The Fallout 76 Wastelanders private beta test was originally scheduled for this week, but Bethesda has announced it will delay that test for an unforeseen amount of time. Many players were excited to try the upcoming update.
Wastelanders promises to fix one major issue that many have condemned since Fallout 76 originally released in November 2018. Though the game is filled with numerous NPCs that want to kill players, robots with whom vault dwellers can interact, a friendly super mutant and his bovine companion, and holotapes that offer at times entrancing storylines, vault dwellers have long complained that Fallout 76 lacks human NPCs. Wastelanders marks a time when people feel safe to return to Appalachia. The Scorched plague is no longer an issue. The corner of the wasteland that used to be West Virginia is a much safer place. Fallout 76 Wastelanders was originally planned for a late 2019 release but was delayed until 2020.
Players eager to explore the Watoga Underground and all that Wastelanders has to offer will have to wait a little longer according to a post on the official Bethesda forums. Community admin jurassica explained that while Bethesda had planned to begin testing on Friday, they need more time before they begin inviting players to test the Fallout 76 Wastelanders update. "Once we're ready, we'll begin letting people into the Private Test Server so you can start your next journey in Appalachia," the post says, adding that Bethesda is targeting this week for a start date.
Wastelanders will bring major changes to the game, including a more full world filled with the aforementioned human NPCs, a return of choice and consequences in dialogue options, and new areas to explore, so this is surely a disappointment to those who were eagerly awaiting the beta. Bethesda says it will give preference to players who opted-in to the beta test. The testing will be limited to "a few hundred players," with preference given to "experienced" wastelanders who play regularly. More players may be invited as testing needs dictate.
Fallout 76 Wastelanders shows a lot of promise, but only time will tell if this update will be enough to finally get the game in the good graces of the masses. Bethesda has endured numerous black eyes thanks to this latest Fallout game - and has only made matters worse by closing Vault 94 raids "indefinitely," introducing a monthly pay-to-win plan in the form of Fallout 1st, and seemingly prioritizing updates to the battle royale mode over the main game. The Wastelanders delays have not helped, either. Wastelanders could be the update that makes or breaks Fallout 76. Perhaps this delay and the testing will help them produce a Fallout 76 update with fewer exploits, bugs and issues than is typical for their games.
Fallout 76 is available on PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4.
Source: Bethesda