Fallout 4 is getting a free 4K update next year

Fallout 4
(Image credit: Bethesda Softworks)

Amidst the big celebration of the 25th anniversary of the original Fallout, Bethesda has announced that Fallout 4 is getting a free "next-gen update" in 2023—and yes, it's coming to PC.

Details are slim but the update will include "performance mode features for high frame rates, quality features for 4K resolution gameplay, bug fixes and even bonus Creation Club content," Bethesda said. It's also being released for the Xbox Series X-S and PlayStation 5 consoles.

Some Fallout fans may lament that Bethesda is putting effort into an incremental update of Fallout 4 for slightly newer technology rather than making Fallout 5, but look on the bright side: That's basically what Fallout 5 would be anyway, right? Somewhat more seriously, the upgrade will be a pretty big deal for anyone who hasn't played Fallout 4 yet. That's potentially quite a lot of people: Remember, it's seven years old now, which is an eon in videogame terms.

One thing Fallout fans have to be curious about is if (or, more likely, how) this update will impact Fallout 4 mods, of which there are very many. I've reached out to Bethesda to see if it's willing to share any insights on that front, and will update if I receive a reply.

Bethesda said today's announcement concludes its Fallout anniversary celebration, so I guess that means we won't be getting a surprise announcement of a new Obsidian-made Fallout game, which is unfortunate. There's still time to snag some of the other freebies, though, including rewards and bundles in Fallout 76 and Fallout 3 for free on the Epic Games Store.

TOPICS
Andy Chalk
US News Lead

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.

Read more
Skyblivion evil character
With the next Elder Scrolls and Fallout games still years away, here are 6 upcoming total conversion mods for Skyrim and Fallout 4 to get excited about
An armoured trooper stands in front of the Chernobyl sarcophagus.
Sweet aunt Petunia! GSC just announced updates for the 3 classic Stalker games 15 years after release
Fallout 76 - a player in a vault suit gives a thumbs up
Fallout 76's former project lead says it's still his favourite game he worked on, but the initial reception was demoralising: 'I got yelled at in an Apple Store, I'll never forget'
Skyblivion
Skyblivion only has one region of the map left to finish: 'We are nearly ready to release an entirely remastered Elder Scrolls game'
The Sims 4 - Bob Pancakes looks pleased and points below
The Sims 4 is getting 2 base game updates to celebrate the series 25th anniversary
Borderlands 4 teaser image
Borderlands 4: Everything we know about Gearbox's next big FPS
Latest in Fallout
Male and Female Vault Dweller holding guns and cresting a hill with ruined city in background
The New Vegas remake of the Fallout 3 that never was just got its first demo, not to be confused with the straight-up remake of the cancelled Fallout 3 or, indeed, Fallout 3
Lucy smiling while using her pip boy
Ella Purnell dreads being typecast for her 'poop finger' in Fallout: 'This finger is the bane of my life'
Fallout 76 - a player in a vault suit gives a thumbs up
Fallout 76's former project lead says it's still his favourite game he worked on, but the initial reception was demoralising: 'I got yelled at in an Apple Store, I'll never forget'
Mortimer Goth swanning around inside a New Vegas casino built inside the Sims 2
A Fallout: New Vegas fan is so fed up waiting for a remake he's decided to do it himself. The twist? He's making it in the Sims 2
Maybe I'll finally stop getting lost in Fallout: New Vegas' Bison Steve Hotel thanks to this new minimap mod
A jumpsuit-clad Lucy, played by Ella Purnell, emerges from a vault in the Fallout TV series.
Ella Purnell and Walton Goggins sure are excited for everyone to see Fallout season 2: 'No one's going to be able to predict what happens. There's some big twists this time around'
Latest in News
Cognixion’s AI powered headset
New headset reads minds and uses AR, AI and machine learning to help people with locked-in-syndrome communicate with loved ones again
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang holding an RTX 50-series card.
92% of Nvidia users turn on DLSS... if they've been lucky enough to bag an RTX 50-series card at launch AND have the Nvidia App installed
A woman with an arcane slingshot uses it to light a distant fire
Deconstructeam's next game is about training to shoot a single fireball at an impossible target
assassin's creed shadow naoe
We asked two parkour athletes to rate the realism of Assassin's Creed's acrobatics, and a surprising 'crime against parkour' might actually be one of the most realistic things they saw
Aooster's G-Flip 370 mini PC
This palm-sized PC has removably memory, a flip up screen, and a Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor
Mechs fight on the outside of a spaceship
MechWarrior 5: Clans is getting DLC with playable Elementals and a fight on the outside of a spaceship