Bethesda VP Pete Hines has made clear whether Fallout 76 will ever feature an offline option; a clear ‘no’. Responding to a fan question on Twitter, he explained the reason why, and also clarified some minor details about the upcoming open beta. Fans hoping for a Fallout 76 offline option may be in for some disappointment. However, the game will still feature a single-player mode post-launch.
There Won’t Ever be a Fallout 76 Offline Option
Hines was asked on Twitter whether Fallout 76 would ever allow for an offline game; whether at launch or at some point in the future. His answer was no. Because the game operates on online servers, it would be impossible for it to facilitate an offline game. As he says, the odds of Bethesda re-engineering the game to operate via individual clients is extremely slim indeed. Such a change would require an enormous amount of work.
it's a server based game. I don't see us completely re-engineering it to somehow be an offline game that is entirely client based.
— Pete Hines (@DCDeacon) August 25, 2018
However, that is not to say that the game will always be multiplayer. While the game will need to be online, Bethesda has announced plans to implement single-player servers at some point after the game’s launch. Primarily designed to facilitate modding; the servers will also allow players to enjoy Fallout 76 without encountering other players in their world. The game is, of course, a primarily multiplayer experience. However, it’s good to know that Bethesda appreciates that many of their long-time fans may prefer to experience the game in single-player.
In a separate exchange, Hines was asked whether Bethesda has yet given out the dates for the upcoming Fallout 76 open beta. The studio has stated that it will launch in October. Hines’ answer clarifies that; Bethesda has yet to announce any exact dates. Bethesda has made clear how fans will gain access to the open beta when it does launch; any player who preorders Fallout 76 is eligible to participate in the open beta. However, Hines also states that the dates will only become public knowledge; “Once the team feel comfortable that the dates are set.”
We’ll obviously give the dates. I’m not sure when that will be. Once the team feel comfortable that the dates are set
— Pete Hines (@DCDeacon) August 24, 2018