Fallout 76 Beta: Here's When It Starts On PC, PS4, And Xbox One

We've just gotten a flood of new information on the upcoming Fallout 76, and you can read all about it in our hands-on impressions. If you're eager to try it for yourself, the Fallout 76 beta kicks off quite soon. As we previously heard, it'll come to Xbox One before other platforms; it begins for Xbox One on October 23 and on October 30 for PlayStation 4 and PC.

In an FAQ for the beta, Bethesda stressed that its purpose is to "stress test and break the game," which means that servers will be "online during targeted timeframes so we can get as many people as possible playing at the same time." Although specific times have not yet been confirmed, the company said the play sessions could last anywhere between four and eight hours. Overall, the beta will go on until a few days before launch.

Bethesda also said that players should expect things to go awry, as beta versions of games tend to do. "The [beta] is a work-in-progress version of the game," it explained. "During the [beta], you will likely see a glorious array of issues; many we know about, and many we don’t. Our goal, with your help, is to identify and fix any issues that arise in preparation for the November 14 launch. We need all your suggestions and feedback during [beta], at launch, and beyond to make Fallout 76 the best experience possible, now and for years to come."

To play the beta on PS4 and Xbox One you'll need a PlayStation Plus or Xbox Live Gold membership. Since Fallout 76 is an online title, the final game will also require these subscriptions. The only way to get access to the beta is to pre-order the game at participating retailers or directly from Bethesda.

The beta will weigh in at 45 GB and is not available to pre-load. PC players will not need to re-download the game when it is officially released, but those on console will need to download a launch version. Currently, Bethesda is planning for progress from the beta to carry over to the full game."

Fallout 76 launches in full on November 14 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. On PC, the game will only be available through Bethesda's own launcher, not Steam. On September 26 Sony announced cross-play functionality is being introduce for certain third-party titles, including Fortnite. However, Fallout 76 is not included among these titles yet.

Bethesda marketing boss Pete Hines said on Twitter: "I work with a lot of devs and games for whom this is important going forward. Fallout 76 does not support cross-play, for a number of reasons. I have no idea if it ever will. But I assure you it is not on our radar right now as we focus on [beta] and launch."

Bethesda has also released the opening video from Fallout 76, which you can watch here or above.