E3 2019: Human NPCs Finally Coming To Fallout 76 In New Wastelanders DLC Expansion

Fallout 76 is about to feel a lot more like what you know as a Bethesda Fallout game. The upcoming update, called Wastelanders, will add human non-player characters, story quests, dialogue options, and branching choices that have long-term consequences. Separately, a free trial is also set to get underway this week.

Bethesda announced the details of the update and its changes to the game during its press conference at E3 2019. The Wastelanders content expansion will include a full new story questline to complete, and the NPCs you run into out in the wilds will be a major part of it. Like past Fallout titles such as Fallout 3, New Vegas, and Fallout 4, you'll have dialogue trees that give you options for you to interact with and respond to the people you meet.

As Bethesda noted during the show, Year One of Fallout 76 was about leaving the Vault and exploring the Wasteland. In the game's second year, it's about people coming back to reclaim the Wasteland, and so you'll have to choose how to deal with more than just the other players who've populated the game up until now. Your choices will have lasting consequences for the story of Wastelanders, and like in the main Fallout games, your stats and perks will sometimes offer you additional options for solving problems, persuading people, or convincing them to give you information.

E3 2019 Conference Schedule

• Monday, June 10, 10 AM PT -- PC Gaming Show
• Monday, June 10, 12 PM PT -- Limited Run Games Press Conference
• Monday, June 10, 1 PM PT -- Ubisoft Press Conference
• Monday, June 10, 4:30 PM PT -- Kinda Funny Showcase
• Monday, June 10, 6 PM PT -- Square Enix Press Conference
• Tuesday, June 11, 9 AM PT -- Nintendo Direct Showcase

One of the big criticisms of Fallout 76 at its launch was that its game world largely felt empty despite being filled with people. While it had lots of opportunities to shoot super mutants and deathclaws, it was lacking on the RPG storytelling that Fallout fans expect from the franchise. With Wastelanders, Bethesda is addressing that criticism, and it might bring Fallout 76 more in line with traditional MMOs.

In addition to the new story and characters, Fallout 76 will also have new rewards for players to earn along the way. The expansion is set to hit the game in the fall of 2019 and will be free to all Fallout 76 players.

In addition to the Wastelanders expansion, Bethesda also announced that Fallout 76 is getting a new battle royale gameplay mode called Nuclear Winter. The 52-player mode has everyone participating fighting to the death, with the last person standing winning the honor of becoming the new overseer of Vault 51. The mode includes all of Fallout 76's weapons and other mechanics, like CAMPs, perk cards, and even nuclear weapons.

Bethesda is offering a free trial for Fallout 76 starting on June 10, which will include a Nuclear Winter sneak peek. Like Wasteland, the mode will be free to all players when it fully launches, but Bethesda didn't say when the mode will join the game to stay.

More E3 news:

• New Xbox console, Scarlett, revealed
• Xbox Scarlett details: 8K, 120 FPS, SSD
• Elden Ring is From Software and George RR Martin's new game
• Cyberpunk 2077 release date announced
• Final Fantasy VII Remake announced