The huge Wastelanders update for Fallout 76 has been active for a month now and has apparently attracted many new and old players. But has it brought salvation for the survival MMO? MeinMMO takes a look at how Fallout 76 is doing now.
How has Fallout 76 been since Wastelanders? On April 14, 2020, exactly a month ago, the Wastelanders update for Fallout 76 was released. The update fundamentally changed the game and was pretty much what players had been waiting for.
MeinMMO author Benedict Grothaus even states: With Wastelanders, Fallout 76 is now the game it was meant to be.
Along with Wastelanders, Fallout 76 also made its debut on Steam for PC, after being available only for the Bethesda.net client, PS4, and Xbox One since release. The ratings there have transformed from initially rather negative reviews to now a strong 79% positive reviews (as of May 14, via Steam).
We are looking at how Wastelanders has developed in the month since its release.
The mood in Wastelanders
This is how Wastelanders has developed on Steam: After initially poor ratings, the positive reviews on Steam have nearly doubled in a short time and are now at 79%, almost three times better than at the beginning. The player count, on the other hand, has dropped a bit: from an initial 15,807 players to currently an average of 14,545 players on Steam (via steamcharts).
The problem for many critics is that Fallout 76 is still in a technically imperfect state and is often compared to Fallout 4.
However, many players now seem willing to really engage with Fallout 76 instead of mourning Fallout 4.
- Steam user Crispy titties says: “When you walk through the wasteland with the radio on and loot, you really get a sense of the atmosphere. In my opinion, there’s also a lot to do for people who are just starting. […] Those who know what they’re getting into will also get their money’s worth.”
- ATiX on Steam writes: “It’s simply fun! The fact is, you have to be willing to engage. If you prefer to complain about the shortcomings, you will find little joy in Fallout 76. If you can overlook that, you’ll experience an incredibly beautiful world.”
MeinMMO author Gerd Schuhmann sees in the rising reviews, that Fallout 76 has escaped this “franchise trap”.
This is what players are saying: Criticism of the technical aspects still prevails. Over the years, performance seems to have improved, and it likely only affects fewer players now, but the points of criticism still exist, as even Crispy titties states in his positive review: “The performance is, although visibly better, still not top-notch.”
The content itself is quite well-received. Only the grind for reputation with the factions as one of the endgame contents is starting to bother players a bit, as it takes too long for them.
The changes from Wastelanders
What has changed with Wastelanders? The likely biggest change of Wastelanders is the introduction of NPCs, which took a lot of work. Since the release of Fallout 76, the absence of human NPCs and interactions has been a major point of criticism.
Since Wastelanders, all of Appalachia is populated with people who talk to players, give them quests, or belong to the two major factions you can also join.
Additionally, the story of Fallout 76 has continued and there are new events, so you have more to do. There are new monsters, missions, and brand-new weapons, such as the bow and arrow with unique perks.
How well was Wastelanders received: After an AMA (“Ask Me Anything”) on reddit, Bethesda created a small overview with data and numbers on Wastelanders. It recorded how enthusiastically players participated in certain activities:
- 58% of residents kept the treasure at the end of the campaign
- At Crater, atomic bombs were dropped most frequently
- 7,639,485 Floaters (a new monster) were killed
- 7,122 Wendigo Colossi (new cryptid) were killed – and 23,961 players by the Wendigo Colossus
- Commander Daguerre is the most popular of the new companions
- 193,639 salami rolls were consumed
In addition, 54% of players joined the Settlers and only 46% joined the Raiders. Which faction suits you best can be found in our test:
The community itself seems to be quite satisfied with the update and still holds together strongly – one of the aspects that makes Fallout 76 so special. A MeinMMO reader, for example, offered new players in Wastelanders to build their camp for them.
However, the solidarity among players extends beyond the game itself. Just recently, a known player lost his house in a fire and ended up in the hospital after rescuing his wife and son. The Fallout 76 community immediately came together to donate for his loss.
