Bethesda has cooked up the biggest expansion ever for its popular ongoing MMORPG Fallout 76. Dubbed Burning Springs, the upcoming update for the ongoing multiplayer game brings a massive new landmass, all-new Bounty Hunting missions and more in one killer update later this year.

Releasing in December 2025, Fallout 76 Burning Springs brings players a new free expansion inspired by the more detailed RPG narratives of Fallout 3 and New Vegas. Set in the arid and charred new region of post-apocalyptic Ohio, players will experience an expansion map with a “substantial amount of content with a lot of new characters and a lot of new dialogue”.

The new region’s overarching story will see players enslaved by the Rust King, a new cult leader that is one of the main power holders of Ohio. Forced to dispatch his enemies, the new story will see players wrestle control away from, or support, the authoritative rule of the Rust King in a lengthy new story filled with new characters to meet.

“The new region is terrifyingly beautiful and will feel very familiar to fans, drawing its main influences from Fallout 3 and New Vegas,” explains creative director Jon Rush.

Alongside the main Burning Springs update, Fallout 76 is also bringing a new Bounty Hunting feature to fans featuring Walton Goggin’s The Ghoul from the Fallout TV show. Featuring the likeness and voice of the iconic actor, players will interact with the character and perform hits to earn his favour. Bounty Hunting missions range from simple missions to more complex assassinations with multiple targets and named bosses.

“Bounty Hunting takes off in the sprawling settlement of Highway Town,” Rush explains. “Located in the heart of Burning Springs, Highway Town is teeming with bustle and a lot of hustle. The word around the Wasteland is that there’s a Ghoul somewhere around here paying caps for extra work.”

Releasing alongside Fallout 76 Season 23: Blood and Rust, the new expansion also comes a number of new public events including Gearin’ Up and Sinkhole Solutions as well as a new feral hog C.A.M.P pet to acquire.

While the MMO might be getting on in age now, Fallout 76 Burning Springs is the largest update yet for Bethesda’s popular multiplayer game, and there’s still a lot of juice left in the tank. With a brand-new story, new gear, characters, locations, events and more, there’s a lot to enjoy when this season launches in December.