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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fallout 76’s September 15, 2026 Slasher update has already been released. Bethesda repackaged the game across platforms to reduce its installed size, but the update download was unusually large. Players did not need to uninstall first. Separately, Bethesda says accessing the native Xbox Series and PlayStation 5 versions requires downloading the entire game from the relevant platform store.
Which Fallout 76 update required a large download?
The change was part of The Slasher, released September 15, 2026. Bethesda said it was repackaging Fallout 76 on all platforms “to reduce the game’s overall file size.” The repackaging made the update download larger than usual, with the goal of leaving the installed game smaller afterward. Bethesda’s October 1 update announcement described stability improvements, not another announced full repackaging.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Fallout 76: Wastelanders - Xbox One | $16.85 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Fallout 76: Microsoft Xbox One (Renewed) | $8.12 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Fallout 76 | Standard Edition | XBOX Digital Code | $39.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
Fallout 76 | 1000 (+100 Bonus) Atoms | XBOX Digital Code | $9.99 | Buy on Amazon |
Bethesda Game Studios’ Slasher release notes list the update as version 1.7.26.13. The sizes below are the published download sizes, not the game’s final installed size or a temporary free-space requirement.
How large was the Slasher update download?
| Platform or storefront | Published download size |
|---|---|
| PC, Steam | 119 GB |
| PC, Microsoft Store | 119.7 GB |
| Xbox | 101 GB |
| PlayStation | 92.2 GB |
These figures come from Bethesda’s September 15, 2026 release notes. Bethesda does not state how much free space each platform needs while applying the update, so the download size alone should not be treated as a storage-space recommendation.
#1 Best Overall
- New Main Quest: Uncover the secrets of West Virginia by playing through an all-new main quest, starting from the moment you leave Vault 76.
- Human NPCs: Befriend or betray new neighbors who have come to rebuild, and experience Appalachia through the eyes of its residents.
- New Creatures and Gear: Take down newly mutated creatures finding their way to the region and earn the highest tier of weapons and armor.
- Choices and Reputation: Alter the fates of those you meet with dialogue trees. Decisions affect your standing with each faction through an all-new reputation system.
Do you need to uninstall Fallout 76 before updating?
No. Bethesda says players do not need to uninstall the existing game to receive the Slasher patch; the platform handles the large download. The notes do not give a universal temporary-space figure, and the amount required may depend on the platform’s update process.
Which versions require downloading the entire game?
Bethesda specifically says that accessing the native Xbox Series and PlayStation 5 versions requires redownloading the entire game from the respective platform store. That instruction concerns those native console versions; it is distinct from the all-platform repackaging in the Slasher update.
Rank #2
- Bethesda Game Studios, the award-winning creators of Skyrim and Fallout 4, welcome you to Fallout 76, the online prequel where every surviving human is a real person. Work together, or not, to survive. Under the threat of nuclear annihilation, you’ll experience the largest, most dynamic world ever created in the legendary Fallout universe
- Reclamation Day, 2102. Twenty-five years after the bombs fall, you and your fellow Vault Dwellers—chosen from the nation’s best and brightest – emerge into post-nuclear America. Play solo or join together as you explore, quest, build, and triumph against the wasteland’s greatest threats
To get a native version, use the Fallout 76 store page on the relevant Xbox or PlayStation platform. Bethesda’s notes do not settle every regional or subscription entitlement case, so check the account and store listing you use to confirm access.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Is another full Fallout 76 redownload coming?
As of October 8, 2026, Bethesda’s stated full repackaging is the September Slasher update. Its October 1 announcement describes stability improvements, not a further repackaging or a new all-platform full-game redownload.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- ATOM PACK — Add 1,000 Atoms plus 100 bonus Atoms to your Fallout 76 balance.
- IN-GAME CURRENCY — Use Atoms as in-game currency in Fallout 76.
- CHARACTER CUSTOMIZATION — Spend Atoms on a variety of customization items for your character.
- ATOMIC SHOP — Visit the in-game Atomic Shop to see what is available.
Rank #3
- FALLOUT 76 — Emerge from your shelter in 2102 and explore a massive open-world RPG set in the West Virginia wilderness, 25 years after the Great War.
- PLAY YOUR WAY — Explore solo, team up in online co-op for 2–4 players, or join online multiplayer for 2–24 players.
- BUILD YOUR SURVIVOR — Use Fallout’s S.P.E.C.I.A.L. system to shape your character, from a heavily armored Power Armor tank to a stealthy sniper or a build of your own.
- CREATE YOUR CAMP — Choose a location and design a C.A.M.P. in the wasteland, from a mountainside fortress to a woodland estate, raider outpost, or mad scientist lair.
- QUEST ACROSS APPALACHIA — Take on story quests involving competing factions and meaningful choices that shape your adventure.
