Fallout 76 announced that while the Wastelanders update is set to be the game's biggest free add-on, the actual release is going to be delayed to the first quarter of 2020. Bethesda Game Studios revealed that the reason for the delay is that they are taking their time to ensure that this update is the best and most polished it can be. In addition, the studio is re-evaluating and changing its processes in order to ensure that the high standards are met.
Bethesda said that it is going to announce more details over time, but once Wastelanders is released, players can expect it to be the largest expansion the game has ever had. It also changes gameplay as the update introduces the much requested human NPCs.
Private Worlds
It's not all about Wastelanders though. Fallout 76 revealed that work on the private servers has been completed and players can expect the official launch next week. Once the private servers are online, players will have the ability to play in a private world with their friends. Players need to purchase this service, though this feature is available to all players and not simply to those who want a private server. Bethesda added that in the future, they hope to give players the chance to mod their own private worlds.
Added Features
Fallout 76 is home to different types of players and the main goal of the game has always been to reward everyone regardless of how they play. This includes the approach to earning Atoms through Challenges along with the types of items that unlock with Atoms in the Atomic Shop.
The approach was to keep these items purely on a cosmetic level. However, it became obvious that in order to keep the game exciting for everyone it was important to change the approach to the Atomic Shop. There have been a lot of ideas on what to add to the Atomic Shop and Bethesda focused on adding items that offered real utility, something the community has long wanted. Thus beginning in April 2020, players can expect to see items like Collectron Station, Repair Kits, and Scrap Kits in the Atomic Shop. There is even going to be a working Refrigerator.
Ultimately, the Atomic Shop should offer players an experience of feeling good when spending their Atoms. To make this system more engaging and fun, some parts of the Challenge and reward system are going to be reworked.
Moving forward, Bethesda announced that some updates are still set to arrive this year like the already announced fixes to the existing game and quality-of-life improvements many players have requested. Overall, the additional time to work on Wastelanders means that Fallout 76 is going to be able to deliver many smaller bug fixes in the remaining time of this year.
So what do you think? Is the delay of Wastelanders worth it? Let us know in the comments section below.
