Summary

  • The Xbox Series X version of Fallout 4 targets 60 FPS in both Quality and Performance modes.
  • Many Series X owners have previously reported that the Quality mode was broken because it went above 30 FPS.
  • The two modes were introduced as part of the Fallout 4 next-gen update on April 25.

The next-gen update for Fallout 4 works a bit differently on the Xbox Series X than its official changelog suggests. That's according to Bethesda itself, who just offered a clarification on how the new Fallout 4 update handles frame rate targets on Microsoft's most powerful console to date.

According to the official patch notes accompanying the Fallout 4 next-gen update, the latest version of the game targets 30 frames per second in its newly introduced Quality mode, while aiming for 60 FPS in Performance mode. The RPG renders at a 4K resolution on all current-generation consoles irrespective of the graphics mode selected.

Fallout 4 Targets 60 FPS in All Modes on Xbox Series X

But it turns out that the Xbox Series X version of Fallout 4 targets 60 FPS in both modes. Bethesda said as much in a recent tweet, which was shared two days after the next-gen update rolled out. According to the developer, the main difference between the two modes on the Xbox Series X is that choosing Performance will see the game lower its graphics settings in a "more aggressive" manner in order to hit 60 frames per second.

Bethesda has thus effectively dismissed the widespread player reports that the Fallout 4 Quality mode doesn't work on the Xbox Series X. The mode's ability to go above 30 FPS has previously confused some Xbox players, not least because most console games that support multiple graphics modes pair those with different frame rate caps. The studio's decision to go against the norm was possibly motivated by a belief that the Xbox Series X can handle targeting 60 frames per second in a 9-year-old game made for the previous console generation.

That confidence wouldn't have been unfounded, as underlined by the fact that many Xbox Series X owners are reporting that Fallout 4 runs much better than it did following the late April patch. The new update did introduce some new issues, though the vast majority of them are predominantly affecting PC gamers. E.g., some Steam Deck users aren't happy with how Fallout 4 works on Valve's handheld following the new update, largely because Bethesda removed the game's launcher without offering an alternative for accessing some of its settings.

Likewise, the patch broke a wide variety of PC mods. While that's normal for game updates to do, some fans still voiced their grievances with this turn of events because Bethesda had previously offered assurances that it worked to minimize the update's impact on Fallout 4 mods.

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Fallout 4 Tag Page Cover Art
Fallout 4
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9 /10
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Released
November 10, 2015
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WHERE TO PLAY

SUBSCRIPTION
DIGITAL
PHYSICAL
Checkbox: control the expandable behavior of the extra info

Bethesda Game Studios, the award-winning creators of Fallout 76 and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, invite you to the ambitious open world of Fallout 4. Do whatever you want in a massive Commonwealth with hundreds of locations, characters and quests.
As the sole survivor of Vault 111, only you can rebuild and determine the fate of the Wasteland. Join multiple factions vying for power or go it alone - the choices are yours.
From a Power Armor-toting soldier to the charismatic smooth-talker, be whoever you want with the S.P.E.C.I.A.L. Character system and develop your own playstyle from hundreds of Perks.
Experience exciting first- or third-person combat with the dynamic Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System, or V.A.T.S., targeting enemies for maximum tactical advantage (and cinematic carnage!) Collect, upgrade and build thousands of items with Fallout 4's crafting system. Weapons, armor, food and with the right materials, even entire settlements are possible. Welcome home.

ESRB
M FOR MATURE: BLOOD AND GORE, INTENSE VIOLENCE, STRONG LANGUAGE, USE OF DRUGS
Developer(s)
Bethesda
Publisher(s)
Bethesda
Engine
Creation
Franchise
Fallout
Genre(s)
RPG, Action
How Long To Beat
27 Hours
File Size Xbox Series
51 GB (December 2023)
Metascore
87
PS Plus Availability
Extra & Premium