Fallout 76 players are helping newbies following surge in popularity
Not that the Fallout franchise has ever really gone away, but thanks to a new era with Amazon's live-action series, the apocalyptic adventure has been given something of a renaissance. Amazon has been giving us classic entries for free, while player counts have soared through the roof.
Fallout is a franchise on the rise, and as some of us head back to enjoy the bright lights of New Vegas or get ready to give Fallout 4 another chance with its upcoming new-gen upgrade, others are dipping their toe in Fallout 76. Even though the 2018 prequel remains Fallout's most divisive entry, it's earning a new legion of fans.
Fallout 76 is back with a vengeance
According to SteamDB, Bethesda's Fallout games have more than doubled their concurrent player count since the TV series dropped. Impressively, Fallout 76 has hit a new concurrent player peak of 39,455 - not bad for a game that came out six years ago.
Fallout 76 was originally released as a wholly multiplayer game, which stripped Fallout of its beloved NPCs. Thankfully, that all changed with 2020's Wastelanders update which gave us more of a classic Fallout feel. There have been more major updates since, with the likes of invaders from Beyond, Nuka-World on Tour, and the more recent America's Playground.
Players are making the most of Fallout 76's spike in popularity, with one Twitter user posting a helpful thread for newbies to the Wasteland. Alongside starting with a Pacifist mode so as not to trigger PvP while you're getting your bearings, the OP tells us to check donations boxes.
As you become more used to Fallout 76, defending workshops, joining an established team, and taking part in daily events. Even though those who fancy themselves as a Level 50 Vault Dweller can learn a thing or two from the thread.
2024 is the best time to try out Fallout 76
Click to enlargeBethesda is also celebrating Fallout 76's newfound success with a supersized update. Skyline Valley is now live on the public test server, allowing players to explore a brand-new area that's ravaged by red lightning. Skyline Valley is split into two parts, with Part 1 already live and Part 2 coming in May.
Part 1 wants you to get involved with the Dangerous Pastimes event, where you become wannabe storm chasers and place down C.A.M.P.s. to claim your spot. There are also creature balances and a mystery mention of Fasnacht coming on April 27.
What's most interesting is that the devs are encouraging you to nuke the area and are teasing something spectacular as Skyline Valley's announcement says, "Maybe something will happen, maybe nothing. Probably nothing... right?" Whether you're new to Fallout 76 or a hardened veteran, there couldn't be a better time to polish your Power Armor.
