Fallout 4 gets better next week with more graphics and performance options, fixes

For those who have been limping along on their post-apocalyptic journey in Fallout 4 since April's messy update, relief may finally be around the corner. Per a post by Bethesda on X (formerly Twitter) today, another patch is planned for next week on May 13 to help smooth things out.

Fallout 4 gets new patch on May 13

The long-awaited April 2024 update promised solid fixes for years-old performance bugs and a huge graphic update to bring it up to speed with current consoles (PS5 and Xbox Series X|S).

Also, given the glowing reception to the first season of Amazon Prime's Fallout series in the same month, it all seemed destined to come together.

However, when the April patch dropped it turned out to be the polar opposite result. Players took to Reddit and Bethesda forums claiming that bugs slated for fixes still weren't fixed and that new ones were popping up alongside them.

Also, instead of the game becoming more optimized, crashing instances got worse. Reddit user 'Radiant-Elevator' noted that their game crashed at least three times in the past week while on PS4. Some folks playing on Steam Deck reported that the game isn't working for them at all.

On top of it all, many players who use mods have claimed that they've watched their files disappear entirely after the patch. Considering that many mods created for the game have ironically helped solve certain technical issues where Betheda's patches have fallen short, this is especially detrimental.

Needless to say, Fallout 4 needs even more help now than before, and Bethesda is assuring people that fixes for fixes that weren't quite fixed are coming for "all platforms" on May 13. It's slated to include "new options for graphics and performance settings as well as further fixes and improvements".

In the meantime, Sole Survivors everywhere will simply have to cross their fingers and tread through the wasteland carefully. Otherwise, the proverbial vault door may shut out many players for good. Considering that Fallout 4 had some of the best active player numbers in its history recently, this especially doesn't bode well.

It's no secret by now that Fallout 4's first big patch in nearly eight years has not made a good impression on even its most devout players. Bethesda may be synonymous with its bug-ridden (yet beloved) catalog of groundbreaking RPGs, but they definitely dropped the nuclear football on this one.

Be sure to check out all of our guides and news for Fallout 4 at Pro Game Guides, such as our list of all DLCs ranked worst to best.