With its reputation for massive single-player RPGs like The Elder Scrolls and Fallout, Bethesda tried its hand at the multiplayer genre with Fallout 76 in 2018. While the game offered a unique online experience set in a typical post-apocalyptic Fallout wasteland, not all was merry.
Fallout 76‘s launch was marred by technical problems such as bugs, glitches, missing features, and a general sense of incompleteness. While Bethesda games aren’t known to be the most polished at launch, FO76‘s problems were quite egregious and a big disappointment for fans.
Todd Howard Believes They “Screwed Up” With Fallout 76
In a 2021 livestreamed conversation between Xbox and Bethesda executives after Microsoft’s acquisition of Zenimax, Bethesda Game Studios director Todd Howard offered a candid assessment of Fallout 76‘s launch and how the studio will move forward with its newfound ownership.
Howard openly acknowledged the game’s troubled debut, stating:
When that game launched, the litany of issues we had, and we let a lot of people down, and, well, there was very little we didn’t screw up honestly.
Fallout 76 launched with performance issues, lacked the depth and interactivity of previous Fallout titles due to the absence of non-player characters, and ultimately fell short of player expectations.
Bethesda Can Polish Its Games Better Thanks To Xbox
Looking back, Howard believed that the access to the resources available through the Xbox acquisition could have significantly improved Fallout 76‘s launch. Specifically, he highlighted the potential of Xbox Game Pass and public beta testing as tools that could have mitigated the issues and made for a smoother launch experience.
Despite the rough launch, there’s a positive twist to the story. Following the initial struggles, Howard contacted Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer. Microsoft stepped in to offer assistance, providing data and insights from similar online games to help improve Fallout 76.
This collaboration proved valuable, aiding Bethesda in pinpointing the most pressing issues with the game and guiding the development team towards effective solutions. Since then, Howard noted that Fallout 76 has redeemed itself on the Xbox platform.
While its launch was undeniably rocky, the game has grown and is currently “one of the most-played games on Xbox,” according to Howard. This suggests that Bethesda, with the help of post-launch updates and improvements, has been able to cultivate a dedicated player base on Xbox.
Even Spencer himself is a frequent Fallout 76 player, albeit facing trouble recently when his in-game camp was nuked by some players after Xbox’s closure of four Bethesda studios. Regardless, Fallout 76‘s launch serves as a valuable learning experience for Bethesda, and Howard’s transparency in acknowledging its mistakes demonstrates a willingness to learn and improve.
Phil Spencer May Be Looking to Retaliate Against Xbox and PC Players That Attacked Him in Fallout 76
Now, the studio also has access to the aforementioned Xbox resources, such as Game Pass and public beta testing, which could help streamline the development process and pave the way for smoother launches. Starfield released in a more polished state than usual, which means the partnership is working, and should improve going into the future.
