Who’s Laughing Now? – The Fallout Mania
Ever since the release of the Fallout TV show on Prime Video, there has been a strange uptick in popularity for the iconic franchise. Almost every time there has been a TV show or movie adapting any video game, there is always a period of time following that adaptation where the series sees a surge in sales or conversation. This was, of course, not the case for the Halo Paramount+ show, but for Fallout? Well, it has created a wave of overwhelming positive news for the current series of games. So much so, that it feels like every week there is something unforeseen happening. Owing to just how good the TV show was. But what have we been seeing since April 10th?
Millions of New Players Across the Whole Series
On the 23rd of this month, the official Fallout Twitter Page posted a celebration of over a million new players joining in on Fallout 76.
They also followed this up by announcing that nearly five million players were also playing on that singular day.
…and almost five million across all Fallout games in a single day!⚡
— Fallout (@Fallout) April 23, 2024
This is no small feat for any game series, and considering there has not been a new entry in the series since Fallout 76 in 2018, this news is even more impressive. In fact, the most played one on Steam is Fallout 4 which had a peak of 187,000 players, exceeding that of the wildly popular Helldivers 2. Owing to the recent current generational update for PC and console players:
The #Fallout 4 next-gen update brings with it a new Quality and Performance mode, widescreen support, and 3 free Creation Club content packs for all players!
Check out the full details here: https://t.co/HYW9r8PfIJ pic.twitter.com/EMN2mluunH
— Bethesda Game Studios (@BethesdaStudios) April 25, 2024
There was also a report from Gamespot that indicated Fallout 4’s physical copies on official retailers have been selling out. Obviously, the game is from nearly a decade ago, so it has not been in print for a while. But it is indicative of people willing to try the game, physically or digitally. But outside of more sales, and more players for the series. Are the games available really worth playing with the show’s hype?
Yes, The Fallout Games Are Really Good Right Now
To start with the most popular, Fallout 4 after all these years is really good to play and now Steam Deck verified. There are still bugs and other problems. But there are many years of community support via mods and the creation club on consoles. As well as the current generation update makes the game run better, look better, and have a whole slew of features added. With free creation club content such as:
- Enclave Weapon Skins.
- Enclave Armor Skins.
- Tesla Cannon.
- Hellfire Power Armor.
- X-02 Power Armor.
- Heavy Incinerator.
You can read more about the free update here.
If you are on Xbox One, or the Series consoles, you can also play Fallout 3 and Fallout New Vegas through the Xbox Backwards compatibility program. If you do not have a physical copy, you can still purchase them, and their DLCs and they even run at 60 frames-per-second via FPS boost. PC players can also play all of the games from either GoG or Steam itself. There was even a crazy bundle with every game for 25 dollars that has since ended but may come back.
What About Fallout 76?
Well, when it comes to Fallout 76, I would say the experience from its initial launch has been largely morphed. The game is still an online-only, multiplayer open-world experience. With the cash shop and Fallout 1st subscription service. But the storyline has changed significantly, and the game feels and looks better when you play it. There’s a very generous and fun community with a toggle for PvP so you do not have to engage with that side of the game anymore. There are years of free expansions and other content updates. As well as earnable premium currency and seasonal content to offer a sense of progression while you level.
There are entire towns of NPCs and characters to meet. The onboarding feels better and if you do not wander off to locations you are unfamiliar with and stick to quests, you’ll have a great time. There are even daily quests so you can get some cool free stuff every time you log in. But if you still have not forgiven Bethesda for the launch of the game, no one can really blame you. Internet Historian’s Fall of 76 video is still the best documentary of what happened, and the fact it cannot reach the player numbers that Fallout 4 has while being a multiplayer-centric game. Which at the time of writing peaked at 68,000 players on Steam after all this time is very telling.
‘Fallout’ Officially Renewed for Season 2 at Amazon https://t.co/N7XTEOqCW6 pic.twitter.com/PoFzCQBzxk
— Wario64 (@Wario64) April 18, 2024
The Fallout show is already renewed for a second season. So, with the general hype around all of the games and the rumors of a Fallout 5 potentially coming sooner than most expected? It is a great time to jump back into whichever game you have and enjoy yourself. There is a lot to enjoy, even Fallout Shelter.
Bethesda should be proud of the response from their community and never stop their support. It would be a shame if they squandered the second wind they’ve been given.