Like other games in the series, Fallout 76 begins in the aftermath of a nuclear apocalypse, with players emerging from a fallout shelter to explore and resettle the irradiated remains of West Virginia. However, this installment differs from previous Fallout games in some notable ways. Not only is it the earliest entry in the Fallout timeline, it's also the first in the series designed around the multiplayer, with each player assuming the role of one of America's "best and brightest" who were handpicked to enter the famed Vault 76.
Thanks to a recent hands-on opportunity, we got to see exactly how Fallout 76 begins. In the video above, you can watch us play through the opening 20 minutes of the game. The adventure starts off with a speech recounting the purpose of Vault 76, after which we awaken and get to customize our character's appearance. From there, we explore the vault and the surrounding grounds, picking up items and coming into contact with our first mutated humans before finally convening with other players at a camp.
In all, we got to play three hours of Fallout 76 during our recent hands-on opportunity, and we came away with a much better understanding of Bethesda's upcoming game. Among other things, we got to see what a nuke going off in Fallout 76 looks like during our demo session, as well as a glimpse at the game's full map. If you'd like an extended look at the game, you can watch 50 minutes of Fallout 76 footage here. You can also read our hands-on impressions of Fallout 76 for even more details about the game.
Fallout 76 launches for PS4, Xbox One, and PC on November 14. Before then, Bethesda will host a beta for those who pre-order the title. The beta is scheduled to begin later this month and will be available for each platform (although Xbox One players will get in first), and progress you make will carry over when the game launches.