Summary
Fallout 76has undergone several huge changes since it was launched back in 2018. When it was released, the game was largely unpopular withFalloutfans. It was empty. It had no NPCs, lots of bugs, and very little purpose. But today, the game is nothing like it used to be. Bethesda did a similar thing that Hello Games did withNo Man’s Sky.
While the game still has its issues, it is constantly being worked on and improved.Fallout76 receives a handful of updates and quality-of-life improvements every year. This topic covers some of the biggest and best changes that the game has seen.
1The Introduction Of Human NPCS
Injecting Some Life Into The Game
For the first 18 months of its launch, the game was empty. Quests were given to players via Holotapes, terminal entries, and notes. This didn’t really draw players in.Falloutstorylines typically rely heavily on NPCs to create a certain depth to the story. Without NPCs, the game was just empty and completely void of life.
Thankfully, in April 2020, Wastelanders was released. This update saw human NPCs come to Appalachia.This was the first major update that took the game in the right direction. It came with lots ofnew factions and questlines, and it just made the whole game feel like it had more life to it. This was an especially welcome update for those who were slowly giving up onFallout 76.
2Lots Of New Enemies
Falloutgames contain the same types of enemies. Things like Deathclaws, Super Mutants, and Ghouls play a big part in the lore of the franchise. However, otherFalloutgames had special and unique enemy types and factions;Fallout 76did not.
However, that is something that continues to change for the better.Fallout 76has undergone several major changes that have brought in new enemy types like Cultists, Floaters, and even bosses like Earl Williams. Thanks to the steady flow of new enemy types, the game feels more like a traditionalFalloutgame. The introduction of new enemies typically brings in more questlines that players can complete.
3Expeditions
Leave Appalachia To Complete Missions
In September 2022, The Pitt update was released. This update allowed players to leave Appalachia for the first time and explore new territories, encounter new factions, and kill new enemies. While The Pitt wasn’t exactly a perfect update, it inspired Bethesda to create more Expeditions, which, in turn, inspired the whole Atlantic City updateand all the quests that came with it.
BothAtlantic City updateshave been very popular among all types of players. It brought in a new currency and lots of new and exciting plans for players to grind for.
4Public Teams
Bringing Players Together
2020 was a big year forFallout 76.Not only did the developers introduce human NPCs to the game, but they also created player teams.There are a total of six different team options. Each one can have up to four players.Teams offer players unique boosts, like extra XP for completing Daily Ops and boosts to SPECIAL stats.
This was not only great for friends, but it also encouraged players to team up and take on certain challenges together. Another big plus for player teams was the free fast travel ability. Being able to fast travel to teammates for free is something that new players, especially, can appreciate.
576 Seasons
Daily And Weekly Challenges For Players To Complete
This change was also introduced in the June 2020 update. At the time, this change was known as scoreboards, butit has since been changed to seasons. This change gives players the ability to earn limited-time rewards for completing various daily and weekly challenges.These challenges encourage players to hop on each day to earn a whole host of fun items.
Since a lot of the items for each scoreboard (season) can only be earned for a limited amount of time, players love showing off their hard-earned items at their CAMPS for all to see.
While the change from scoreboards to seasons has been criticized by some players due to its battle pass feature, it is still an overall positive change to the game.
6Enemy Level Scaling
A More Equal Combat Experience
In the beginning, there was no level scaling. This means that a level 2 player could come up against a level 50 enemy if they stray into the wrong areas. Today, that won’t happen. Enemies now scale to the player’s level.
This means that taking on enemies is fairer for all players. If ahigh-level playerwas trying to take down a level 50 Deathclaw and a level 5 joined the fight, the level 5 would get killed immediately and barely be able to cause damage to the enemy. Now, the fights are more equal, so players of all levels can help take on difficult enemies.
While it is a little confusing, as the same enemy will appear at a different level for multiple players, it has helped to make the game a more balanced experience for newer players.
7Player Shelters
Build Personal Vaults
There are lots of players who don’t playFallout 76for its story. They play for the CAMP building mechanics. To encourage avid builders, player shelters were brought into the game with the Steel Dawn update in November 2020.Player shelters are personal Vaultsthat players can place down at their CAMPs. These Vaults come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, and they allow players to build in a more free environment.
While a lot of the Vaults can only be purchased with Atoms, there are ways that players can earn enough Atoms to buy any Vault they like.Inside player Vaults, there are fewer build restrictions and no enemies. This means that builders can create cool and unique builds for other players to visit and enjoy. While this feature was pretty small in the beginning, it has quickly grown to become a major part of the game forFallout 76builders.
8Character Builds For New Players
An Easier Start For New Players
AsFallout 76continued to roll out updates, new players found it increasingly more difficult to know what to do after leaving Vault 76. So, the developers introduced a new way for players to start the game. New players used to be thrown out into the wasteland at level 2 with little to no help. However, now, when new players leave the Vault, they are prompted to choose one of the following options:
The Fresh Dweller option is how the game used to start for everyone. But now,players can choose the Battle Ready Dweller option. This allows the player to leave the vault at level 20 with some armor and a weapon. There are several level 20 options that players can choose from. Their choice will depend on their preferences:
