Bethesda’s high-FPS and 4K upgrade for Fallout 4 is no longer upcoming. It shipped as a free update for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S on April 25, 2024, so the “is getting” wording in the original headline describes a launch that has already happened. The console update added native PS5 and Xbox Series X|S applications with two rendering modes: a Performance mode aimed at 60 FPS and a Quality mode aimed at 30 FPS, both at 4K. PS4 and Xbox One received a separate free update, and PC received widescreen and ultrawide support and fixes rather than the console modes.
What launched, and when
Bethesda Support dates the free console update to April 25, 2024. The company’s wording is direct: “We have released a free Fallout 4 update for download on Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 on April 25th, 2024.”
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Fallout 4 - PlayStation 4 | $26.88 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Fallout 4 Game of the Year Edition | $49.97 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Back 4 Blood - PlayStation 5 | $9.37 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
HITMAN: World of Assassination - PlayStation 5 | $29.90 | Buy on Amazon |
- Platforms: PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.
- Price: Free to download.
- Eligibility: Bethesda says players must own Fallout 4 on the relevant next-gen device before the update can be downloaded. Owning the game on another platform does not carry over.
- Contents: Native applications, the Performance and Quality mode options, and the additional content and fixes described below.
The two modes on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S
Bethesda Game Studios’ April 25, 2024 patch notes define the two modes with published targets. They are quoted here as written:
- “Performance mode: 60 FPS target, 4k resolution, standard settings, relying on dynamic resolution scaling.”
- “Quality mode: 30 FPS*, 4k resolution, ultra settings, should not require dynamic resolution scaling.”
| Mode | Published frame-rate target | Output resolution | Visual settings | Dynamic resolution scaling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Performance | 60 FPS | 4K | Standard | Relied on by design |
| Quality | 30 FPS | 4K | Ultra | Should not be required |
The trade-off is the one the notes describe: Performance mode drops visual settings to standard to chase the higher frame-rate target, while Quality mode keeps ultra settings and targets a lower frame rate.
#1 Best Overall
- 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
How display refresh rate and resolution change the result
The notes add two display conditions. They are the only display-specific behavior Bethesda spells out, and they should not be read as applying to every screen.
| Display condition | Documented behavior | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 120Hz display, Quality mode | Targets 40 FPS | Bethesda Game Studios, April 25, 2024 patch notes |
| 1440p display | Runs at 1440p and 60 FPS with ultra settings, regardless of rendering mode | Bethesda Game Studios, April 25, 2024 patch notes |
The 120Hz row changes the Quality mode target from 30 FPS to 40 FPS. The 1440p row is a separate case: it describes output resolution and frame rate on a 1440p screen, not a 4K result. Neither row is an independent measurement that the game holds these numbers.
What the figures do and do not establish
Every frame-rate and resolution figure in this update is a published target from Bethesda. None of the sources reviewed for this article contain independent frame-rate measurements, per-console benchmarks, or a statement that either mode locks to its target in every scene. A reader who wants to compare the two consoles, or the console and PC, needs to check the same variables on each side:
- Target frame rate, and whether the figure is an official target or a measured result.
- Output resolution, and whether dynamic resolution scaling is active.
- Visual setting preset, such as standard or ultra.
- Display refresh rate and resolution.
- Platform: PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, or PC.
The official notes do not support ranking one platform above another for this update. Any claim that one console runs Fallout 4 better than the other would need separate testing that Bethesda’s notes do not provide.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesPS4 and Xbox One
Last-generation owners received a different update. The Bethesda announcement describes a separate free update with performance improvements and fixes for login and quests. It does not describe PS4 or Xbox One receiving the native PS5 or Xbox Series X|S applications, or the Performance and Quality modes. Treat the last-generation update as a stability and fix release, not as the high-FPS and 4K upgrade.
PC
The PC changes in Bethesda’s notes are real but are not console-style upgrades. The notes list:
Rank #3
- Fight your way through a perilous world In a 4-player co-op story campaign where you must work together to survive increasingly challenging missions
- Choose from 8 customizable cleaners and a range of lethal weapons and items
- Play with or against friends in PvP
- A new Roguelike card system creates different experiences each and every time
- A PlayStation Plus subscription is required to play Back 4 Blood on PlayStation or Xbox consoles.
- Widescreen and ultrawide support.
- Fixes for the Creation Kit and for quests.
- Improved stability and mod access.
- A release on the Epic Games Store.
- Steam Deck Verified status.
The notes do not describe PC as receiving the native console application or the console graphics modes. Anyone looking for PS5-style Performance and Quality options on PC will not find them described in this update.
Additional content in the 2024 update
The April 25, 2024 notes also list nine free Creation Club items, including Enclave Remnants, the Makeshift Weapon Pack, and Halloween Workshop, alongside bug fixes. These are content and fixes rather than hardware upgrades, and they are not tied to the frame-rate or resolution targets above.
Later Fallout 4 updates in 2026
Bethesda’s current patch index lists two later changes, and neither is a new version of the 2024 graphics upgrade:
Rank #4
- ENTER THE WORLD OF THE ULTIMATE ASSASSIN - HITMAN World of Assassination brings together the best of HITMAN, HITMAN 2 and HITMAN 3 including the main campaign, contracts mode, escalations, elusive target arcades and featured live content.
- BECOME AGENT 47 - Suit up for a spy-thriller adventure where all your deadly abilities are put to the test across more than 20 locations.
- FREEDOM OF APPROACH - Your deadliest weapon is creativity. Unlock new gear and up your game on highly replayable missions.
- WORLD OF ASSASSINATION - Travel a living, breathing world, filled with intriguing characters and lethal opportunities.
- HITMAN FREELANCER - A new way to play on your own terms, that combines rogue-like elements and deep strategic planning with a persistent and infinitely replayable gameplay experience.
- May 27, 2026: A Creation storage expansion.
- August 18, 2026: An update that raised the BA2 archive limit and added fixes.
Both are maintenance or Creations-platform changes. They do not alter the April 2024 console modes or their published targets.
Sources: Bethesda Game Studios patch notes dated April 25, 2024; Bethesda Support answer on the console update; Bethesda’s current Fallout 4 patch index.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
