Bethesda has finally revealed a new trailer for Fallout 76's upcoming Wastelanders expansion, which is set to add NPCs back into the Wasteland. Fallout 76 has been plagued by bugs, miscommunication, and other issues since it launched back in 2018, creating a rift between Bethesda and its core audience of Fallout fans.
The trailer offers a decent glimpse at the upcoming expansion, showing off a variety of NPCs players will meet over the course of the update. Wastelanders is set to launch on April 7th, according to the trailer. Wastelanders was delayed back in October 2019, disappointing many fans that had been hoping for an expansion to Bethesda's multiplayer Fallout game.
Fans have struggled to stay engaged with Fallout 76's content, largely due to a variety of performance and technical issues that have plagued the game since its launch. After initially delaying Wastelanders, Bethesda launched the Fallout 1st subscription, a paid service that added various features for subscribers. The subscription caused an uproar among fans who felt the game was still incomplete.
With any luck, Wastelanders will be the start of a new chapter for Fallout 76. The game's community has managed some pretty incredible feats thus far, with some Fallout 76 players making real money in-game. With a strong community, Bethesda may be able to salvage Fallout 76, though it will take an impeccable level of communication and consistent updates on Bethesda's part.
Bethesda will need to flawlessly execute the Wastelanders update, which will be free to Fallout 76 owners. Fallout 76 has been part of the biggest video game controversies of the past few years, and confidence has begun to waiver with the company's long-time fans. There are those that have held out hope the game will improve, and Wastelanders might be Bethesda's last chance to keep those fans coming back to the game.
Where the game goes after Wastelanders remains to be seen. Fallout 76 was clearly designed to be played for years to come, with an ever-evolving wasteland for players to dive back into now and again. It's been far from perfect to this point, but there may be more for fans to explore in the future.
Fallout 76 is available now on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.