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With its reputation for massive single-player RPGs likeThe Elder ScrollsandFallout, Bethesda tried its hand at the multiplayer genre withFallout 76in 2018. While the game offered a unique online experience set in a typical post-apocalypticFalloutwasteland, not all was merry.
Fallout 76‘s launch was marred by technical problems such as bugs, glitches, missing features, and a general sense of incompleteness. While Bethesda games aren’t known to be the most polished at launch,FO76‘s problems were quite egregious and a big disappointment for fans.
Todd Howard Believes They “Screwed Up” WithFallout 76
In a 2021livestreamed conversationbetween Xbox and Bethesda executives after Microsoft’s acquisition of Zenimax, Bethesda Game Studios director Todd Howard offered a candid assessment ofFallout 76‘s launch and how the studio will move forward with its newfound ownership.
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Howard openly acknowledged the game’s troubled debut, stating:
When that game launched, the litany of issues we had, and we let a lot of people down, and, well, there was very little we didn’t screw up honestly.
Fallout 76launched with performance issues, lacked the depth and interactivity of previousFallouttitles due to the absence of non-player characters, andultimately fell short of player expectations.
Bethesda Can Polish Its Games Better Thanks To Xbox
Looking back, Howard believed that the access to the resources available through the Xbox acquisition could have significantly improvedFallout 76‘s launch. Specifically, he highlighted the potential of Xbox Game Pass and public beta testing as tools that could have mitigated the issues and made for a smoother launch experience.
Despite the rough launch, there’s a positive twist to the story. Following the initial struggles, Howard contacted Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer. Microsoft stepped in to offer assistance, providing data and insights from similar online games to help improveFallout 76.
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This collaboration proved valuable, aiding Bethesda in pinpointing the most pressing issues with the game and guiding the development team towards effective solutions. Since then, Howard noted thatFallout 76has redeemed itselfon the Xbox platform.
While its launch was undeniably rocky, the game has grown and is currently “one of the most-played games on Xbox,” according to Howard. This suggests that Bethesda, with the help of post-launch updates and improvements, has been able to cultivate a dedicated player base on Xbox.
Even Spencer himself is a frequentFallout 76player, albeit facing trouble recently when hisin-game camp was nuked by some players after Xbox’s closureof four Bethesda studios. Regardless,Fallout 76‘s launch serves as a valuable learning experience for Bethesda, and Howard’s transparency in acknowledging its mistakes demonstrates a willingness to learn and improve.
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Now, the studio also has access to the aforementioned Xbox resources, such as Game Pass and public beta testing, which could help streamline the development process and pave the way for smoother launches.Starfieldreleased in a more polished state than usual, which means the partnership is working, and should improve going into the future.
Viraaj Bhatnagar
Content Writer
Articles Published :247
A lifelong gamer, lover of cars, and Master’s student of Automotive Journalism, Viraaj Bhatnagar is a gaming writer at FandomWire who aims to be one of the greats. When he’s not hunched over on his laptop typing out copy, he can be found lapping circuits in Gran Turismo or slaying draugr in God of War.
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BethesdaFallout 76Todd HowardXbox
