Fallout 4's Anticipated Update Disappoints

Fallout 4's long-awaited next-gen update, released on April 25, 2024, promised to elevate the game's visual and performance standards on PlayStation 5, Xbox, and PC. However, the much-anticipated multi-gigabyte upgrade has been met with disappointment due to various technical issues.

Steam Version Faces Major Technical Issues

The Steam version has been most affected, with numerous technical problems reported. PlayStation 5 players have experienced issues accessing the update due to availability errors and confusing messaging from Bethesda. Xbox users, meanwhile, cannot access the game's quality mode, which would have enabled them to enjoy 4K resolution with ultra settings.

Thomas Morgan, a technology expert at Digital Foundry, confirmed the Xbox issue on social media, revealing that only Performance Mode works, delivering 60 frames per second. The update appears to have a bug that prevents the quality mode from working correctly.

PC Gamers Express Frustration

PC gamers have turned to platforms like Steam to voice their frustration with the update. Many have complained about existing bugs that were supposed to be fixed but remain after the patch. As one user, Piglet, said, "Many of the bugs that already existed and were promised to be fixed are still in the game after the patch." Another player, birthday Jesus, mentioned that the mods they used to fix these issues are now broken.

Disappointing Patch Notes

The initial reaction to the patch notes has mainly been adverse. DreamweaverWR on Reddit commented, "Damn, the list of fixed bugs is short." The comment has received over 900 upvotes, reflecting a broader sentiment. Dreamweaver highlighted that the patch didn't fix significant issues like the VATS crash and the perception bug in Survival mode.

Steam Deck Users Face Unique Issues

A new bug associated with the update has made the game to be unplayable on Steam Deck. A Reddit post by prune backwards mentioned that Fallout 4 could no longer boot on the device, which many users corroborated in the comments and elsewhere. Players who can launch the game face numerous issues like missing graphics settings, no launcher, low default settings, and poor frame rates.

PlayStation Users Aren't Spared

PlayStation users have also encountered their share of problems. Fallout 4, available for free through PlayStation Plus to all PS5 owners from November 2020 to May 2023, had an issue where players couldn't upgrade to the next-gen version for free.

Bethesda quickly acknowledged the bug and clarified that PlayStation Plus Extra members should receive the update for free. However, confusion persisted around the free PS5 and PS Plus Essentials versions, which Bethesda didn't clarify.

Those who managed to access the game on PlayStation still had issues, taking to social media to share their disappointment. CSSJAZZ sarcastically remarked, "The Fallout 4 update for PS5 looks amazing," sharing a video of an area missing textures. Reddit user pasta_classic shared an image of the character creation screen showing a default character missing its face.

Fallout's Resurgence Tainted by Update Issues

These technical problems have dampened the recent resurgence of Fallout, driven by Amazon's acclaimed television series. The series' popularity has reignited interest in Fallout 4 and Fallout 76, which recently experienced a resurgence, recording one million players in a single day after the series premiere. However, the update issues with Fallout 4 risk overshadowing this renewed interest.

Despite these setbacks, fans remain hopeful that Bethesda will swiftly address these problems, allowing players to experience the promised improvements of the next-gen update fully. More info related to this uptake in the Spanish language you have can be found here.