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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Fallout 4’s free next-generation update launched on April 25, 2024. It added native PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S versions, new graphics and frame-rate options, PC improvements, and nine official Creation Club additions. The update remains free for eligible owners, but it is not a full remake—and players with heavily modded installations should check compatibility before updating.
Quick answer
- Release date: April 25, 2024.
- Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Steam, Microsoft Store, Epic Games Store, and GOG.
- Cost: Free for eligible existing owners; it is not a separate free copy for every account.
- Biggest console upgrade: Native PS5 and Xbox Series X|S applications with Performance and Quality options.
- Biggest PC additions: Widescreen and ultrawide support, Creation Kit fixes, quest updates, and stability and mod-related fixes.
- Main warning: Build-sensitive mods and tools may need updates before they work correctly.
Bethesda’s original announcement is available on the official Fallout website.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Fallout 4 Game of The Year Edition - PlayStation 4 | $30.81 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Fallout 4 Game of The Year Edition - PlayStation 4 | $30.27 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
![Fallout 4 | Anniversary Edition | Nintendo Switch 2 [Code in Box]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41nB7eUArSL._SL160_.jpg)
|
Fallout 4 | Anniversary Edition | Nintendo Switch 2 [Code in Box] | $51.59 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
Fallout 4 Game of The Year Edition - Xbox One | $33.83 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
|
Fallout 4 - PlayStation 4 [ (Renewed) | $17.75 | Buy on Amazon |
What each platform received
| Platform | Update | Main benefit | Important caveat |
|---|---|---|---|
| PS5 | Free for eligible owners | Native application, higher-resolution presentation, Performance and Quality options | Ownership must be recognized for the relevant platform |
| Xbox Series X|S | Free for eligible owners | Native application, visual and frame-rate controls | Ownership must be recognized for the relevant platform |
| PS4 | Free update | Stability, login, quest, and bug fixes | No native PS5 application |
| Xbox One | Free update | Stability and bug fixes | No native Xbox Series application |
| PC | Update for supported storefront versions | Ultrawide support, Creation Kit and quest fixes, stability improvements | Mod compatibility varies by installed build |
| Steam Deck | PC update applies | Steam Deck Verified status | Mods can still introduce separate compatibility problems |
On console, “free upgrade” means that you already need Fallout 4 access for the relevant device or platform account. Do not assume that a physical PS4 disc automatically provides a separate digital PS5 entitlement; the platform’s edition and upgrade rules determine how the entitlement is handled.
PS5 and Xbox Series performance modes
The initial console update offered Performance and Quality modes. Bethesda described these as targets rather than guaranteed results in every scene:
#1 Best Overall
- Freedom and Liberty Do whatever you want in a massive open world with hundreds of locations, characters, and quests. Join multiple factions vying for power or go it alone, the choices are all yours
- Be whoever you want with the special character system. From a power Armored soldier to the charismatic smooth talker, you can choose from hundreds of perks and develop your own playstyle
- New next generation graphics and lighting engine brings to life the world of fallout. From the blasted forests of the common wealth to the ruins of Boston, every location is packed with dynamic detail
- Intense first or third person combat can also be slowed down with the new dynamic Vault Tec Assisted Targeting System (V.A.T.S) that lets you choose your attacks and enjoy cinematic carnage
- Performance mode: 60 FPS target, 4K resolution target, standard settings, and dynamic resolution scaling.
- Quality mode: 30 FPS target, 4K resolution target, ultra settings, and generally no dynamic resolution scaling.
- 120 Hz displays: Quality mode could target 40 FPS.
- 1440p displays: Bethesda described the game as running at 1440p and 60 FPS with ultra settings regardless of the selected rendering mode.
“4K” does not mean native 4K rendering in every scene, and “60 FPS” does not mean a locked frame rate under all conditions. Dynamic resolution, scene complexity, display hardware, and the selected mode can affect the actual result.
