Bethesda Dev Admits Fallout 76 Had Rough Launch

Poor releases and broken promises are not new to the gaming industry. Several games have shown that developers can often stumble amid intense pressure to deliver, and one such example was Fallout 76.

Back in 2018, Bethesda Game Studios aimed to take the Fallout universe into the live-service genre, delivering an online game that used the setting of Fallout for an ever-changing experience.

However, the game was a disaster at launch. Leading up to the launch of the studio’s next game, Starfield, the Starfield Lead Designer has reflected on the launch of Fallout 76, admitting that it had a rough release.

Why it matters: Fallout 76 taught the studio a valuable reason and likely became one of the reasons Starfield was constantly delayed until it was finally ready to be released this year.

(4/5) When 76 launched rough, we asked for your patience. We had some lessons to learn. And you supported us as we supported that game, and made it the experience you wanted and deserved. That trust clearly carried over into Starfield, and made us want to work ever harder.

— Emil Pagliarulo (@Dezinuh) September 1, 2023

Bethesda Game Studios has already launched Starfield in early access, but the game’s full release is still two days away.

The Lead Designer of Starfield, Emil Pagliarulo, recently took to Twitter to reflect on the reviews, early access impressions, and the discussion around Starfield. He appreciated the support and reflected on Bethesda Game Studios’ last major release, Fallout 76.

Upon release, Fallout 76 was lambasted by critics and fans of the Fallout franchise. It became the studio’s worst-rated release by a huge margin, with many considering it one of the worst releases of all time.

Even at a time when games like No Man’s Sky and Mass Effect Andromeda failed to live up to expectations, Fallout 76 was considered a bigger disaster due to a bland online experience marred further by a plethora of technical issues.

Still, Bethesda Game Studios supported the game and eventually managed to turn things around for the online Fallout title. Earlier in June, the studio announced Fallout 76 had reached over 15 million players after years of updates and support.

The Lead Designer believes this redemption inspired more confidence in Starfield and encouraged the team to work even harder to deliver an enthralling RPG like never before.

Emil Pagliarulo also thanked players for their patience and support over the years, which allowed the team to recover from a rough period after Fallout 76.

The game recently received an update, allowing it to target 60FPS on current-generation consoles, improving the experience further just before the studio’s next big release.

All of this culminated in an important set of lessons for all the developers supporting Fallout 76 that helped shape Starfield into Bethesda Game Studios’ most ambitious and polished release to date.

Starfield is now available on console and PC in early access, and the full release is days away. The excitement is at an all-time high, with hundreds of thousands of players journeying through the 1000 planets and exploring every inch of the RPG’s detailed world.