Fallout 76 is due to release next month, in November. Of course, the game’s Beta will be open to players who’ve pre-ordered the game in a couple of weeks’ time. There is even a Fallout 76 Stress Test taken place at the moment which will give some Xbox players a chance to try the game out; under NDA, of course. In a recent interview, Bethesda VP Pete Hines describes the upcoming title as a “scary” but “exciting” departure for the Fallout series.
Scary but Exciting: Pete Hines on Fallout 76
Fallout 76 is doing a lot of things very differently. Rather than a clear continuation, which Todd Howard once noted would be called Fallout 5, Fallout 76 is a multiplayer-centric spin-off. With huge additions like multiplayer, survival mechanics, and more coming to the series, it’s no surprise that it could be somewhat scary for Bethesda. However, the studio is looking at it mainly as an opportunity. “Yes, it’s a departure,” says Pete Hines; “and it’s new and scary. But it’s an opportunity to have people share experiences that they’ve always wanted but have never been able to before.”
Players will be able to do a lot in Fallout 76 that has never been possible in any previous Fallout title. Sharing their experiences with their friends is undoubtedly the biggest new feature. Of course, that doesn’t mean Fallout 76 isn’t going to feel like a traditional Fallout title, as Hines went on to explains; “For instance, the tone, the vibe, look, and feel of the world can go a long way to give you a sense of familiarity to sort of wrap your head around things,” he says; “It’s still a Fallout world, even though these things are different. But yeah, this is a really scary and different thing to be a part of. We are fully aware of that. We are making changes and making a different kind of game, but it’s one that we are excited to try and see what it can turn into.”