Bethesda's online action role-playing game Fallout 76 had a turbulent launch, but seems to have picked itself up with a much more positive critical review thanks to the Wastelanders expansion. One of the biggest draws of this update was the addition of NPCs into the expansive wastelands of West Virginia, and Bethesda has compiled the statistics of which NPCs have really been grabbing people's attention since it launched on April 14.
A major component of the Wastelanders expansion is a story revolving around one "hard-working and industrious" faction known as the Settlers, who are building a city called Foundation as a refuge from the terrors of the outside world and clashing with another faction called the Raiders who feel they've already staked a claim in the territory. According to statistics posted to social media by the official Fallout Twitter account, 54 percent of players have sided with the Settlers.
The introduction of these new factions with NPCs has given the world of Fallout 76 a lot more character and clearly encouraged players to go back in and start experiencing the game again — which is a welcome thing as many look for things to do while adhering to social distancing guidelines. However, nobody would blame some of those players for not siding with either faction after their implementation led to forced home relocation in some areas.
With the increased traffic in Fallout 76, Bethesda has recently announced what players can expect to see in-game over the next month. The Wastelanders Community Calendar outlines six major events throughout the month of May, including updates for backpack vanities on May 19 and the return of the Fasnacht seasonal event on May 25.
Fallout 76 also is not the only game under Bethesda's umbrella which has gotten recent updates as gamers look for activities to keep themselves occupied during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. For example, id Software's Doom Eternal began its second season of content in mid-April that unlocked a brand new variant of the Archvile dressed like a coffeeshop hipster.
While Wastelanders has undoubtedly been a great step forward for Fallout 76, it still isn't perfect. While players are choosing which NPCs they want to side with, one overarching issue with the game has been a bug that allows those NPCs to steal dead player's weapons, even if those weapons are particularly rare or powerful.
Fallout 76 is out now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
Source: Bethesda