Fallout 4: release date for free next gen update for Xbox, PS5 and PC

The Fallout 4 update brings polished visuals and new quests to the open-world adventure game
Calling all Fallout 4 fans
PA Archive

Players are itching to return to the hostile world of Fallout 4 with the game’s highly-anticipated next-gen update.

More than eight years after the RPG masterpiece was released, developer Bethesda is giving Fallout 4 a glow-up for the PS5 and Xbox Series era.

Thanks to the update, the game’s dense wasteland, a future Boston devastated by nuclear war, should look better than ever. New and returning players will also have more to do courtesy of new quests featuring a new faction.

Here’s everything you need to know about the update, including its file size and all the new content within.

Fallout 4’s graphics are about to get even better
Bethesda

What time is the Fallout 4 next-gen update out?

The Fallout 4 next-gen update arrived on schedule today (April 25).

After an arduous few hours wait, which saw Fallout fans frequently checking Bethesda’s Discord server for news throughout the day, the next-gen update is now available to download.

It went live on all platforms (PS5, Xbox, and Steam) at just after 3pm in the UK - slightly earlier than our initial prediction of 5pm. The update is titled version 1.36.

Fallout 4 next-gen update file size

If you’re wondering if you need to clear any storage for the update, this is how big it is on every platform:

PS5: 56GB (full game)

PS4: 9GB

Xbox: 22GB

Steam: 14GB

Confusingly, your PS5 console may automatically download the 9GB update that is strictly for the PS4 version, which as we know is also being updated. Instead, you should be downloading the native PS5 version, which is about 56GB, and can be grabbed from the Fallout 4 game hub.

Meanwhile, the game’s Creation Club and Mods are still down for maintenance, preventing players from accessing official and user-generated side content.

The game’s robots and monsters should look more intricate than ever
Bethesda

Is the Fallout 4 next-gen update free on PS Plus?

PlayStation Plus user are claiming they cannot access the next-gen update for free, despite previously downloading Fallout 4 from the gaming service’s library.

It seems that subscribers have to buy the base PS5 game first, which is currently £16 on the PS Store.

Bethesda is looking into the issue, with a mod on the company’s Discord stating “we’re checking on the PS Plus update. Hang tight.”

This isn’t the first time members of Sony’s gaming service have missed out on a next-gen update. Back in 2022, customers were forced to pay for the Resident Evil 7 upgrade despite owning the game through PS Plus, leading to confusion and frustration among affected players.

What’s in the update?

The Fallout 4 update includes Performance mode and Quality mode settings for the PS5 and Xbox Series console, that separately allow up to 60 frames per second and increased resolutions.

If you're a PC player, you can expect an update too. There will now be widescreen and ultra-widescreen support, as well as fixes to Creation Kit and a variety of quest updates.

The update comes hot on the heels of the arrival of the TV series Fallout, on Amazon Prime, which has received rave reviews.

Get ready to meet the faction known as the Enclave in new quests
Bethesda

Players with PC versions of Fallout 4 on Steam, Microsoft Store and GOG will receive stability, mods and bug fixes. 

Alongside this update, Fallout 4 will be available to buy on the Epic Games Store – it will also be Steam Deck verified.

Not only that, there will be more content in the Fallout 4 updates, including the following free Creation Club items.

Enclave Remnants

Enclave Remnants brings the Pre-War cabal, The Enclave, into the Fallout 4 storyline. In this new quest, Echoes of the Past players will be trying to stop The Enclave from spreading its dangerous ideology and gaining a foothold in the Commonwealth.

There’s never been a better time to revisit the Commonwealth
Bethesda

Plus, players can get the following previously released Creation Club items: 

  • Enclave Weapon Skins

  • Enclave Armor Skins

  • Tesla Cannon

  • Hellfire Power Armor

  • X-02 Power Armor

  • Heavy Incinerator

As well as the Halloween Workshop

"Leftover from an ill-fated Halloween party, thrown by the New England Technocrat Society, these 38 new Halloween decorations include witches, cauldrons, ghouls and more! Decorate for Halloween or make your settlements spooky all year round!" Bethesda says. 

And the Weapon Pack which includes a variety of "unconventional objects that have been transformed into deadly weapons", including the Baseball Launcher, Nail Gun and Piggy Bank.

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