Fallout 4 will be preloadable

Fallout 4

Bethesda Softworks confirmed today that Fallout 4 will be preloadable ahead of its release on November 10, meaning you'll be able to play the game the moment it goes live (or at least close to it) rather than having to wait for the whole thing to download first.

"We can confirm that #Fallout4 will have pre-loading on Xbox One, PS4, and PC so you have a few days to download the game before 11/10," Bethesda tweeted today. When the preload will begin hasn't been revealed but Pete Hines, Bethesda's vice president of PR and marketing, confirmed in a separate tweet that it will be within days of launch:

The preload period (preloadability?) is important because, while we don't yet know exactly how big Fallout 4 will be, we do know that it's going to be big: Bethesda recently cited the relatively small capacity of conventional DVDs compared to Blu-ray discs used by consoles as one reason for requiring the PC version to be partially downloaded from Steam, even when purchased on disc. Speaking of which, he also said that preloads for the physical release of Fallout 4 will not be available, and that as far as he knows there's actually no such thing as preloading a disc-based game.

Even though preloads are relatively common these days, it's good to have this one confirmed, because as we saw with Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain it's not always an option. We'll keep our ears to the ground and let you know when the preload gate will open.

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.

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