Bethesda joined the Xbox game showcase during E3 weekend to unveil several projects, including an expansion coming to Fallout 76. Since releasing in 2018, Fallout 76 has evolved through several free updates and expansions and many members of the community have returned as a result.
Fallout 76: Steel Reign and Expeditions: The Pitt were both unveiled during the Xbox and Bethesda game showcase, with the first coming next month. Expeditions: The Pitt will release sometime next year.
The trailer for Fallout 76: Steel Reign focuses on a location known as Fort Atlas and the Brotherhood of Steel fending off the Super Mutants. This expansion will have a campaign that takes players through this conflict. Several people have apparently gone missing and players will be tasked with locating them. Based on the interactions between characters in the trailer, Fallout 76's Brotherhood of Steel is facing some inner turmoil, as some members question the loyalty of others.
The Brotherhood of Steel is working to protect the future of the post-apocalyptic Appalachia that is the centerpiece of Fallout 76 from a growing Supermutant threat. Players will be given the option to choose one of two Fallout 76 Brotherhood of Steel allegiances, the traditional storyline is currently known as Justice, while the rebelling, fractured-off group of the Brotherhood of Steel has been called Duty. The Institute seems to be involved in the feud between the Brotherhood of Steel and the Supermutants somehow in Steel Reign according to the E3 2021 trailer.
The teaser trailer for Fallout 76 Expeditions: The Pitt was brief but teased the Fallout community with a new location to explore in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The teaser focused on a crashed aircraft with a shocked pilot trying to call for help to seemingly no avail. Shortly afterward, a door closes on him as he gazes on with a horrified look while the camera pans outside of a ruined building to unveil a slice of post-apocalyptic Pittsburgh that Fallout 76 fans will explore next year.
While Fallout 76 struggled out the gate, expansions such as Fallout 76: Steel Reign and Expeditions: The Pitt breathe new life into the open-world multiplayer RPG. Although neither of these trailers was a look at the next title in the mainline Fallout series, they may bring lapsed fans back to Fallout 76 or intrigue new fans enough to give the game a try now that it has improved a bit.
Fallout 76: Steel Reign releases on July 7 for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.