What Next-Gen Update 2 changed
Bethesda released Next-Gen Update 2 on May 13, 2024. It expanded the display controls with:
- 30, 40, and 60 FPS targets.
- A 120 Hz display requirement for the 40 FPS option.
- Separate Visuals and Performance prioritization options.
- Dynamic internal resolution in demanding scenes.
These display settings can be changed from the main menu, rather than freely switching them during gameplay. Bethesda listed Update 2 build numbers as 1.10.765 for Xbox Series X|S, 1.10.985 for PS5, and 1.10.984 for PC, PS4, and Xbox One. Later patches may supersede those numbers, so they should not be treated as one universal current version.
Free official content
The update added nine official Creations in three groups. These are Bethesda-sanctioned Creation Club additions, not a replacement for the wider community mod ecosystem.
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- Freedom and Liberty Do whatever you want in a massive open world with hundreds of locations, characters, and quests. Join multiple factions vying for power or go it alone, the choices are all yours
- Be whoever you want with the special character system. From a power Armored soldier to the charismatic smooth talker, you can choose from hundreds of perks and develop your own playstyle
- New next generation graphics and lighting engine brings to life the world of fallout. From the blasted forests of the common wealth to the ruins of Boston, every location is packed with dynamic detail
- Intense first or third person combat can also be slowed down with the new dynamic Vault Tec Assisted Targeting System (V.A.T.S) that lets you choose your attacks and enjoy cinematic carnage
Enclave Remnants
This package adds the “Echoes of the Past” quest, which begins on the road north of Saugus Ironworks. It also includes the Enclave Colonel uniform, workshop items, X-02 and Hellfire Power Armor, the Heavy Incinerator, the Tesla Cannon, and Enclave weapon and armor skins.
Makeshift Weapon Pack
The “When Pigs Fly” quest starts at a merchant workshop northwest of Greenetech Genetics. The pack includes a Nail Gun, Baseball Launcher, Saw Blade launcher, two grenade launchers, and piggy-bank-themed weaponry.
Halloween Workshop
The “All Hallow’s Eve” quest begins by tuning into the Mysterious Signal on the Pip-Boy. It adds 38 Halloween-themed settlement props, including witches, cauldrons, ghouls, and pumpkins, plus additional wearable items such as the De-Capitalist helmet.
These bundled items were free as part of the update. That does not mean every other Creation available for Fallout 4 is free.
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Rank #3
- ANNIVERSARY EDITION — Celebrate ten years of Fallout 4 with the complete post‑nuclear RPG experience, winner of over 200 Best Of awards including DICE and BAFTA Game of the Year.
- COMPLETE BASE GAME INCLUDED — Experience the full Fallout 4 main campaign as the Sole Survivor of Vault 111, shaping the fate of the Commonwealth through meaningful choices, factions, and exploration.
- ALL 6 OFFICIAL EXPANSIONS — Includes Automatron, Wasteland Workshop, Far Harbor, Contraptions Workshop, Vault‑Tec Workshop, and Nuka‑World for massive story, settlement, and gameplay additions.
- 150+ CREATION CLUB ITEMS — Expand your adventure with curated Creation Club content featuring unique weapons, power armor sets, building packs, paint jobs, player homes, and Dogmeat cosmetic variants.
- OPEN‑WORLD FREEDOM — Explore hundreds of locations, craft weapons and armor, build and manage settlements, and customize your playstyle using the S.P.E.C.I.A.L. system and perk progression.
PC, Epic, GOG, and Steam Deck details
The PC release was a technical and compatibility update rather than a native-console-style rebuild. Bethesda listed widescreen and ultrawide support, Creation Kit fixes, quest updates, stability improvements, and mod-related fixes. The update also accompanied Fallout 4’s availability on the Epic Games Store and the game’s Steam Deck Verified status.
