The Fallout 4 next-gen update announced in 2022 will finally be out later this month

Fallout 4 next-gen update screenshot - two characters in Enclave power armor standing side by side

(Image credit: Bethesda Softworks)

Hot on the heels of the very good Fallout television series on Amazon, Fallout 4 is getting a bunch of new features, fixes, and content courtesy of a big "next gen" update that's set to go live on April 25.

You may recall that this update was actually announced back in 2022 as part of Bethesda's 25th anniversary celebration for Fallout, with a rollout slated for 2023. As 2023 faded into memory with no sign of the update, it was eventually pushed into 2024: We speculated at the time that Bethesda was holding it back for a release alongside the Fallout series, possibly to give Fallout 4 a Cyberpunk: Edgerunners-style sales boost, and now here we are, not quite spot on but close enough to count in my book.

The update is aimed primarily at bringing Fallout 4 to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S consoles with improved graphics and 60 fps gameplay, but it's also coming to previous-gen consoles, and yes, PC too.

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The PC update will add support for widescreen and ultra-widescreen displays, update some quests, make fixes to the Creation Kit, and add a number of "stability, mods, and bug fixes," including to the Japanese and Chinese language versions of the game, which will have access to mods restored. Fallout 4 will also finally be Steam Deck verified, and it will be released on the Epic Games Store.

Also part of the update are Enclave-themed Creation Club items including new weapon and armor skins, the Tesla Cannon, Hellfire and X-02 power armor, and the heavy incinerator, and a new quest called Echoes of the Past that will challenge players to stop the Enclave from establishing a foothold in the Commonwealth. The Enclave, you'll recall, is a fascist paramilitary organization that served as the primary antagonist in Fallout 2 and also played a major role in Fallout 3, in which it suffered a major defeat at the hands of the Brotherhood of Steel.

Fallout 4 next-gen update screenshot - Characters in Enclave armor and uniforms — (Image credit: Bethesda Softworks)

There's also a new Makeshift Weapon Pack featuring a baseball launcher, a nail gun, and a piggy bank, and Halloween decorations for your settlement.

Fallout 4 next-gen update screenshot - baseball launcher — (Image credit: Bethesda Softworks)

Fallout 4 next-gen update screenshot - nail gun — (Image credit: Bethesda Softworks)

Fallout 4 next-gen update screenshot - piggy bank launcher — (Image credit: Bethesda Softworks)

The Fallout 4 next-gen update will go live on April 25 on Steam, GOG, the Microsoft Store, and the Epic Games Store.

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.