it on. Xbox One players get access to the beta first on October 23, whereas PS4 and PC players will have to wait until the following week to play. All players need to do in order to access the beta is pre-order a copy of Fallout 76. All pre-ordered copies guarantee a slot in the beta and all progress made by players will carry over into the full game, which releases in November. Therefore, securing yourself a position in the beta will give you a competitive edge when the full game launches.
PC Players will need to access the beta through the Bethesda Launcher using their Bethesda.net account, whereas PS4 and Xbox One players can just download the beta from their respective stores. Those who pre-order hard copies of the game will get a beta code with their receipt.
The beta is actually the full game, so it will be a 45GB download. Although most betas offer a small part of the game to give players a taste of what’s to come, Bethesda has said that the Fallout 76 beta is mainly being used to test the servers. It will be available for between four and eight hours a day while it’s running.
Will Fallout 76 Have Cross-Play?
Epic’s Fortnite may have managed to break down Sony’s anti cross-platform wall last week, but Fallout 76 won’t have cross-play. Pete Hines expressed discontent on the subject before in relation to Elder Scrolls: Legends, but confirmed that cross-play wasn’t as “critical” for Fallout 76. Todd Howard, on the other hand, was of a different mindset.
Howard, the creative director of Fallout 76, commented on the issue of cross-play in an interview with German website GameStar, stating that cross-play wouldn’t be happening because “Sony is not as helpful as everyone would like.” Fallout 76 doesn’t have a single-player mode, so cross-play would make the multiplayer aspect of the game a whole lot more interesting by adding more players to the same pool. Unfortunately, it has been confirmed that Fallout 76 categorically will not have cross-play.
What Is the Fallout 76 Map Name?
Players already knew that Fallout 76 would be set in West Virginia, but what’s the map actually called? Previous titles had maps like the Commonwealth and the Capital Wasteland, so it’s only natural to assume that Fallout 76 won’t just be called “West Virginia.” Bethesda later confirmed that the map would be called “Appalachia,” likely named after the Appalachian mountain range that runs through West Virginia. You can check out our full breakdown of the map name here.
As for the locations that players can expect to see in-game, it’s pretty much guaranteed that you’ll spot a lot of Fallout 76 West Virginia landmarks inspired by real life. The Greenbrier hotel will no doubt be worth a visit, not to mention Woodburn Hall and the West Virginia Capitol Building which stand out as clear locations from the trailers. Expect to hear about other interesting locations once more gameplay is revealed!
