Fallout 4 is set to have a next-gen update for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series consoles that promises two different modes that prioritize framerate and resolution along with new content for the Creation Club. Beyond those facts and a released date for later this year, not much is known about it, leaving room to speculate everything that could be included. What is known provides a good basis for what to expect from the update while leaving some room to interpret just how much of an impact this will have on Fallout 4.
The biggest question to ask when considering the update is how extensive it will be, both regarding technical improvements and the content that will be included. Having new content, alongside obvious improvements, included is a definite plus, but beyond an addition to Fallout 4's repository on Steam that hint toward new content based on New Vegas, there is little in the way of concrete information to know just how much will be added or what it will be.
Fallout 4 PS5, Xbox Series X Update Expectations
Confirmed Fallout 4 Next-Gen Update Features
- Release Date: TBD 2023
- Upgrade Price: Free
- Performance Mode and Quality Mode
- Creation Club Content
- Bug Fixes
- Not Confirmed: Datamines suggest Fallout 4's Creation Club could include New Vegas content
Beyond what's confirmed for Fallout 4's update, the best point of comparison may be the release of Skyrim Anniversary Edition, which is fundamentally that game's next-gen update. It includes visual and performance boosts along with new content, but that was released as its own version of the game on console with the new additions being DLC on PC. It is safe to say that Fallout 4's new content Creation Club content will be sold as DLC on all platforms, but at the very least, the performance enhancements will be free to all owners of the game.
Seeing as how the update and new content were announced with less fanfare than Skyrim Anniversary Edition, it is likely the new content will be less substantial. Bethesda could start pushing the next-gen version of Fallout 4 in the months leading up to release, focusing on the enhancements and new Creation Club additions, but considering the announcement was made as an update and not a re-release, things currently point toward this being a far smaller release. Some new quests and gear seem likely to be included in the new content, but new mechanics added in Skyrim like fishing are less likely. Despite receiving critical acclaim and maintaining a community in the years since its 2015 launch, Fallout 4 does not share Skyrim's legacy as it did not make the same impact that title did, and that could lead to the additions being less substantial.
Despite there not being much reason to have high expectations for the update, a specific release date has not been announced, and that could come out alongside the announcement of a proper Fallout 4 re-release. Something like this would likely bundle the base game, DLCs, and Creation Club content together in one package while keeping the update itself free to all players. Considering that Fallout 5 is still years from release, a full re-release is still possible as a method to tide over fans until the next mainline title comes out.
Whether Bethesda releases the next-gen version as a quick update or as a version bundling a significant amount of content in one package, the safest bet is to keep expectations tempered. It may be a significant visual and technical improvement over the original console releases and have some new content, but it is ultimately the same Fallout 4 that came out almost 8 years ago. Playing Fallout 4 with improved visuals and some new things to do will be nice, but many fans will have to wait a long time for an experience that reinvigorates their love for the games.
Fallout 4 is available on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
