In the wake of Amazon’s well-received Fallout series, anticipation for Bethesda’s Fallout franchise was palpable. However, Bethesda’s recent move to roll out a major “next gen” update for Fallout 4, arguably a cornerstone of the series, has backfired spectacularly, leaving players disillusioned and modders scrambling to salvage the experience.
While touted as a leap forward, the update, particularly on PC, has left much to be desired. Instead of delivering promised enhancements, the patch has plunged the game into disarray, rendering numerous free non-Creation Club mods defunct. For Steam users, the situation is especially dire, as reverting patches is a cumbersome ordeal compared to the simplicity afforded to GOG users.
Confronted with this debacle, the modding community has taken matters into its own hands, offering solutions where Bethesda has faltered. A glance at the Fallout 4 page on NexusMods reveals a prevailing sentiment: the top mods, Fallout 4 Downgrader and Steam: Skip next gen update, have garnered nearly 35,000 downloads collectively.
The Fallout 4 Downgrader swiftly reverts the game to its pre-update state, facilitating the use of essential mods like Fallout 4 Script Extender and Buffout. Conversely, the Steam mod caters to those yet to download the problematic update, circumventing its installation entirely.
Especially invaluable for players whose meticulously modded playthroughs have been compromised, the Downgrader mod promises a lifeline, allowing them to resume their adventures unhindered.
Despite the outcry from the community, Bethesda has maintained a conspicuous silence regarding the update’s reception. Speculation abounds whether an official fix or rollback option is forthcoming. The timing of the update’s release, coinciding with a resurgence of interest in the Fallout series, amplifies its impact, underscoring the frustration felt by both new and returning players alike. Such was the influx of players following Amazon’s series that Nexus Mods experienced temporary outages due to the overwhelming traffic.
For modders, the fallout from Bethesda’s update is keenly felt. The Fallout: London project, a monumental undertaking, has been dealt a severe blow, forcing a delay in its launch as the team grapples with the aftermath of the update. Reflecting on the situation, the project lead lamented, “[the patch] has, for a lack of a better term, screwed us over.”
As the fallout settles, the Fallout community remains in a state of flux, grappling with the aftermath of Bethesda’s misstep. Whether Bethesda will heed the outcry and address the grievances of its player base remains uncertain. In the interim, modders continue to serve as beacons of resilience, striving to salvage the Fallout 4 experience from the wreckage of Bethesda’s ‘next gen’ update.
