Bethesda faced some pretty big controversies in 2019, and a lot of them had to do with the continued problems plaguing Fallout 76. That could potentially change this year with the release of the much anticipated Wastelanders DLC which promises to bring in NPCs, something fans and critics have been saying should've been in the game all along.
While the few fans still playing Fallout 76 are waiting for that DLC to drop, Bethesda is trying to build up hype for their game by releasing some new details, much like when it shared screenshots of the Wastelanders update back in Thanksgiving. Along with NPCs, Wastelanders will introduce a new area for players to explore called the Watoga Underground, otherwise known as the "City of the Future."
The so-called "City of the Future" is actually a giant automated pre-War parking garage. Along with being one of the first locations of an NPC settlement, the Watoga Underground will provide plenty of lore on Fallout 76's West Virginia setting. Along with new characters, Bethesda had announced another location would be included with the Wastelanders update back in December called the Wayward area, which promises to provide players new and old with all-new things to do. Bethesda describes the Wayward in an official statement as "a fledgling watering hole not far from the Overseer’s C.A.M.P. in the Forest."
This "fledgling watering hole" is the home of new characters Duchess and Mort, the same NPCs Bethesda teased back in December. Mort can provide players with information on the new area, and Duchess needs help with some very suspicious visitors, which should lead to some really awesome side quests. There are plenty more NPCs coming with the update, as Bethesda has mentioned it wants to make Appalachia feel more alive. It seems its original plan to keep the game world populated entirely by players has changed ever since fans started dropping the game in droves.
It looks like Bethesda is riding a lot of Fallout 76's success on the upcoming Wastelanders DLC and its characters, and it's not hard to see why. Most of Bethesda's best RPGs are buggy and glitchy, but fans were able to overlook those flaws in favor of engaging narratives, interesting NPCs, and well-written dialogue. Now that Fallout 76 will actually be getting some of that, it might be enough to bring fans back to the dying action RPG. Hopefully the Wastelanders update doesn't end up getting delayed again.
Those few fans currently playing Fallout 76 may also be interested to know that there is a double XP event coming January 9th at 12 PM ET and will end January 13th at the same time.
Fallout 76 is available on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. The Wastelanders DLC will be released sometime in Q1 2020.
Source: Bethesda.net