The team behind Fallout 76 have teased what’s in the pipeline for the game’s 2026 updates following their ambitious Burning Springs expansion launching at the end of the year.
Speaking to journalists in a roundtable interview, creative director John Rush and production director Bill Lacoste explained that while this year was about improving core features to elevate the whole experience, for example improved shooting and gunplay, 2026 will “remind” fans why Fallout 76 is, in their view, the ultimate co-operative experience.
“While this year was focused on building and tuning features that make it impossible for our players to log out… next year’s updates will remind them why it’s the best place to adventure with friends,” said Lacoste. “I’ve said it before and I mean it every time , there’s never been a better time to adventure with friends in the Wasteland.”
While details about next year’s plans are thin on the ground, the team revealed they have ‘years’ of content scheduled for Fallout 76, a game that has successfully managed to shake its rocky start when it first arrived in November 2018.
“While this year was focused on building and tuning features that make it impossible for our players to log out… next year’s updates will remind them why it’s the best place to adventure with friends.”
Since the launch, Fallout has had a massive 23 major content updates – all of which have been free to player. Burning Springs, which arrives at the end of year, is no different – but is arguably one of the team’s most ambitious and complete updates to date.
Unfortunately, not all of Fallout 76’s issues will be fixed in the near future. While the feature is not off the table, the team behind the project have confirmed that cross-play and cross-progression is not likely to happen.
The headline addition is the inclusion of The Ghoul – with Walton Goggins reprising his played in the Fallout TV show. Along with a large new map, players will be able to take on bounties from The Ghoul – which range from simple missions that can be tackled solo, to the far more challenging, ‘Headhunts. – which offer legendary items on a ‘much, much grander scale.’
“A headhunt is a special bounty level contract,” explained Rush. “The main target is as tough as they come and players can’t go it alone.”
Fallout 76 Burning Springs releases early December 2025 and brings not only a new region in the form of the Ohio, but also new activities such as Bounty Hunting, starring Walton Goggin’s The Ghoul.
