Fallout 76's Big Wastelanders Update--Which Adds NPCs--Delayed Shortly Due To Coronavirus

Bethesda has delayed the release of Fallout 76's Wastelanders update due to COVID-19. In a statement, Bethesda confirmed that developers are now working from home, and this has impacted the April 7 release of the Wastelanders update on PS4, Xbox One, and PC. Wastelanders is a much-anticipated update, as it introduces NPCs to the game.

Working from home has affected Bethesda's ability to perform "final testing" on Wastelanders. As such, Bethesda has moved the release date by one week, to April 14.

"We've done everything we can to minimize the delay and can't wait for everyone to play, Bethesda said, adding that the developer is especially thankful for Fallout 76's Private Test Server players for their help during this time.

"We know this is a stressful time, and we can't thank you enough for all the support you've given each other and us. We're humbled to have such an incredible community that has stuck with us through ups and downs. It means the world to us, especially in times like this," Bethesda added.

Bethesda also has confirmed that when Wastelanders releases on April 14, it will include new special events. Bethesda previously announced that Fallout 76 would also finally come to Steam on April 7 alongside the Wastelanders update, but it's unclear if that's still happening given the delay.

Fallout 76 launched to a pretty rocky start, and Bethesda has been implementing several large content updates since the game's release in order to address player concerns. Prior to the announcement of Wastelanders, Fallout 76 saw new quests added in Wild Appalachia, a battle royale mode in Nuclear Winter, and challenging team-based raids.

In GameSpot's Fallout 76 review, Edmond Tran wrote, "Bethesda has stated it intends to continue supporting the game for a long time, but at launch, Fallout 76 is a poor experience. There are echoes of the series' admirable qualities, but look past that facade, past the cute Vault Boy animations, past the familiar radio tracks, and you'll find no heart--just an inconsequential wasteland doomed to be nuked over and over again."