Earlier today, Todd Howard joined Microsoft to officially introduce Fallout 76. There, we learned that the game is set before the other Fallout games, and acts as a prequel as a result. On top of that, we were also told that we’ll control one of the first vault dwellers to emerge, and will get to explore a world that is four times the size of that found within Fallout 4. A world that is set in the hills of West Virginia.
Tonight, Todd Howard reentered the limelight at his own company’s E3 showcase, and shared more details about Fallout 76. He did so after showing the same trailer we saw earlier.
Vault 76 was designed to celebrate America’s tercentennary. As one of the chosen few selected to be an occupant and spend twenty-five years underground, in wait for Reclamation Day (the day the vault opens), you emerge into a much different world. The game begins on this very special day, following a party that has left the vault a mess.
The world features all new rendering, lighting and landscape technology, with 16x the detail and distant weather systems that can be viewed across the map. The setting of West Virginia also allows for six distinct regions, all with their own styles, risks and rewards, along with plenty of new creatures. The state’s folklore and its nuclear secrets have also been utilized to bring the game world to life.
What’s different about Fallout 76 is that each of its characters — all of the people who’ve emerged from this early vault with you — will be a real person, because this is a fully online game. Of course, you can still play the thing solo, by doing quests, exploring the world and leveling up, but the game was built around the idea of what Fallout would be like if it was played and experienced together with others.
The result is an experience that is open world, survival based and will be full of other people. This is not hardcore survival, though, and is, instead, “softcore survival” according to Todd Howard. This means that you will never lose your progression or your character, because you’ll never be tied to one server or see a server when you play. You won’t be playing with hundreds or thousands of people, either, because this apocalypse is not an amusement park. Instead, you’ll be playing with dozens of others, and can join your friends whenever you want without losing any progression.
Thus, the easiest way to survive is to team up and build together. You can build wherever you want, and can then move your builds to other places. This means that Fallout 4‘s building system will return in an upgraded fashion. You’ll want to monitor your environments for anything out of the ordinary, though, because the home of tomorrow may undergo challenges. Creatures may attack, and other human players may not mean well.
Another thing that can damage the world is nuclear weapons, because Fallout 76 will feature multiple nuclear sites. How these are used will be left up to the players. Will your bomb land on another player’s settlement? Another survivor, himself? Or what?
Unsurprisingly, Fallout 76 will be playable in beta form. The Vault-Tec Corporation will be holding Break it Early Test Applications, and will be sponsoring this technical effort.
Of course, Fallout 76 will also be available in a collector’s edition format. This will include a map that glows in the dark, as well as a wearable power armor helmet that can alter one’s voice. They call it the Fallout 76 Power Armor Edition.
Fallout 76 will introduce us to a social wasteland on November 14th.