The "next generation" patch for Fallout 4 has been rumored for some time now, and it's finally out, bringing with it a bunch of promised improvements. Or does it? Many players are complaining that the patch doesn't seem to add all that much, while breaking mod support and old saved games. Also, PS Plus players have noticed it doesn't seem to be free for them.
News in brief:
- Fallout 4's "next generation" patch is now available
- It's supposed to add a bunch of improvements, including ultrawidescreen support and higher refresh rates
- Instead, many players have only noticed the downsides
This particular patch has been a long time coming, having first been announced two years ago. However, it doesn't seem to have added much, especially on PC. While a few new armor sets have been added, the much touted ultrawide monitor support has led to a horribly stretched UI, a lack of frame rate support above 60 fps, and no apparent graphical improvements. Balance that against the loss of many mods, a number of which are viewed as essential, such as F4SE, and many gamers are wondering why they bothered. This has especially hurt those who treasured their older, modded saves, as those appear to be completely broken.
It's not just an issue on PC either, as while Xbox owners seem to have received the patch without problems, PS5 users on PS Plus are having problems getting the update at all. As it stands, it appears the patch is simply not available yet, but the developers are scrambling to fix this.
The Fallout series is in the midst of a revival, thanks entirely to the great new Fallout TV show available on Amazon Prime. Gamers, new and old, are diving into the Fallout universe, whether as a returning veteran, or a complete newbie. Fallout 4, as the latest single-player addition, is the focus point of much of the attention — but it seems Bethesda has rather shot itself in the foot by pushing this patch out now, rather than before the series. While it's unlikely to put off newer players without mods, those old hands who rely on mods are likely to be put out by this patch until fixes are released.
