Summary
Fallout 76, and theFalloutfranchise as a whole, has recently received a new influx of interest, thanks to the success of Amazon Prime’s live action series. As the multiplayer entry in the franchise,Fallout 76is a unique title that allows players to explore the post-nuclear wasteland together. Despite the game’s new surge of players that hit it earlier this year, it’s quickly becoming more and more noticeable thatFallout 76was released six years ago, leaving the RPG at a crossroads.
Bethesda is a developer well known for its ability to craft huge open-world experiences, but the studio also has a reputation for choosing performance over appearance. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as performance is definitely one of the most important aspects of a game, but it also presents the issue of Bethesda’s games seemingly aging quickly, at least when it comes to looks. Beforethe next mainlineFalloutgamesees the light of day, Bethesda will have a big choice to make about whetherFallout 76will get revamped or not.
The Future of Fallout 76 Can Go Two Ways
A Fresh Coat of Paint
Unfortunately, at this rate,Fallout 5is many years away. This leavesFallout 76in charge of carrying the franchise on since it’s the most recent entry in the series. IfFallout 76is going to keep the attention of players for years to come, the game may require a fresh coat of paint at some point in order to keep up with the industry’s quickly evolving graphics and mechanics.Fallout 76could potentially go the way ofDestiny 2and reintroduce the game in a new light.
However, this type of appearance overhaul would be a tall order for Bethesda. With the studio developingThe Elder Scrolls 6and hopefully getting the ball rolling onFallout 5, the company’s hands are already full at the moment. Not to mention,Starfieldis continuing to receive updates, taking even more time away from a potentialFallout 76makeover. Although it would be great to seeFallout 76’s graphics be more in line withStarfield, this seems not only unlikely, but inefficient.
Updates Keeping Fallout 76 Alive
The best route for Bethesda to take is to focus on continuous updates untilFallout 5is ready for launch. Despite the game’s age becoming more obvious, there are plenty of players who are completely unbothered by the aging graphics. If the game is fun to play, ultimately people will play it.Fallout 76may have not launched to great feedback, but it has become a lot more interesting over time. The game was able to redeem itself from its initial bomb, and that’s because of the updates that have improved the overall experience, not the graphics.
Continuing to updateFallout 76with its current 2018-level graphics is the most efficient way to continue to give players content to look forward to while also allowing Bethesda to work on other projects. A graphics overhaul just seems unnecessary at this point, especially sinceFallout 76has found an even bigger audience.
Bethesda’s Future Plans for Fallout 76
It’s already been confirmed by Todd Howard thatFallout 76will continue to receive updates and expansionsfor several years, at the minimum. As long the updates provide players with exciting and compelling content, thenFallout 76should be able to keep the franchise’s momentum running untilFallout 5’s eventual announcement.
RegularFallout 76updates mixed with future seasons of Amazon Prime’sFalloutshow should provide plenty of new stories and lore to take in. Beautiful graphics are great, but the enjoyment of the gameplay is ultimately the most important.Skyrim’s age is obvious, but that doesn’t stop it from still being one of Bethesda’s most popular titles. As time passes,Fallout 76will hopefully be able to also maintain popularity through its content instead of how it looks.
