Fallout 76 has received several free expansions and overall game updates that have taken the game a long way from its state at launch. The next upcoming updates for Fallout 76, the two-part Atlantic City updates, will bring the franchise to an unexplored region with new questlines and a new Season’s worth of content, while also changing the way that new players get introduced to Fallout 76’s Appalachian wasteland.
Game ZXC recently spoke with Jonathan Rush, Fallout 76’s Art Director, about what the new Atlantic City updates mean for Fallout 76. Rush explained how players can get ready for the new Atlantic City adventures when the update releases, as well as the other major changes coming to Fallout 76 in the first Atlantic City update, arriving on December 5, 2023.
Q: What are you most excited for players to experience in both of the upcoming Atlantic City updates?
Rush: I’m looking forward to seeing the excitement from our players as they explore the several new Atlantic City locations and learn about the people and creatures that live there.
Q: What made the Atlantic City / New Jersey area stand out to you as a fitting candidate for the new expeditions compared to other potential destinations?
Rush: The immediate curb appeal of “Atlantic City” as a concept was very apparent. Just saying “Atlantic City” immediately brings out ideas of what that could be when coupled with the post-apocalyptic tone of Fallout.
Q: After the Pitt expeditions explored a familiar location from the franchise, what went into the decision that the upcoming expeditions should take place in entirely new environments?
Rush: Atlantic City is very different from any locations we’ve previously done through the series. The new expedition will be the first time the Fallout universe has explored that region, so it sounded like there was a fun opportunity to push the story in new and challenging directions.
Q: Players familiar with the area adore Fallout 76’s adaptation of Appalachia, so following this up, how influential has the modern-day infrastructure been in the development of Fallout 76’s Atlantic City locations?
Rush: Modern-day references are very important for us. These are just as important as the more period-specific references from the 1950s. Outside the direct references themselves, there’s a lot of information to glean from seeing how these unique spaces have changed over the years.
We always aim to make our spaces believable, both to support the immersion of the story as well as gameplay. Our players who are familiar with Atlantic City will recognize several elements inspired by the region’s true-life qualities, and our players who have never been to Atlantic City will recognize it as a unique space to adventure in.
Q: Fans have been eager to note that locations like the new casino seemingly draw influence from Fallout: New Vegas’ setting and style. Is this connection more than a coincidence?
Rush: That’s a great observation; however, the connection is coincidental. A unique setting such as Atlantic City offers a completely different landscape, and with that comes the potential for stories and characters that greatly differ from anywhere else. One direct parallel is that they both have gambling, but outside of that, they’re very different.
Q: Although Fallout 76 takes place before the other games in the franchise, are some of the new factions, characters, and creatures from the Atlantic City updates something that franchise veterans might recognize from previous games?
Rush: “Boardwalk Paradise” and “America’s Playground” both bring several new factions, characters, and creatures. Direct links to previous Fallout games? No… Ties to Fallout 76 and Appalachia? Yes. The relationship between our Appalachia and Atlantic City will reveal itself through both updates.
Q: The Atlantic City update was previously said to be released after the next calendar year. Can you shed some light on what influenced the decision to separate the updates and why the first update will be arriving early?
Rush: The first update will bring players Atlantic City and two missions. This carries with it several new locations within the region, as well as new factions, characters, creatures, and rewards. The second update expands the Atlantic City playscape, offering even more unique locations, and a third mission. Players will also get several Atlantic City quests and free exploration.
The mission content will explore the differences and conflicts among the new factions. Whereas the subsequent quest content largely explores how the factions affect those who live in that region, and even back in Appalachia. What inspired the separation into two releases is mainly due to how those types of content differ as experienced by our players, and how those different experiences tonally support the stories we’re telling through the updates.
Q: It has been a trend for the recent updates to coincide with the release of new Seasons, so what relationship do the Atlantic City updates share with Fallout 76’s upcoming Seasons, if any?
Rush: Our players are largely made up of adventurers and builders. When ideating a new seasonal theme, we’re on the lookout for an experience that will be new to our players, and offer quality, thematic items to enrich their experiences however they play. For instance, this season gives our players an awesome, new set of Power Armor – “The Centurion.” Along with the opportunity to show it off in their own casino!
Q: What impact have the Pitt expeditions, including their recent changes, had on shaping the development of the Atlantic City expeditions?
Rush: The team is proud of the work that’s gone into creating expeditions and wanted to expose the content, experiences, and rewards to as many of our players as possible. A big step in that direction was in knocking down the barriers for entry by removing the fuel requirement to get into expeditions. Now players can just “hop into a Vertibird” and play through the missions as often as they’d like.
Not only do our players want more missions, but they want the traditional story-driven content as well. This means additional quests, areas to explore outside of the missions themselves, and cool rewards. These are awesome spaces, and we’ll be introducing more ways to play through them with your friends down the road.
Q: What do you recommend that vault dwellers should do to prepare themselves for the Atlantic City expeditions?
Rush: I encourage our avid adventurers to bring friends, and plenty of stims – the Overgrown will “pack a wallop!”
Q: Some of the latest changes to the Public Test Server have been experimenting with features that redesign parts of the new player experience. What are some of the desired outcomes of this ongoing process?
Rush: Our goal for new players is to give them more options when first emerging from the Vault- the Overseer has placed a tremendous responsibility on your shoulders, and we want to make sure that you’re prepared. Upon leaving the vault players can either jump into Appalachia as a seasoned adventurer, complete with higher level loadouts and gear, or as a fresh dweller for a different type of challenge. In addition, players will have the chance to meet our various factions earlier through random encounters and new points of interest in the forest region. Rumor has it there’s even a new dungeon to explore!
Q: Is there anything else you’d like to add about Atlantic City?
Rush: Make sure to stop in at “The Neapolitan” to test your luck with any of our tables or slots. Rumor has it that “The Neapolitan” is also home to the world’s largest slot machine. We love hopping in and adventuring with our players and are looking forward to seeing everyone there. The Bethesda Games community is the best!
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