Bethesda’s launch materials contained an important timing qualification: the announcement referred to Steam, Microsoft Store, and GOG versions, while the launch notes said the GOG version was not yet available at that moment and would follow later. That was a launch-day status, not a claim about GOG’s position in 2026. Storefront clients should be allowed to check for the latest supported build before installation.
Bug fixes and technical improvements
The launch patch addressed a broad range of issues, including the prologue save-loading problem, the Vault 111 door failing to open, “Go Home” progression, Codsworth becoming stuck after fast travel, Preston Garvey dialogue softlocks, Power Armor fast-travel autosaves, settlement resource-count corruption, quest-marker placement, underwater movement, Vault 111 flickering, and Creation Club text display.
It also included Bethesda.net login fixes for Japanese and Chinese users, Creation Kit crash and hang fixes, and a fix involving Windows usernames containing Cyrillic, Chinese, or Japanese characters.
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Rank #4
- GOTY edition includes original game on disc and all available DLC as download codes.
- Do whatever you want in a massive open world with hundreds of locations, characters, and quests. Join multiple factions vying for power or go it alone, the choices are all yours.
- Be whoever you want with the S.P.E.C.I.A.L. character system. From a Power Armored soldier to the charismatic smooth talker, you can choose from hundreds of Perks and develop your own playstyle.
- An all-new next generation graphics and lighting engine brings to life the world of Fallout like never before. From the blasted forests of the Commonwealth to the ruins of Boston, every location is packed with dynamic detail.
- Intense first or third person combat can also be slowed down with the new dynamic Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System (V.A.T.S) that lets you choose your attacks and enjoy cinematic carnage.
Should mod users update immediately?
Not necessarily. The official update may install cleanly for an unmodded player, but a heavily customized PC setup is a different decision. The update changed the executable and other components on which tools and mods can depend. Mod developers and secondary coverage reported compatibility problems affecting some setups, including Fallout Script Extender-dependent tools; the Fallout: London project also faced compatibility delays.
That does not mean every Fallout 4 mod breaks. It means compatibility must be checked against the specific game build.
Before updating a modded installation
- Back up saves and the existing game installation where practical.
- Record the mod list, load order, and installed tool versions.
- Check F4SE, framework, UI, script, and other executable-dependent mods for support.
- Consider disabling automatic updates if preserving an older setup is important.
- Keep a clean, unmodded profile or separate installation for the official update.
Do not assume that a save created with one heavily modded setup will load safely with missing mods or a different load order. These are risk-management recommendations, not universal Bethesda requirements.
What changed after the original launch?
The next-generation update should be separated from later platform changes. Bethesda’s support page records a Creation Storage Expansion Update dated May 27, 2026. It lists storage increases of up to 100 GB on Xbox Series X|S, with different limits for Xbox One, PS5, and PS4. Bethesda also noted that Xbox users may need to redownload installed Creations, while PS5 installed Creations were described as preserved.
Best Value
- Next generation of open-world gaming
- Developed by Bethesda Game Studios under the direction of Todd Howard
- Fallout 4 is the follow up to the 2008 'Game of the Year' Fallout 3
- First title from the world-renowned studio since the release of Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
That storage update is not part of the April 2024 next-generation launch, but it matters to readers installing or maintaining a large Creation collection in 2026.
Is the update worth installing?
For an unmodded player, generally yes. PS5 and Xbox Series owners get the most substantial upgrade: native applications, improved presentation, and selectable frame-rate targets. PC players gain useful display, Creation Kit, quest, and stability improvements, while all platforms receive the bundled official content where supported.
For a heavily modded player, proceed cautiously. The official improvements may not outweigh the disruption to a stable setup. Check every essential dependency, preserve your saves, and consider keeping an older or isolated installation until the required tools and mods support the installed build.
Fallout 4 remains the same core game with its existing quests and expansions. The “next-gen” label describes platform, rendering, performance, content, and technical improvements—not a rebuilt sequel or a full remake.
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