Why Fallout 76 Has Become the Perfect Game for Casual Play with Friends in 2024

Fallout 76: A Remarkable Comeback Story

Fallout 76: The Initial Disappointment

I finally caved. After years of being petitioned by my friends and spurred on by the new TV show, I spent this past weekend largely playing Fallout 76, Bethesda’s survival MMO based on the open-world RPGs.

When it first launched in 2018, Fallout 76 faced numerous obstacles. Not many people wanted it, it faced backlash for overcharging players for a low-quality bag, and the game was launched in an unpolished and empty state. The development of the game was a harrowing failure of management, and it seemed like the game’s population had given up on it within a few months.

However, Bethesda didn’t give up on the game. In 2020, the game experienced a sort of miracle. Fallout 76’s Wastelanders expansion overhauled the game, introducing human NPCs and a new story that breathed life into the post-apocalyptic Appalachias. Slowly but surely, Fallout 76 got better.

From Failure to Redemption

Flash forward to 2024, following the release of the Fallout show, based on the game, and the demand for the games it’s based on has skyrocketed. Players are revisiting Fallout: New Vegas and Fallout 4, the last mainline single-player installment in the franchise. Others are even modding Fallout: New Vegas into a proper shape. But there are those of us, like me, who never played past Fallout 76’s introduction but have now heard about its rehabilitation over the years and are curious.

When I started playing Fallout 76, I noticed the tension between the old and new parts of the experience. I embarked on adventures with friends who had played the game before, and they kept pointing out the new elements they hadn’t encountered. From new quests to the introduction of actual characters, the game had undergone significant changes. Wastelanders expansion had corrected the lack of characters and direction, making the game more engaging from the not-so-impressive early content.

Two Different Experiences

What struck me and my friends the most was the stark contrast between the early content and the new additions. While I found the newer storylines and quests more dynamic and engaging, my friends had endured the early quests with no context, direction, or depth. It was a terrifying thought that the game they played initially had little to offer, and it makes me appreciate the improvements all the more.

Enjoying the Fallout

Despite the unease caused by these clashing experiences, my friends and I are thoroughly enjoying Fallout 76. It proved to be an excellent entry point into the survival genre and a low-stress world to explore with friends. It’s as if Bethesda took DayZ and made it more user-friendly, with a community full of incredibly friendly players.

During my time in Appalachia, I witnessed kindness among players—sharing resources, quests, and even a musical moment at the Wayward bar. Fallout 76 became a platform for me to have my own post-apocalyptic adventures with friends and engage with the world on a more personal level.

A Bright Future for Fallout 76

While the initial content left much to be desired, Bethesda’s continuous efforts in updating and expanding Fallout 76 have transformed it into a more compelling and enjoyable game. Whether it’s the latest expansions or the thriving in-game community, there’s never been a better time to delve into the Appalachia wasteland.