Hell hath no fury like a Bethesda fan scorned. Even after a recent hotfix enabled the recently released Creations Bundle, Fallout 4’s recent reviews have dropped to “Mostly Negative” on Steam.
Among the currently 6,025 user reviews, about 33 percent gave it their approval, but why the sudden negativity? That would be due to the Anniversary Update, released to commemorate the title’s tenth anniversary. Of course, it also provided an excuse for Bethesda to re-release it, this time as the Anniversary Edition.
However, even those who didn’t upgrade were forced to download the update, which resulted in numerous performance issues, including crashes, broken textures, broken mods, and more. The fact that the separately available Creations Bundle has its own share of issues while lacking anything compelling doesn’t really help either.
As one review notes, “Fallout 4 was once a sandbox for creativity. Now it’s a treadmill for monetization. Bethesda’s latest update cycle feels less like support and more like sabotage – breaking mods, forcing updates, and re-selling the same game with a fresh coat of monetized paint.” Another said, “If you’re trying to sell your paid mods of varying quality, maybe don’t then break your paid mods store.”
It’s all the more annoying since Fallout 4 is the only contemporary offering in the series (at least on the single-player front). Bethesda’s Todd Howard revealed that the studio is working on “even more,” but a rumored Fallout 3 remaster is allegedly still a way off. And if Howard’s statement from 2022 still holds, the same applies to the next mainline Fallout.
It’s always tough to see a beloved game face backlash, especially after an update meant to improve the experience. Bethesda has a passionate fanbase, and it’s clear that many players are feeling frustrated. Hopefully, they can address these issues and bring the community back together.
Absolutely, it’s disheartening to watch a game that many cherish struggle like this. It’s interesting to note how passionate communities can be; they often have high expectations, especially for a franchise like Fallout. Hopefully, Bethesda can turn things around and regain the trust of their players.
I completely agree; it’s tough to see a beloved game face such challenges. It’s interesting how passionate communities can influence a game’s longevity, and this situation really highlights that dynamic. Fans often have high expectations, especially with a franchise like Fallout.