It may have been a disappointment at launch back in 2018, but Fallout 76 still managed to draw millions of players to its post-apocalyptic world nonetheless. And the game is once again generating attention due to the upcoming release of its Wastelanders expansion, which will add non-player characters as well as new story content to the game.
However, those looking to play Wastelanders this week will be sad to hear that Fallout 76’s expansion has been delayed, as was recently reported on Polygon.
The reason for this is the ongoing coronavirus epidemic, which is keeping millions of people at home worldwide and which has forced game makers Bethesda to shift to remote work as final testing on the game was about to begin.
“Like others around the world, we’re dealing with the critical situation that’s currently affecting so many of us and our communities. For the safety of everyone, we have transitioned to remote work, and are limiting our in-person interactions”, wrote Bethesda in a tweet.
This has led Bethesda to delay the release of the game until April 14, 2020, with the company adding that they “can’t wait for everyone to play”.
The Wastelanders expansion for Fallout 76 was originally scheduled for late 2019, but Bethesda chose to delay it back then for polishing. This expansion will be free for those who already own Fallout 76, but a new edition of the game (Fallout 76: Wastelanders) is also coming out on April 14.
Fallout 76: Wastelanders will be releasing on Steam, and those who already own the game on Bethesda.net can claim a free Steam copy by linking their Steam account. To do so, visit this link and enter your Bethesda.net login credentials and you’re done (you’ll get Fallout 76: Wastelanders on Steam on its release date). You need to this before April 13, though. And as Bethesda explains on its website, only PC users will be able to claim a free copy of Fallout 76: Wastelanders on Steam, and not console players.
Also, anyone who purchases Fallout 76: Wastelanders on Steam or claims a free Steam copy will get the Fallout Classic Collection. This bundle includes Fallout 1, Fallout 2 and Fallout Tactics, letting you enjoy several classic titles from the Fallout franchise. To take advantage of this promotion, though, you must purchase Fallout 76: Wastelanders on Steam from April 14 through April 18, or have claimed you free Steam copy as a current owner on Bethesda.net.
This will certainly be a boon for those looking forward to Wastelanders and who already own Fallout 76 on Bethesda.net, as Steam is many PC gamers platform of choice. Also, those who skipped Fallout 76 last year due to bad reviews or it launching only on Bethesda’s store now have another chance to pick up what’s looking like a much improved version of the game. Although we’ll have to wait until next week to find out whether Bethesda has managed to deliver with Fallout 76: Wastelanders or not.
Read more: Fallout 76 Wastelanders: release date, trailer and PC system requirements